Springing leaks everywhere!

[chicaguapa]

Hi, I recently posted a question about my c/h system not working properly and about a plumber who'd replaced the control panel but that hadn't helped. I eventually bought an instant cover policy with NPower who sent someone round to solve the problem. He replaced a 3-way valve and the heating's worked fine since then.

Yesterday we came back from being away over Christmas to find the radiator in our bedroom has been leaking and the carpet etc is soaking. It has obviously been happening for a while as it's absolutely soaked and has run down the wall and soaked the lounge carpet too. That is now sorted as we also have some plumbing cover with United Utilities and they sent someone round to stop the leak. He said we wouldn't have spotted the leak as it was a constant trickle along the pipe into the wall rather than a drip.

We have now discovered another leak in the hot water tank and the bottom of the airing cupboard is soaked and the water has run down to the downstairs ceiling. It is dripping where the heating pipe goes into the tank. It's definitely not the hot water pipe.

I can't help but wonder if these leaks are connected to the replacement valve as the problems have occured since then. Or are these just unhappy coincidences?

I can't tell you much about the system except it's a normal boiler not combi and that the original plumber many moons ago said it was an old system (house was built in 1998) and they aren't put in houses anymore. The boiler is a Gloworm. Please let me know if I can give you any more info which might help get to the bottom of these mysterious problems. Thanks.

 

[Nige F]

Just unhappy coincidences .good thing you`re insured

 

[chrishutt]

It is dripping where the heating pipe goes into the tank.

Cylinders often leak at the point where the cylinder coil emerges to form a 1" male boss. The back nuts may have been loosened as a result of the wrong fittings being used for the pipe connection.

The 3 port valve may have been connected close to this cylinder joint and its replacement may have disturbed the cylinder joint. It might previously have leaked slightly but scaled up. The disturbance could have dislodged the scale and allowed it to leak again. Not really the fault of the person replacing the valve.

 

[chicaguapa]

Oh well. Thanks for your replies. My next question is do I claim from the pumbing & drainage cover policy or the boiler breakdown policy? The former fixed the leaking radiator and the latter fixed the 3-way valve problem.

 

[Nige F]

The one that lets you claim the most times without penalty