combi boiler leak

[drainrod]

released combi boiler pressure,drained 2 ground floor rads,removed one and blanked off its flow /return 8mm pipes replaced other rad with larger size,pressured up system,tested,working fine until 2days later customer calls to say he has no heating/hot water,boiler also leaking,i was away and another plumber called and found boiler was beyond repair, could it have been anything I did? boiler was about 10-15yr old

 

[aligorgon]

Did customer say where leak was from?? And where did you drain it from PRV??

Boiler beyond repair huh ??? Love it i gotta try that one...

 

[drainrod]

released pressure at prv,drained rest at downstairs rad valve, leak thro heat exchanger

 

[downthesouth]

To be fair a combi up to 15 years old may be beyond economical repair. See if you can arrange another gsr engineer to take a peek. Beyond repair is an easy thing to say, most things are repairable. Releasing pressure via a prv can open up a can of worms, best avoided, unless it prevents a pop!

 

[jam1979]

try changing the prv it could have some crud in the seating or spring might have broke thus passing

 

[erpkid]

Sounds like the customer may be trying it on. Wherever possible I run a system before I change anything just to make sure it was working on day one. We have all been caught out on the service that is actually a repair. Draining down even via PRV would not cause the exchanger to leak but could have been the final straw allowing crud to shift and expose a small hole.

 

[drainrod]

so do you think I should send in account for the work moving the two rads.? or just forget it and safe the grief?

 

[erpkid]

so do you think I should send in account for the work moving the two rads.? or just forget it and safe the grief?

If you don't invoice it may look like you have given in or admitting responsibility. It is a tough one but I would invoice then if not paid small claims it ( online process easy and impersonal ) Worst thing that happens is that this sort of things eats at your confidence so do the paperwork and get on with the next job.

 

[drainrod]

thanks very much, you mention online process of small claims? don't fancy having to go to court

 

[buckley plumb]

never drain from a prv you are asking for trouble with re seating

 

[lame plumber]

if you a gas safe then go and check it out, if not you shouldnt have touch the prv if you cant work on it. omho but dont touch what you cant repair, saves a lot of pain with this sort of situation. small claims is done online but best to have an airtight case, in this situation you dont as you cant prove it was all ok before and after being there.