Broken bleed valve massive escape of contaminated water

[Maddyd]

Hi everyone. Really need some urgent advice on how to sort this and why this happened. Our normal plumber/gas engineer has been cleaning our heating system due to loud knocking noises the year before and after tests of water were done he used F3, then DS40 & F1 per the results, but nearing the end of the job, there was a full on escape of water from high up, (our system is a closed system, with a Vaillant boiler that is 17 years old) which sprayed all over our utility room, walls and ceilings, a mixture of dark brown/black, with some oil drips on ceiling and some red streaks in it, which absolutely stank. He had not put anything down to protect the area and his vax was in the van, so I rushed to get towels etc while he got the vax, but the stinking liquid has permeated the walls, gone between the karndean tiles and no amount of cleaning seems to have made any difference. It also killed the boiler. He tells me it was working when he left, having done nothing about clearing up the mess other than smearing everything round on the floor, but the on/off switch was off so I am not convinced and the EOW tripped the electrics as his vax wouldnt work at first. He has said he will fit a new circuit board FOC, but with all that crap having sprayed all over the boiler, I am not certain that will fix it? Also, I had no time to take pictures of the disaster area as I was too busy trying to stop the water coming any further into the adjoining kitchen, so I don't have any evidence for an insurance claim, but seems to me that he should be paying or claiming not me? I think he said the bleed valve was busted? Or could have been pressure valve, and that it must have been faulty all along. Any advice on what needs to be done to fix this and any potential problems that will arise, plus who to contact re a professional clean up would be much appreciated as I am worried we will get mould and that the smell will never go. As soon as we close the door and window again it's still there. I am really upset about this and freezing cold. I thought we were doing the right thing in getting the system cleaned up, but have ended up with a stinking house (as he walked the stuff through every room in the house too) and a broken boiler.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

If it just needs a pcb for the boiler, eg from water damage, then that should be ok. Obviously can’t say too much more than that, as I don’t know how much water got into the boiler.

Regards to paying, I would say, unless it’s stipulated that he’s not liable for damage as a result of say older equipment, eg old bleed valves that are likely to snap, then I’d say the onus is on him.

 

[exedon2]

First thing to say is crap occasionally happens.
Cannot comment on boiler as needs eyes on same as to what caused the discharge.
You do need to have a conversation with your engineer as to how any possible damage is to be sorted.
May not be way you want to go but maybe have a talk to your own insurers? do you have legal cover on you insurance?

 

[Maddyd]

Thank you both very much for responding. I think the hope is that it is just the board that's damaged. But the boiler smells and I obviously can't clean it! The "water" (black, brown, red streaks in it), was coming out at a full on rate. Even after yet another full clean of the room, the smell is just as bad. The plumber has said he will replace the board FOC, so let's hope that fixes it, but the smell of the water that has seeped between the karndean tiles is disgusting and there will presumably be a lot of bacteria in it, so worried about mould and not ever being able to get rid of the smell which is very strong as soon as the door and windows are shut again. The tiles have been discontinued of course and are fixed down and the whole kitchen/diner would need to be done as well. We recently had a major EOW claim which took months, so loathe to claim again on our insurance as we will lose our no claims and be majorly clobbered. I am sure we do have legal cover, but even if they can recover it from our plumber, we will still get clobbered. But no idea who to contact to get a proper deep clean done, if it's even possible, and the few flood recovery companies I have called want my insurer's details....also, if the cleaner etc has gone in, (F3, DS40 and F1), wouldn't it have been drained down at some point, so why if the job is finished is there so much crap still in the water in the system?? Am I missing something?

 

[WC1]

Sounds like an insurance job for you. In the heirarchy of insurance your claim will be to your household insurance.
Sounds like an old fitting failed and is well beyond the responsibility of the contractor.
As above stuff happens.
I'd get on with it asap before more harm is done by leaving it or they time the claim out.

 

[oz-plumber]

My feeling is that it's not the homeowners responsibility at all.

As for the plumber, I hope he has insurance.

The homeowner should contact their insurance company as soon as possible, to at least get an assessment done.
Then their and the plumbers insurance can sort out the finer details.

If the homeowner leaves it too long, then the claim will be rejected.

Sounds like a fair amount of damage and repairs required.
So unless you want a free PCB installed as gracious act, to compensate for the repairs required at your expense, contact your insurance company.