Hello Manfield and others. We have a similar situation...described below:
We have a 7 year old Saunier Duval Thema f23 and have the British Gas Homecare 200.
5 British Gas “engineers” have come over 5 times in the past week and yet, cannot explain why the boiler works fine and maintains pressure when it is switched on and why the pressure drops to 0 when it is switched off. They have suggested many things and now, after ripping out some floorboards, they are threatening to rip out our new tiles and walls in search of a mythical leak!!! Details below:
On 5th of February 2009 (temperature was -1 degrees centigrade), we had an engineer from British Gas come to service the boiler. He serviced the boiler and fitted a Hydroflow unit for £150 as well.
The next morning the boiler started making whirring noises and then we smelt burning and then the noise got louder and the boiler seized up and cut out. The pressure gauge displayed 0. We phoned up British Gas and they kindly told us to get National Grid.
The National Grid engineer was fuming and told us that this was standard practice for British Gas and told us that there was nothing wrong with the gas system and left – he also told us that he had to personally speak to and convince British Gas when they refused to answer the call of a 89 year old lady who was literally freezing to death on the grounds that National Grid had to go first and check the gas!
The British Gas engineer then came with a plastic tupper box with a few screwdrivers (no toolbox required for these engineers) and proceeded to insert pieces of tissue into the boiler. He then told us that the previous engineer forgot to tighten a few screws and that might have been the cause of the problem. He then used his fingers to manually move the boiler sensor switch (this is a spring loaded part) and then announced that this was the problem and said that a new part needed to be ordered. As we still had no heating or water, he topped up the pressure and told us that we might get some lukewarm water when the heater was running but could not explain the burning smell or anything else. We asked him if the radiators needed to be aired and he said that was not necessary. He seemed to be in a hurry to leave.
He left and an hour later, the pressure was in the red zone (3 bar) on the dial. We aired the radiators ourselves and that was that.
The next morning, the boiler came on at 6am and after about 5 minutes, started making whirring noises. The noise got louder and then the boiler exploded with a loud BANG and a massive burst of steam.
We phoned British Gas again and went through the story and the operator asked us “what do you want me to do?” Anyway, such encouraging customer service and after a long pleading conversation, an engineer came on Tuesday and changed the switch and any other parts that might have been sitting around in his van. He left and said all was well. An hour later, the boiler came on with the timer and we heard it whirring and it cut out. The pressure displayed 0.
British Gas then sent the same engineer on Friday, this time accompanied by a “senior” engineer (does this mean that we get junior engineers all other times?) who joined the junior engineer in “fixing” the boiler. Additionally, the senior engineer also criticised us for having floor tiles in parts of our house as he said that this makes their lives harder! "This is what you get when you put them fancy tiles - we might have to rip 'em out"
This time, they replaced the water valve, connection pipes and they also "checked" the expansion vessel, the out flow pipe and told us all was well.
An hour after they left, we switched off the boiler, went out and came back and the pressure was 0.
They came back two days later, and then moved a few more things around and then announced at the end that there might be a leak in the piping system.
The engineer came back the next day and filled up the boiler pressure and watched it go down to 0 in an instant. He did this 5-6 times. This means that we are “leaking” 2-3 litres of water at a time! He then ripped our floorboards and couldn’t find a drop.
They still could not explain why the boiler works fine and maintains pressure when it is switched on! The pressure only drops to 0 when it is switched off.
Now they are threatening to dig up the tiles and cut into the walls of our 1-year-old extension where the heating pipes are sunk.
Our builders have come in and kindly checked everyting have assured us that there CANNOT be a leak as there would be evidence of water leak on the tiles and the wall. They have also used a Moisture Meter and have told us that there is no sign of leaking water. They tell us that walls and floor tiles would show evidence of water leak given the amount of times that the British Gas guys have topped up the system. They also tell us that the Boiler heat exchange might spoil with the amount of topping up with fresh water.
The British Gas “engineers” have also told us that they are not responsible for the damage they cause as a result of looking for this mythical leak. They also don’t feel that the pressure gauge might be faulty! They also don’t want to change the expansion vessel!!!
They also told us that they will only search for this leak for a value of £1000 after which we will have to foot the cost. They also don't answer us when we ask of the possibility of not finding a leak!
5 engineers (one is senior at that hmm…) have visited 5 times with a 6th visit in a few days and yet, they cannot explain why the boiler works fine and maintains pressure when it is switched on and why the pressure drops to 0 when it is switched off.
The tactic from British Gas seem to be to firstly sell you the Hydroflow, then order some cheap replacement parts and then search for mythical leaks for the value of £1000!!! What next? Poke a hole in your piping system when no one is looking? Suggets that rats have chewed through the copper? Elves? Imps?
More to follow unless someone can provide some sanity please!!! This is our 12th day with no heating!
