Please help (back boiler leaking after lack of water)

[ginge77]

I have a Baxi bermuda back boiler. On sunday my system was working perfect and all radiators were on fine. monday morning system came on and after 3 hours a loud knocking starting coming from the boiler. I switched off the system and the banging stopped. As my dad was due over i waited till he came round. we tried to bleed the radiators first. the down stairs rads were fine and had clear water coming out. the upstairs ones had no pressure at all and nothing came out. we turned on the system again, and after 20 min the knocking came back. when we opened the radiator upstairs there was a rush of air and splodges of black liquid. the hissing stopped till after another 20 min till it starting knocking again.

I called up british gas who sent round an engineer the next day. he says i had sludge blocking up the pipes and showed with a magnet were some of the sludge was. he said i need a power flush and this would sort it. the problem was that they couldnt do it till the following wednesday. i spoke to the area manager who said that on friday he would get someone round to see if they could do something remedial as i have a 9 month old baby.
Well the 2 BG guys turned up and after about 20 minutes in the airing cuboard we started to get water coming out from the boiler down stairs. they came down and emptied the system to stop the leak. One engineer then looked at the boiler and said the heat exchange was knakered! they couldnt do anything else till the manager had come round to look at it.

Now i just want to know what could have caused this to happen? I don't want BG to come round a say i need a whole new system if it was just a split washer? and why would it just happen?

I want to know some thing before they come round so i know that im not gonna get fobbed off with something i don't need. so as the title says, please Help.

thank you for your time

Dave

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Afraid to say it sounds like the boiler is deceased, TBH. From your description the system was heavily sludged up, and either blocked, lacking in water or both. The boiler has overheated and sprung a leak, whether that be a cracked heat exchanger or something else is impossible to tell without looking.

When you tried bleeding the upstairs rads, and nothing came out, that is an indication the system is lacking water. You have then tried to run the boiler, with the result the water within the system is trapped in the boiler and boils rapidly as there is insufficient circulation. It is possible there has been a slow leak for some time, as the water has escaped and not been replaced due to a blockage or fault, and then eventually has got to the point where the boiler has overheated (banging noises!) and cracked even further.

BG are known for being expensive, so I would suggest you seek recommendations for local independant engineers to advise and quote before committing to anything. (Dont just 'pick' someone from yellow pages!) New BBU's are available, with an electric fire front, but other options are available if the boiler can be resited.

 

[Gasman28]

Good call from HJ - also check the header tank in the loft to see if it has any water in it. Sometimes the ball valve sticks and doesn't allow water into the system. If it has water in it, look at the condition of it - is it really dirty? Another indication of a possible blockage.

 

[ginge77]

forgot to mention, we did check the tank in the loft and there was water and it was hot. There wasnt a leak when the first enginner come round but then again as you say i probably damaged it when we turned it back on.

cheers for the replies

 

[dextrous]

Now then, it seems clear that your system needs flushing out. The problem I have is that the boiler hadn't started to leak until the 2 BG ops came round and it happened while they were there. Strange coincidence indeed.

Even more strange is that their diagnosis hints heavily towards a new boiler plus all the other costs, unless the level of homecare you have will actually require them to fulfil their part of the contract and fix the boiler..

Now, if I had a cynical and suspicious mind....

 

[Steve69the69Gas]

And named DM..............

 

[sooey]

And named DM..............

I think even dangermouse would agree that this one is not down to BG. It sounds like the boilers kaput and the system needs a good clean like hugh said.

 

[clf-gas]

And named DM..............

I think even dangermouse would agree that this one is not down to BG. It sounds like the boilers kaput and the system needs a good clean like hugh said.

Ditto Ray

 

[petit_pablo]

Any BG homecare (200,300,400) cover includes BBU heat exchangers. If you havent previously been advised of dirty water & the need to have it cleaned then they shouldnt be charging you to get it going either. Presumably the cold feed was blocked.

The 1st guy should have unblocked cold feed, got system working and recommended the system be flushed. Either BG can do it or an independant. If the system is not flushed and you subsequently get further problems with sludge then BG will charge you for the repairs under the terms & conditions of homecare