Problem with Vaillant boiler

[muggles]

Thanks for that.

"where this happens it is the homeowners' responsibility to pay for the repairs"

In normal usage if a radiator sprung a leak you would pay for the plumbing repair and the home insurance the carpet etc, would that not be the case here?

"as the Vaillant heat exchanger is notoriously almost impossible to powerflush properly"

Great news

But if I am reading you right a powerflush would be recommended and if it clears it, great but if not it could be new boiler time which would entail a PF anyway.

Possibly, it depends on the terms of your individual insurance. But you're correct in assuming that a powerflush is going to be needed whether you need a new boiler or not, so it's worth getting that done anyway, and also checking that your pump is operating correctly.

 

[Mottie]

When I had my system converted to a sealed system and unvented cylinder fitted earlier this year, the heating company recommended I had a power flush at the same time. They did warn me that it might leak afterwards. Anyway, they finished the job, put some cleaning chemicals in and said they would be back in a week to power flush the system and service the boiler. One radiator sprang a leak within a few days so I isolated it. When they came back to do the power flush and service, the engineer sent me out to get a new rad and valves and he helped me fit it while the system was being power flushed. A week later, another rad sprang a leak so I replaced that myself along with the only other remaining radiator that was the same age - 50+ years - all other radiators had been replaced within the last 10 years or so. I don’t think any copper pipes would be affected by the power flush, just any aged steel radiators. At no time did I consider that someone else should pay for them and for what they cost, it wouldn’t be worth going through the insurance - the three radiators cost less than my excess would have come to anyway.

 

[RidleyRumpus]

When I had my system converted to a sealed system and unvented cylinder fitted earlier this year, the heating company recommended I had a power flush at the same time. They did warn me that it might leak afterwards. Anyway, they finished the job, put some cleaning chemicals in and said they would be back in a week to power flush the system and service the boiler. One radiator sprang a leak within a few days so I isolated it. When they came back to do the power flush and service, the engineer sent me out to get a new rad and valves and he helped me fit it while the system was being power flushed. A week later, another rad sprang a leak so I replaced that myself along with the only other remaining radiator that was the same age - 50+ years - all other radiators had been replaced within the last 10 years or so. I don’t think any copper pipes would be affected by the power flush, just any aged steel radiators. At no time did I consider that someone else should pay for them and for what they cost, it wouldn’t be worth going through the insurance - the three radiators cost less than my excess would have come to anyway.

I didnt mean the cost of the radiators, I understand I would have to pay for those as that is a maintenance issue it is the collateral damage I was querying.

BTW was it a big leak?

 

[RidleyRumpus]

Possibly, it depends on the terms of your individual insurance. But you're correct in assuming that a powerflush is going to be needed whether you need a new boiler or not, so it's worth getting that done anyway, and also checking that your pump is operating correctly.

Thanks for that advice.

I believe that the pump is running though whether it is running correctly is another thing.

 

[Mottie]

I didnt mean the cost of the radiators, I understand I would have to pay for those as that is a maintenance issue it is the collateral damage I was querying.

BTW was it a big leak?

Just a pinhole, literally, on both of them. I’ve no doubt that rust and scale was sealing them in our conventional vented system. The chemical clean, then flush plus pressurising the system is what exposed the weakness. I suppose collateral damage would be covered by your home insurance. Luckily, I found the first leak on the morning we were going away on holiday for a week. Mind you, with a sealed system, I would have only lost a limited amount of water. With a vented one though, it would have just kept leaking.

 

[RidleyRumpus]

Just had a contact from a heating engineer, £125 + VAT per hour. This was quoting on a non urgent basis.

Am I out of touch or is this a high?

 

[AGAS]

Just had a contact from a heating engineer, £125 + VAT per hour. This was quoting on a non urgent basis.

Am I out of touch or is this a high?

Try ringing round and get a visit at least