Bad Boiler Issues - Please HELP!!

[kermitdafwog]

Hi,

I have an old Ideal Response 80 combi boiler (circa 1997). We have had genral problems with it losing pressure over the last year or two, more often than not it happens when we go away and dont use the hot water. What I am now finding is that every few hours the heating and water knock themselves off as the boiler pressure goes down to 1 bar. I then have to open the DWH IN valve to build the pressure back up to 2.5 bar. The hot water and heating then kick back in after running the hot water tap for 3 minutes or so.

We also find that a really horrendous banging noise comes from the pipes and a few radiators when the heating has been left on for 3 hours or more. We then have to run the hot water tap to stop it. On occasions, the pressure builds up to 4.5 bar, only leaving the hot water on for 10 minutes brings this down to 2.5 bar.

I have to start the boiler up every morning at the moment which is causing me grief as we have a 6 month old baby at home.

The rads have been bled in the last month or so by my father, I presume with the heating off. There arent any leaks as far as I can see, there is a slight dripping from the pipe labelled "safety pipe" but nothing major (one radiator has an egg cup full of water below once every month or so.

I am contemplating having the boiler serviced but have been told that the servicing isnt very thorough.

Has anyone got any suggestions? I would like to have an idea before I get anyone in to look at it.

Many thanks in advance

Cheers

Sam

 

[JohnD]

There arent any leaks as far as I can see

Yes there are

genral problems with it losing pressure

there is a slight dripping from the pipe labelled "safety pipe" ...(one radiator has an egg cup full of water below once every month or so.

Get them fixed for a start.

 

[Agile]

Your boiler has a protective low pressure switch which cuts it off if the pressure falls much below 1 Bar.

When this happens it illuminates an orange neon but Ideal forgot to bring this light to the front panel so you can only see it towards the lower right in the dark.

If you have to pressurise above 1.5 Bar to bring the boiler back on then this switch may be faulty or blocked up, a common fault.

Obviously any leaks will reduce the pressure but the PRV is designed to let water out if the pressure is over 3 Bar.

These boilers usually finally die from leaks inside the combustion chamber!

Tony

 

[ChrisR]

There's stuff in the faq on Boiler Pressure Problems.
Pressure vessels on your boiler quite often leak. You see water stains down the side of the gas valve.
That can be fixed but the leaking heat exchanger can't, when it happens.

Start saving for a new boiler.

 

[kermitdafwog]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!
One question before I do anything - is my current setup dangerous? Could the pressure (which sometimes goes way above 4bar) potentially blow my boiler (and me) up as in exploding??!
Is the bolier problem related to the noisy radiators? Would the problem be picked up during a boiler service?

 

[kevplumb]

Could the pressure (which sometimes goes way above 4bar) potentially blow my boiler (and me) up as in exploding??!

the prv should lift at 3 bar

 

[DP]

There are two types of services.

One is an operational check, sometimes using FGA. This rarely takes more than 15 minutes, some of the time being devoted to paperwork. No real work is carried out on the appliance. I see a large number of boilers that have been service as indicated above.

Second service is as described in the manual. This takes time. Not many will do this or able to carry out this type of work. If your boiler was serviced this way, you would not be having the kind of trouble you have now.

Pressurising boiler everyday leads to active corrosion (milky coffee coloured water) that starts to destroy the system from inside.

You may still have time to rescue this boiler, but will need an engineer who knows the boiler, has knowledge of how the boiler works (rather than just talk) and is able to fix or replace. You do not want anyone who without looking and testing (and giving you good reasons) recomends boiler replacement.

Every boiler has its weak points. It is a good instal that often improves the odds. Fit a good boiler badly and all you will have is tears.