Water leaking from the boiler

[blueagle78]

Hi, I think my title might be misleading but I don't know how to best put it. Basically I got a new system boiler/hot water tank fitted almost a month ago. Then had new carpet fitted almost 3 weeks ago. Now for almost 2 weeks now I'm losing the water from the boiler. I'll fill it up to around 1.6/1.7bar and then about an hour or two later the boiler has an error message F.22 which means there's no water in the boiler. Its a Vaillant boiler.
I don't see any leakage anywhere. There's no damp in the ceiling and ground floor is all concrete. What would be the best way of finding the leak without ripping out all the carpet on the ground floor?

 

[dcawkwell]

Check outside at the rear of the boiler.
Is the pressure relief pipe leaking?
If so faulty pressure relief valve.

Of course the most likely thing I would say is the fitters of the carpet have
put a nail through one of the water pipes in the floor.

Perhaps start checking the piping/flooring around near the radiators and
along the edges of the rooms.

 

[Boilerman2]

Pressure Relief valve discharge dripping - Try recharging the Expansion vessel before just replacing the relief valve

 

[blueagle78]

Thanks for your responses guys. I'll look into it and would get back to you.

 

[cantaloup63]

Of course the most likely thing I would say is the fitters of the carpet have put a nail through one of the water pipes in the floor.

Perhaps start checking the piping/flooring around near the radiators and
along the edges of the rooms.

Or the room thresholds - the carpet strips tend to be screwed in with screws long enough to just nip through the floorboards which mights have caught a pipe.

 

[bell824]

best way to check the prv if it isn't obvious is to put a closed bag over it and check it in a day or two!!

 

[blueagle78]

Sorry if I sound a complete idiot now.
Where would I find this pressure relief valve?
By the way I forgot to add water disappears from the system whether its on or off. Not sure if that makes any difference.

 

[ServiceNumpty]

New Carpet = Door Runners = Screws thru pipe

 

[blueagle78]

Ok, I had the plumber in yesterday. We pulled out the carpet around the downstairs radiators but there's no sign of water leakage. He's reluctant to do the same upstairs because he's saying it won't help us much. He's suggested I should get a damp detector to help us find out the leakage. There are no signs of any dampness in the roof. But I've noticed there's one radiator upstairs which always has more air in it than all the other radiators. Is this a sign leakage could be around that radiator?
What damp detector should I go for? Is there one which would work even from the top of the carpet? I've got 11mm underlay and fairly thick carpet.
Please help

 

[ServiceNumpty]

If an upstairs rad has air, then there is a definate leak.

 

[Agile]

That amount of leak would cause considerable dampness.

What are your downstairs floors made of?

Was all the heating system replaced, rads and pipes?

Tony

 

[blueagle78]

Hi Tony,
downstairs flooring is all concrete, the house was built in 84/85 and it seems like all the piping in the house is from that time.
No I didn't change radiators apart from one in hallway. All radiator pipes are old. The only new pipes are those running between boiler which is downstairs in the utility room and hot water cylinder which is upstairs in the airing cupboard.
Would buying a damp detector help to work out where the leakage is?

 

[Agile]

I would turn off boiler for four hours then use an infra red thermometer to scan rhe floor looking for cold spots.

Having both instruments, thats what I would try first.

Tony

 

[blueagle78]

I would turn off boiler for four hours then use an infra red thermometer to scan rhe floor looking for cold spots.

Having both instruments, thats what I would try first.

Tony

Once again thanks for this really useful info. What infra red thermometer would you suggest?
Both instruments? Do you mean I should also purchase a damp detector? If so is there one you've used or you could recommend?
Thanks

 

[Agile]

I am only saying what I would do!

Thats based on the imstruments that I already own.

I am not suggesting that either will identify where the problem is. Or recommendingthat you rush out and buy one.

The correct instrument is a thermal imaging camera. Although simple technology all those you can buy are poor performance and £2k-£3k to buy. I dont like the poor performance or the stupid prices. You could see if anyone apart from the local fire brigade has one.

At a large bungallow in Tile Hill, it was losing about 25 litres per day and there was no sign at all inside or on the outside of the walls of any leakage and I had to give up. A previous plumber had replaced the swiming pool heat exchanger although there was no reason to have suspected that and it was easy to test. Just into doing something to make himself some money I would say!

Tony