My boiler is now two and half years old. It went into shut down 3 weeks ago. I called vaillant and of course had to take out instant cover insurance to get them in the door STG299. when the engineer arrived he noted the seals had melted along with a large black plastic tube like thing. He replaced the seals. Managed to get money refunded as a design fault. One week later. Pressure is going up on the boiler. Call them back with that problem. seals had melted again. This time he also replaced the heat exchanger. the pressure had gone up again. I've tried to call them but they obviously have a problem with their phones. Do I have a duff boiler and should insist on a complete replacement? It will be interesting to see if it has melted again, but that doesn't explain why the pressure is going up? or does it? Please help. Thanks
seals on vaillant Eco gech Plus boiler
- Thread starter JaneWB
- Start date
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The first ecoTECs had a combustion chamber seal that deteriorated in service.
A recall was carried out which should have covered every boiler registered with Vaillant or CORGI's Gas Work Notification.
Boilers escaping this recall programme are likely not to have received an annual service. I note your boiler is 2.5yrs old and you make no mention of a service. Has it been serviced since it was installed?
Your boiler would not have been installed to manufacturer instructions if the warranty form was not filled out.
Was the installation carried out by a CORGI registered fitter?
The pressure rise is unlikely to be linked to the seal unless excessive temperatures inside the casing have damaged the expansion vessel or pipe leading to it.
regarding your rights to a new boiler, assuming you have not followed the manufacturer's maintenance requirements you have a weak case. If you have had the unit serviced, then I would expect them to rectify consequential damage from the first fault.
This is where using an installer with a large turnover can help if they bring their voice to support the customer. Sole traders rarely have the same clout.
A recall was carried out which should have covered every boiler registered with Vaillant or CORGI's Gas Work Notification.
Boilers escaping this recall programme are likely not to have received an annual service. I note your boiler is 2.5yrs old and you make no mention of a service. Has it been serviced since it was installed?
Your boiler would not have been installed to manufacturer instructions if the warranty form was not filled out.
Was the installation carried out by a CORGI registered fitter?
The pressure rise is unlikely to be linked to the seal unless excessive temperatures inside the casing have damaged the expansion vessel or pipe leading to it.
regarding your rights to a new boiler, assuming you have not followed the manufacturer's maintenance requirements you have a weak case. If you have had the unit serviced, then I would expect them to rectify consequential damage from the first fault.
This is where using an installer with a large turnover can help if they bring their voice to support the customer. Sole traders rarely have the same clout.
Hi simon
Thanks for your very quick response. the boiler was installed by a CORGI registered company. I did in fact ask them to come and service it and the engineer actually told me that there shouldn't be a problem with it and therefore didn't!! I have spoken to them but as you say, they referred me to Vaillant due to the Seals problem. I take on board all that you have said. At the moment Vaillant haven't charged me for anything but the pressure only started to increase after the first lot of seals were replaced, and after the boiler went into lockdown. I will mention what you said re the possibility of damage to the expansion vessel when the engineer calls. I just find it incredibly frustrating - my previuos Vaillant boiler was great - It gave me 10 years of great service and needed to be replaced due to its age. This one however, just doesn't seem to be made to such a high quality. I Paid STG2,500 to have it installed. It will be interesting to see what they say - but the engineers to date don't seem to understand the increase in pressure problem, almost as if I'm making it up. Thanks again. Jane
Thanks for your very quick response. the boiler was installed by a CORGI registered company. I did in fact ask them to come and service it and the engineer actually told me that there shouldn't be a problem with it and therefore didn't!! I have spoken to them but as you say, they referred me to Vaillant due to the Seals problem. I take on board all that you have said. At the moment Vaillant haven't charged me for anything but the pressure only started to increase after the first lot of seals were replaced, and after the boiler went into lockdown. I will mention what you said re the possibility of damage to the expansion vessel when the engineer calls. I just find it incredibly frustrating - my previuos Vaillant boiler was great - It gave me 10 years of great service and needed to be replaced due to its age. This one however, just doesn't seem to be made to such a high quality. I Paid STG2,500 to have it installed. It will be interesting to see what they say - but the engineers to date don't seem to understand the increase in pressure problem, almost as if I'm making it up. Thanks again. Jane
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Do you mean the pressure is rising and never dropping back down again?
If so the prv should blow and water will escape from the copper pipe outside.
Are you sure that the filling loop valves under the boiler are fully closed and both read closed?
I agree that just changing the seals would not affect the pressure in the boiler. Certainly needs the exp vessel pressure checked.
See FAQs.
If so the prv should blow and water will escape from the copper pipe outside.
Are you sure that the filling loop valves under the boiler are fully closed and both read closed?
I agree that just changing the seals would not affect the pressure in the boiler. Certainly needs the exp vessel pressure checked.
See FAQs.
Thats an unjust comment.
Genuine sole traders have to compete against the larger national companies with their quick install methods, and their hard sell salesmen.
A sole trader has not got the comfort of hiding behind an useless customer service banner, and a genuine sole trader will have committed themselves to supporting their customers. Its not in the interest of a sole trader to ignore customers enquiries.
It would be nice to think that these large or national company fully adhere to their customer promises but I sure wont hold my breath.
I run a small company and have always provided 1st class customer after care, even to the point of challenging manufacturers.
Any faults on boilers have been forwarded to manufactures, and yes we have had an influence.
If we did not receive the same service then word sure would get round and many sole trader will have same voice as larger players. (that is if the large one really do follow up complaints)
Having previously worked for a national company I can honestly say they could not care less. They may have the buying power they'll always play one manufacture against one another. If they aren't happy with a product they just move to another.
Their overheads are massive and the customer does pay over the odds for their service unfortunately their customer after service stinks.
Sole traders or smaller companies have a far superior after sale support.
Jane, Have you realised that as your boiler was not included in the automatic recall your "CORGI" installer has not done his job properly:-
1. He has not notified CORGI of the installation.
2. He has not completed or sent off the warranty form.
3. Probably he has not even bothered to fill in the Benchmark form.
He sounds a pretty poor installer to me!
Tony
1. He has not notified CORGI of the installation.
2. He has not completed or sent off the warranty form.
3. Probably he has not even bothered to fill in the Benchmark form.
He sounds a pretty poor installer to me!
Tony
Vaillant were perfectly aware that I had purchased the boiler as I was on their database. I must have slipped through the net re: recalls etc.
The pressure is going up gradually - the last person to touch the boiler was the vaillant engineer and I cannot imagine he would leave the valves open in anyway. I understand that the system will purge itself once it reaches 3 - 3.5 bars - but I haven't let it get that high as I have called the engineer back. I wonder if the domestic hot water exchanger has been damaged during the meltdown phase - before it completely shut down?
The pressure is going up gradually - the last person to touch the boiler was the vaillant engineer and I cannot imagine he would leave the valves open in anyway. I understand that the system will purge itself once it reaches 3 - 3.5 bars - but I haven't let it get that high as I have called the engineer back. I wonder if the domestic hot water exchanger has been damaged during the meltdown phase - before it completely shut down?
I would say that its quite possible he left one of the filling vaves a little open. Are you able to check them?
The water to water heat exchanger would not be affected by the main heat exchanger and they virtually never leak on that model.
At 3.5 bar the internal pressure release valve opens to protect the boiler.
Tony
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