Newly installed combi losing pressure

[GQuigley67]

don't worry all plumbers take scrap, they dont leave ferminting kebabs though...

 

[Rickster123]

don't worry all plumbers take scrap, they dont leave ferminting kebabs though...

No but I will on the next job where the customer wants the scrap!
Anyone else got a craving for kebab now?!

 

[GQuigley67]

the last customer that wanted to keep the scrap got to keep the radiators, i was up in the loft cutting out the old primatic cylinder and he's like "don't worry I'll get that" always hovering around like a vulture

explained to him that its part of the job but i was happy for him to keep the rads

 

[Phil]

What flooring was down again? Laminate?

 

[hedylaura]

What flooring was down again? Laminate?

Yep. Laminate in the main building. Our kitchen is on an extension which is around 200mm lower, then we have an extension on the extension which houses the bathroom, and the floor in there is concrete.

 

[SimonG]

It's one of them discussions where you only get to hear one side of the argument. In my opinion its unreasonable to expect original plumber to repair at own cost or for a reduced price. Yes he should have mentioned potential problems in swapping from vented to sealed system. But at the end of the day he has done his job as per estimate, and is the reason why I have a line on my estimates which states I do not gaurantee watertightness of any existing pipework and fittings. Prevents a lot of unpleasantness.

Hopefully you will get sorted without too much mess and disruption.

 

[Phil]

Its hard to picture your house or how much depth is under the floor, but I would first definatly prove the leak is in the downstairs pipes by getting him back to lock off the boiler and upstairs, if the pressure still drops then its definatly there.

I would pick an area like under a sofa or dining room tabe and make an access hatch to allow someone to get under the floor with a torch.

If you're unlucky then the depth will be too shallow to even get under, if you're very lucky then you could crawl under the whole ground floor.

 

[Phil]

As soon as the plumber walked through the door and saw the dreaded laminate, any sane person would have mentioned the risk straight away.

These guys get all they deserve, what would he have done if the domestic hot water pipe burst 'somewhere' under the downstairs floor?

 

[Phil]

My worry is the leak is under that concrete screed floor in the bathroom, probably tiled over aswell with pipes not protected against the corrosive cement.

Or there's a nail or screw through a pipe with a constant drip.

 

[hedylaura]

My worry is the leak is under that concrete screed floor in the bathroom, probably tiled over aswell with pipes not protected against the corrosive cement.

Or there's a nail or screw through a pipe with a constant drip.

Is there a way of temporarily taking the bathroom system out of the equation and seeing if the pressure loss still occurs? The boiler is located right next to the bathroom. For me, if the leak was happening there this would be a best-case scenario as a new pipe could just be run through the wall rather than having our flooring pulled up.

 

[P4ULT]

four.

and none of them told you that increased pressure=potential leak

 

[Destroyer2813]

Not without knowing were the pipework is which is doubtfull considering its concrete as mentioned are all the downstarirs floors concrete?

 

[PlumbersMate]

do you have a rad or towel rad in your bathroom?

 

[hedylaura]

do you have a rad or towel rad in your bathroom?

Just a standard rad.

 

[hedylaura]

Not without knowing were the pipework is which is doubtfull considering its concrete as mentioned are all the downstarirs floors concrete?

No, just the bathroom. But thinking about it possibly the kitchen as well... The main building (the bathroom and kitchen are on an extension) is Victorian and somewhat higher than the extension. I'm crossing my fingers that there's enough space here to get under the floorboards.

 

[Destroyer2813]

You have a resanable chance done a few extensions round there and some you can get under but then others not

 

[Howsie]

St Albans and the guy lives around the corner from me, though I found him via google.

Well lets hope he puts it right and your happy with the outcome/cost.

 

[Plumbsy]

The plumber could isolate the downstairs pipework then carryout a hydraulic pressure test which will hold a test pressure on the system and any leaks would be seen by a pressure drop on the guage. This would be quicker than just leaving it on the system for a week.

When my heating system was installed it took a few top ups as the system stabilised over few weeks. It is now fine.

Do you have thermostatic radiator valves on all your rads? If you have and they all shut down, and there is no bypass in the system, the boiler can overheat and will dump the pressure out the relief valve.

I am sure he would have checked that though.

Good luck

 

[davebigpipes]

You can find out if its leaking on the flow or return by shuting off one valve on one side of boiler and all rad valves pressure it up and see if it drops then if not do same for other valve on bottom of boiler.

 

[hedylaura]

The plumber could isolate the downstairs pipework then carryout a hydraulic pressure test which will hold a test pressure on the system and any leaks would be seen by a pressure drop on the guage. This would be quicker than just leaving it on the system for a week.

When my heating system was installed it took a few top ups as the system stabilised over few weeks. It is now fine.

Do you have thermostatic radiator valves on all your rads? If you have and they all shut down, and there is no bypass in the system, the boiler can overheat and will dump the pressure out the relief valve.

I am sure he would have checked that though.

Good luck

Thanks very much. I will see if anyone in the area will be able to do that for me. Yes we do have TRVs, but considering that one of our rads on the top floor drained empty during the last pressure loss, a leak seems the most likely cause.

 

[davebigpipes]

What I said only works if its integral filling loop actually

 

[LeakFinder's]

It appears the system has been upgraded> The installer cannot be held responsible for underlying issue. I get this situation all the time when systems go from open to closed. I would suggest that you Google water leak detection and get someone to trace the leak. The re-piping is a load crap sounds more like trying to make a bit more work for himself. I would also suggest contacting your house insurance as most will cover this type of service and any resulting damage caused getting to the fault.

 

[LeakFinder's]

It appears the system has been upgraded&gt; The installer cannot be held responsible for underlying issue. I get this situation all the time when systems go from open to closed. I would suggest that you&nbsp;Google&nbsp;water leak detection and get&nbsp;someone&nbsp;to trace the leak. The&nbsp;re-piping&nbsp;is a load crap sounds more like trying to make a bit more work for himself. I would also suggest contacting your house insurance as most will cover this type of service and any resulting damage caused getting to the fault. <br><br><br>

 

[Hybrid]

I was reading those 7 pages before this and was wondering why no-one mentioned a pressure test until plumbsy's post. If i'm upgrading from ov to sealed I always describe the dangers and offer to do a test at quote stage for £50, refundable if I get the job.

 

[SimonG]

I was reading those 7 pages before this and was wondering why no-one mentioned a pressure test until plumbsy's post. If i'm upgrading from ov to sealed I always describe the dangers and offer to do a test at quote stage for £50, refundable if I get the job.

Good idea, never even considered that previously. I always go with the statement on the estimate about not gauranteeing existing pipework.

 

[Hybrid]

The way I see it the customer is more inclined to accept my quote if they think they've already paid £50 towards the final cost. If they don't accept my quote they've still got something for their money and I haven't totally wasted my time.

 

[arran197]

The way I see it the customer is more inclined to accept my quote if they think they've already paid £50 towards the final cost. If they don't accept my quote they've still got something for their money and I haven't totally wasted my time.

That is a good idea, but I can imagine there is more work involved in testing it than you first think? Do you hydrolic test it or just pressurise it with air or something?

 

[LeakFinder's]

Hybrid,
I would agree with you but we always asume a plumber has confirmed the fault by pressure testing the pipework before we visit a site. It would suprise you how many guys including old hands cant be bothered to do a pressure test.

 

[Hybrid]

It doesn't surpise me Leakfinder lol. A lot of people spend so long thinking of creative ways to establish if there is a leak they'd be quicker just testing it in the first place.

Arran I hydraulic test it.
It takes a bit of time but it something i'd be doing if I get the job anyway and it usually sways a customer towards using me. I spend the test time discussing the install with the customer. I get paid £50 to quote lol, wish everyone would take me up on the offer.

 

[E4gas]

I got called back to combi conversion the next day 9pm , water dripping though the celing , ripped up hallway floor boards, no where near my work , found a pin hole in hot pipe to bathroom , it was like I tiny jet , must have been leaking a good 24 hrs , cut out hole , repaired ..