Pressure rising on boiler...

[DanniiHell]

Hi

I hope someone can help. I've recently moved into a property with a Worcester 28i junior boiler. For the past 2 weeks there has been nothing but problems with it. At first the heating wouldn't stay on for no longer than an hour and kept flashing the warning light. We had someone come around and look at the boiler. He suggested it needed a new pressure switch? (I've probably got that wrong) but it was something along them lines. Anyway, the part was fitted and all was fine until 3 days after. The boiler started to make an awful banging/rattling sound upon start up of the hot water being turned on, which then started to affect the heating too. We had someone around again yesterday that bled our radiators and re pressurised the boiler. Now after he left,* I noticed the pressure dropping so I re pressurised it back to where he told me it should be (just in front of the red needle) now this morning I've turned the heating on, and within 5 minutes the pressure was rising, it got to 2 bar before I turned it off. I tried again 5 minutes later and watched to see if it would stay at 2 bar, but it continued to rise and got to 3 bar. I've turned it off and the pressure has gone back to where it should be. What could the problem be if the radiators have been bled? Could it be because he's left the filling loop on? (He said that was okay to be left on) If the radiators do need to be bled again... Do I just do any radiator?

 

[SimonG]

You need to bin the people who you have had out. Simple fix for a competent gsr. Issue is inside boiler so no advice can be given as to specifics. Dont need to touch radiators though.

 

[DanniiHell]

Thank you for your reply. I don't really have a choice. I rent the property so all maintenance work goes through the Estate agents who then supply someone out to me. I've thought about getting someone different, but don't want to be liable for the bill as from my understanding that's the landlords responsibility not mine.

 

[SimonG]

Go back to agents and tell them the people they are sending are clueless. I would expect anybody with any boiler repair knowledge to sort this pdq.

 

[joni os]

Definitely Landlord's responsibility, even though you are the one with the problem. Follow up phone call to Agent with email starting:- "I wish to record" etc, and detail on going problems yet to be resolved. When their service engineer turns up check his gas safe certification and write down the number.

 

[DanniiHell]

Hi again.

So I got ahold of the estate agents and explained the issue above about the pressure rising quickly (something it never done before the radiators were bled) and they got the heating company to phone my partner to discuss the problem I was reporting. He explained exactly what I've described and they said that a part (He can't remember exactly what) may need changing. They came around to check and he explained what he told my partner and said he's checked the part of what he thought it may be and it's not that* because it's "releasing" and pumped it up. He also said the pressure rising is perfectly normal and when it reaches 3 bar it will simply release the water outside and may need topping back up eventually. The pressure is still rising quickly and gets to nearly 3 bar within 15 minutes. This is something it never did before. Now what I want to know is, whether this is "normal" and whether I should be using the boiler and letting the pressure rise and release outside? I received a email after they left from our estate agents which read "The contractor who attended found that the boiler was working correctly within the manufactures guidelines therefore I will have to ask you to pay the call out fee of £85.00"* from what I'm reading, it's not normal for the pressure to be rising as quickly as it does, so is what they've told me wrong? Because I still believe there is a problem and I'm baffled as to how it was serviced on the 24/10/16 and we've encountered these problems since moving in on the 19/11/16.*

 

[oz-plumber]

Without getting into specifics, it is not normal for a system to rise to a point where water is released through the pressure relief valve on a continual or regular basis.

All boiler are designed to operate at full capacity without releasing water through the relief valve. If water is released it is a sign that something is not quite right within the boiler.

 

[SimonG]

It's not working correctly. The pressure relief is only for emergency situations and not day to day running. The fact it is discharging is an indication of an issue that needs attention.

Go back to agent and tell them to :-

Stop hiring muppets.
You want it resolved in 48 hours.
You are considering wether to charge agent for all time off work because they are hiring incompetent buffoons. I would word it stronger but etiquette and forum rules don't allow.

 

[Chalked]

Do t pay.
Th guy they sent out is inexperienced in re pressurising an expansion vessel. He might have tried, but without knowing how to do it properly it will still have the same problem.
Do a screen shot of this page and email them it.
This is a common problem, that is not hard to cure and will cause more issues in the future.

 

[DanniiHell]

Thanks guys! I knew something wasn't quite right hence me posting on here. I've just emailed the estate agents simply stating I'm not paying as I don't feel I'm liable as the problem hasn't even been rectified. I've also requested they send someone from a different company because we've encountered problem after problem with the company they've sent. So fingers crossed this gets sorted. Thanks again ��

 

[Chalked]

Thanks guys! I knew something wasn't quite right hence me posting on here. I've just emailed the estate agents simply stating I'm not paying as I don't feel I'm liable as the problem hasn't even been rectified. I've also requested they send someone from a different company because we've encountered problem after problem with XxxxxxxSo fingers crossed this gets sorted. Thanks again ��

Hi.
Hope it gets sorted.
Please edit the name of the company out of your post.
Thanks

 

[DanniiHell]

Oops. I've just removed it. Sorry!

 

[joni os]

As a Tenant you have responsibility to report faults to Landlord. This is a fault. Inhibitor in system is lost every time there's a discharge through prv and recharging eventually dilutes until corrosion takes place. Note the occasions you recharge system and point out to Estate Agent you are saving them the £85.00 call out every time you do it.
Short term fix to get past Xmas. Drain a small radiator by closing valves each side and disconnecting, then reconnect, open valves and leave radiator full of air. This will allow system to expand without excess pressure.
Respond to Estate Agent that their "contractor" has failed to rectify the ongoing fault and unless they send a competent gas safe contractor you will be forced to seek remedy elsewhere and look to them to reimburse your time and expense.
Contact council's Environmental Health Officer who deals with private rentals, adequate heating is a requirement of the 2004 Housing Act.
Keep copies of all correspondence and note:- NAME & GAS SAFE NUMBER of anyone sent to work on boiler.