Combi loses pressure....what to do?
 

Hi,

I live in a 2 bedroom flat which has a 2 year old Vokera Linea combi
boiler supplying hot water and central heating to the flat. Recently, it
has started to lose its pressure, requiring refilling on a fortnightly
basis.

Now I know that this usually means that there is a leak in the system
somewhere but all the above-ground pipes are bone-dry and I don't know
where to start looking for any leak that may occur under the floorboards.

Does anyone know of any diagnostic tests that I can perform to narrow
down the location of any under-floor leak that might exist? It would
save me ripping all the flooring up in the flat to no avail.

I also don't much fancy waiting until it's serious enough for my
downstairs neighbour to notice - if that ever happens, that is.

Can anyone help?

ta,
RM

Combi loses pressure....what to do?
 

Reestit Mutton wrote:

Hi,

I live in a 2 bedroom flat which has a 2 year old Vokera Linea combi
boiler supplying hot water and central heating to the flat. Recently, it
has started to lose its pressure, requiring refilling on a fortnightly
basis.

Now I know that this usually means that there is a leak in the system
somewhere but all the above-ground pipes are bone-dry and I don't know
where to start looking for any leak that may occur under the floorboards.

Does anyone know of any diagnostic tests that I can perform to narrow
down the location of any under-floor leak that might exist? It would
save me ripping all the flooring up in the flat to no avail.

I also don't much fancy waiting until it's serious enough for my
downstairs neighbour to notice - if that ever happens, that is.

Can anyone help?

See Below - last line.

--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html

Combi loses pressure....what to do?
 

Ed Sirett wrote:
Reestit Mutton wrote:

Hi,

I live in a 2 bedroom flat which has a 2 year old Vokera Linea combi
boiler supplying hot water and central heating to the flat. Recently, it
has started to lose its pressure, requiring refilling on a fortnightly
basis.

Now I know that this usually means that there is a leak in the system
somewhere but all the above-ground pipes are bone-dry and I don't know
where to start looking for any leak that may occur under the floorboards.

Does anyone know of any diagnostic tests that I can perform to narrow
down the location of any under-floor leak that might exist? It would
save me ripping all the flooring up in the flat to no avail.

I also don't much fancy waiting until it's serious enough for my
downstairs neighbour to notice - if that ever happens, that is.

Can anyone help?


See Below - last line.


Thanks Ed.

As it happens, I found that page late last night via the google news
archives...including a couple of posts from you stating that a "once
every few weeks" refilling cycle implies a leak so small that it's not
worth trying to trace it.

I also read that this problem may be countered to some extent by adding
leak sealer to the system. I have my annual boiler service booked in for
the beginning of November and I wonder if I can ask the engineer to do
this for me at the same time - if so, can you tell me where I might be
able to find this stuff (and what exactly I should ask for) so that I
can purchase some in advance.

cheers,
Laurence.

Combi loses pressure....what to do?
 

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 21:34:18 +0100, Reestit Mutton
wrote:

Hi,

I live in a 2 bedroom flat which has a 2 year old Vokera Linea combi
boiler supplying hot water and central heating to the flat. Recently, it
has started to lose its pressure, requiring refilling on a fortnightly
basis.

Now I know that this usually means that there is a leak in the system
somewhere but all the above-ground pipes are bone-dry and I don't know
where to start looking for any leak that may occur under the floorboards.

Does anyone know of any diagnostic tests that I can perform to narrow
down the location of any under-floor leak that might exist? It would
save me ripping all the flooring up in the flat to no avail.

I also don't much fancy waiting until it's serious enough for my
downstairs neighbour to notice - if that ever happens, that is.

Can anyone help?

Ed's already pointed you in the right direction, I'd just like to add
that our system (bokera linea 28) does a similar thing and needs to be
topped up perhaps monthly so I've not bothered doing anything about
it.

--
cheers,

witchy/binarydinosaurs

Combi loses pressure....what to do?
 

Reestit Mutton wrote:
Ed Sirett wrote:
Reestit Mutton wrote:

Hi,

I live in a 2 bedroom flat which has a 2 year old Vokera Linea combi
boiler supplying hot water and central heating to the flat.
Recently, it has started to lose its pressure, requiring refilling
on a fortnightly basis.

Now I know that this usually means that there is a leak in the
system somewhere but all the above-ground pipes are bone-dry and I
don't know where to start looking for any leak that may occur under
the floorboards.

Does anyone know of any diagnostic tests that I can perform to
narrow down the location of any under-floor leak that might exist?
It would save me ripping all the flooring up in the flat to no
avail.

I also don't much fancy waiting until it's serious enough for my
downstairs neighbour to notice - if that ever happens, that is.

Can anyone help?


See Below - last line.


Thanks Ed.

As it happens, I found that page late last night via the google news
archives...including a couple of posts from you stating that a "once
every few weeks" refilling cycle implies a leak so small that it's not
worth trying to trace it.

I also read that this problem may be countered to some extent by
adding leak sealer to the system. I have my annual boiler service
booked in for the beginning of November and I wonder if I can ask the
engineer to do this for me at the same time - if so, can you tell me
where I might be able to find this stuff (and what exactly I should
ask for) so that I
can purchase some in advance.

cheers,
Laurence.

Fernox do some in a yellow cartridge that can be injected into a rad bleed
valve.
This worked well for me on 2 different systems. Mind you, it ain't cheap rrp
£20+.
Shop around the sheds/builder merchants to see if there are any special
offers, I got mine cheap on a special offer in Travis Perkins.
The service engineer may well do it for you but expect to pay another 30
quid for his efforts, when in fact its an easy diy job.

Combi loses pressure....what to do?
 

BillR wrote:

Fernox do some in a yellow cartridge that can be injected into a rad bleed
valve.
This worked well for me on 2 different systems. Mind you, it ain't cheap rrp
£20+.
Shop around the sheds/builder merchants to see if there are any special
offers, I got mine cheap on a special offer in Travis Perkins.
The service engineer may well do it for you but expect to pay another 30
quid for his efforts, when in fact its an easy diy job.



Thanks Bill.

Do these cartridges come with appropriate instructions on how to
introduce the chemical into the system?

I assume that I would need to drain the system first?...or can it be
administered whilst the system is under normal operating pressure? Does
it need any specialist tools to introduce via the bleed valve or is the
cartridge all that I need?

If this job is simple enough, I'm sure I can do it myself - I was just
thinking that, as my service cost includes up to 1 hour of labour, if it
takes significantly less, with a nice smile, a cup o' tea and a biscuit,
it may be possible to persuade the engineer to use the spare time to add
the inhibitor for me.......wishful thinking, no doubt.

RM

Combi loses pressure....what to do?
 

Reestit Mutton wrote:
BillR wrote:


Fernox do some in a yellow cartridge that can be injected into a rad
bleed
valve.
This worked well for me on 2 different systems. Mind you, it ain't
cheap rrp
£20+.
Shop around the sheds/builder merchants to see if there are any special
offers, I got mine cheap on a special offer in Travis Perkins.
The service engineer may well do it for you but expect to pay another 30
quid for his efforts, when in fact its an easy diy job.



Thanks Bill.

Do these cartridges come with appropriate instructions on how to
introduce the chemical into the system?

I assume that I would need to drain the system first?...or can it be
administered whilst the system is under normal operating pressure? Does
it need any specialist tools to introduce via the bleed valve or is the
cartridge all that I need?


Strike that! - I've found the fernox website and it has all the
instructions that I need to do the job myself.

ta,
RM