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Original poster

Urgent advice re boiler leak please

27 replies

Bookaboo · 03/02/2018 17:53

Water was dripping from the underside of the boiler, so we got a plumber to take a look.

He said the heat exchanger was cracked and that it would be a big and costly job to replace. The part is not available off the shelf and would need to be ordered and will take a few days to arrive. Quoted at least £500 to repair and replace.

Worst thing is, because the water is leaking near the circuit board, he said we can't use the boiler. I asked if there was something that could be done temporarily, to stem the leak until it can be fixed, but apparently not!
So now the weather is freezing again, and we have no hot water or central heating.

We are considering getting a new boiler, but hate being forced into a rush decision. The heating guy said he could fit it one evening, but the main thing that concerns me is that he is not gas safe registered. He told us that a new boiler will come with a warranty, but surely there are certain conditions around how the installation needs to be done for the warranty to be valid?

Current boiler is around 6 years old, a Worcester Bosch. It still actually works and is not losing pressure, just has this leak which is worse when switched off. would you still use it while deciding what to do?

Would like a second opinion but can't get someone else out until Monday!

OP posts:
specialsubject · 03/02/2018 18:07

It is illegal to do any work on gas appliances if not gas safe registered . dangerous for you and of course no warranty. Spend ten minutes on the gas safe site and never let this man in your house again.

Buy some electric heaters meantime.

Original poster
Bookaboo · 03/02/2018 18:36

It's ok, I've found him in the register now! It wasn't coming up with his name but searched on postcode & he's there.

Still not sure about what to do though.

Thanks - We have one electric heater as back up, DH went to buy an extra one earlier.

OP posts:
wowfudge · 03/02/2018 19:01

Don't use - you've been advised not to because water and electricity don't mix. Ask for a quote for a like for like replacement boiler and weigh up whether it's worth repairing or replacing the boiler.

Ceebeegee · 04/02/2018 10:13

If the boilers leaking, it could also damage the circuit board on the boiler , which is probably at least another £150 to repair.

So please don't use it , until it's repaired or otherwise .

Pixiedust1973 · 04/02/2018 11:01

Don't pay that much money! Get British Gas out under their fixed price repair scheme. Its one price no matter what parts you need. Not sure how much it is now, but it used to be about £200 per repair, & if you decide to join their Homecare scheme then they halve the cost!

Lilsurfdude · 04/02/2018 11:14

If its the heat exchanger get it replaced. Check the benchmark and see if it has the yearly services signed off. If they have phone worcester and see if your boiler was under their eight year warranty (I used to do installs for worcester).

SoupDragon · 04/02/2018 11:16

I would try the British Gas repair service too.

idontlikealdi · 04/02/2018 12:33

Our boiler broke back in November and British Gas were only going out to people with their service plan and even then it was a three week wait.

We got a local bloke who fitted a new boiler with a 7 year warranty for £1700, might be worth weighing up getting a new one than throwing money into repairing!?

DuckBilledAardvark · 04/02/2018 12:37

Phone WB they're really helpful, some installers can offer up to 10 years warranty so it's worth checking if yours is still covered but even 8 would be fairly standard for gas.

Maybe worth getting a second quote, again search the WB website for a local engineer.

DuckBilledAardvark · 04/02/2018 12:38

We got a local bloke who fitted a new boiler with a 7 year warranty for £1700

That depends on your set up and location, round here £1700 would be a combi swap from one of the lower end of the market engineers.

Longdistance · 04/02/2018 12:44

If it’s 6 years old, would it not be still under the 7 year warranty? Perhaps call Worcester Bosch?

Lilsurfdude · 04/02/2018 13:56

Worcester will only fix it under warranty if its been serviced every year and its filled out in the benchmark

Original poster
Bookaboo · 04/02/2018 14:02

Thank you Lilsurfdude, funnily enough I was having a nosey on some plumbing forums and picked up the idea to call Worcester first thing. The boiler is not still under warranty, but the heat exchanger is (10 years). It's still going to cost at least £300 to sort out, but then we'll also be covered for any other repairs that might be needed in next 12 months.

Worcester seemed to think there should still be still a few years life in the boiler yet, so I'd rather get it fixed quickly than rush to install completely new boiler.

But thanks everyone, if I hadnt thought of that this morning this thread would have been really helpful.

Feel bad I have messed the plumber about a bit, but tbh I don't know why he didn't just suggest this to us. He doesn't specialise in Worcesters though.

Hopefully they do have the part in the van and can fix it ok!

OP posts:
Original poster
Bookaboo · 04/02/2018 14:05

Lilsurfdude when I called them, they didn't ask about the benchmark, what is that please?

We've had it serviced, but it's only the last 2 times when the plumber has given us the paperwork as evidence. We don't have records of historic servicing because the w*kers who sold the house didn't give us the paperwork for the boiler, even though I specifically asked for it at the time.

OP posts:
Lilsurfdude · 04/02/2018 14:44

The benchmark is the instruction manual that comes with the boiler. In the back pages will have the details of the plumber that installed it and what chemicals they put in the system. The pages before that is the service record. That document should always stay with the boiler

Lilsurfdude · 04/02/2018 15:01

Also I recommend you find a worcester accredited installer. It will cover you if they do it wrong ad you can report them to worcester if they do it wrong. Any gas engineer that would accept doing a combi swap instead of changing the heat ex is a rip off and a disgrace to the trade. You can replace parts in boilers for years its only when its too old or the co levels are too high that it woukd get condemned. Hope that helps

Original poster
Bookaboo · 04/02/2018 16:12

Nope, previous owners didn't transfer that. I'll add that to the list of the many things I've cursed them over.

Hopefully it will still be ok as I've paid for a 12 month plan with Worcester.

To be fair, he gave us the options, and the reason a replacement was being considered was because he said it would take a few days to get the part ordered and also not being certain whether any other parts were damaged or whether the water had damaged the electrics.

I do have home emergency cover on my insurance, but there are so many caveats on it that it seems impossible to work out whether it's actually worth pursuing!

OP posts:
Lilsurfdude · 04/02/2018 16:32

Ok a few things lol I hate seeing people getting ripped off. What does the 12 month plan include? Why pay 2 grand for a new boiler when you can wait and get the part? As long as you have an electric shower you will be fine. The chances of the water ingress getting to the electrics are slim as worcesters electrics are at the front unlike the pcb of an idea isar. I wouldnt claim it on home insurance you need to keep that without you premiums going up.

In my honest opinion I would open a new bank account and every month put in 40 quid until it gets to 2 grand. That way you wont be paying for british gas to cover you only to condemn it straight away and you have to pay 5 grand for a combi swap which is a worcester boiler but with a BG badge on it.

I dont know what appliances you have but once a year 50 quid for a service and cp12 is cheaper than 50 quid a month when the boiler is fine, once you have got the 2 grand in the "boiler account" you wont have to worry about being ripped off again Smile

Original poster
Bookaboo · 04/02/2018 16:53

Sorry, maybe I didn't explain properly. Was going to go for the new boiler until I phoned WB and learnt that the HE is covered as part of their warranty (although from what you have said this may now be invalid). I have just signed up to a 12 month plan with WB for about £300, and someone is coming out tomorrow. (I don't normally sign up for these things, it just made more sense on this occcasion) Hopefully they'll have the part on the van and they can fix it there and then. There'll be no other charges on top of that unless other stuff needs fixing which is greater than £500.

We don't have an electric shower! I'll see how many times I have to boil water to get a decent amount in the bath later!

Thanks for your advice Smile

OP posts:
johnd2 · 04/02/2018 20:38

If they use servicing as an excuse for not replacing a heat exchanger they're pushing it, there's not much done on a service so I'd be interested to know what they thought would prevent it.
Maybe a very sludgey system with poor circulation and no inhibitor could cause it, but probably just a defect

DuckBilledAardvark · 05/02/2018 00:04

"there's not much done on a service"

Depends who you get to service it 😎

DuckBilledAardvark · 05/02/2018 00:05

@Lilsurfdude why do they need a CP12 doing in their own home?

Lilsurfdude · 05/02/2018 00:10

Because its an annual safety check. Its the same as having a service on your car and an MOT. They are both differant. A cp12 on appliances checks the gas rate and functionality and a service is just cleaning it.

DuckBilledAardvark · 05/02/2018 09:33

A CP12 is a landlords safety certificate.

A service is not just a clean in our company, we check the safety and functionality of the system otherwise what's the point in people paying for a service?

johnd2 · 06/02/2018 00:39

Duck billed aardvark thanks for your input
I'm trying to tell the op that the lack of servicing would not be an excuse to not replace a heat exchanger under warranty. Are you saying it is a legitimate excuse? If so why?
which part of the service would stop the heat exchanger leaking?

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