Help! I’ve over pressurised my boiler

[Mrsfrumble]

Yes, I’m an idiot, I know…

In my defence it’s in a rental flat and I’ve never repressurised it before. I did it this morning to 1.5 bars, but obviously didn’t close the valve tightly enough, and next time I looked at the gauge to check the pressure was holding it had crept up to 3 bars. Valve is now tightly shut, and I’m bleeding radiators to see if it will help. Has anyone done this before? Do I need to bleed every radiator in the flat? How long will it take to get the pressure down? Please help me 😬😬😬

I’m off to get my second vaccine this afternoon so could have done without this.

Yes, bleed bleed bleed. Start from the furthest point to the boiler and work closer.

I can't see why you'd need to bleed more than one radiator.

Bleed the top first. Let out some water girl 💦💦

Don’t you just twist the red knob on the top to release the pressure down again?

I know nothing about boilers! Maybe one of the few perks of renting that other than setting the timer for heating I’ve never needed to.

I bled about 4 litres out of the hall radiator before I had to leave for my vaccine appointment, and the pressure gauge hadn’t moved. I trust the boiler won’t explode in absence, but I foresee a long evening of sitting by the radiator holding a bucket ahead of me. Serves me right for lacking basic life skills I suppose.

There might be a drain outlet on one of the downstairs radiator valves. , it will be easier to drain some off from that than trying to do it out an air bleed point .

I’m a gas engineer- for context

Brilliant! Thank you, and to everyone else too. It’s been a steep learning curve today! My vaccine is done at least, and it’s good to know the boiler isn’t about to explode because of my incompetence.

I did this once op and the excess water just went out the overflow down the side of the house . No biggy

Arghh! I’ve bled another 8 litres out of the radiator and the pressure gauge has risen to 3.5 bars! The valve on the boiler is closed as tightly as I can get it. What else can I do?

Please @Hannahcolobus, do you have any idea why the pressure might still be rising? When should I give in and admit to the letting agent that I’ve broken the boiler?

Do you have an expansion vessel

I don’t think so. I’ve just had to google what they look like but I don’t see anything like one here.

This is all I can see.

I can't help much but a boiler engineer made a similar mistake and my pressure gauge went up to 3. He realised immediately, as soon as he had done it, and rectified it instantly.
However to rectify it, he did it from the boiler, he didn't touch any rads or put heating on. The act of rectifying it took about 30 seconds of moving knobs or whatever on the boiler. Make of mine is an Ideal ( combi boiler).

I am no expert at all but that valve doesn't look shut to me...is it back in the same position it was this morning before you started?

If the pressure keeps rising then either you have left the filling valve open

Or the system is getting hotter and the expansion vessel is faulty

More likely the first.

Turn off your main stop cock.

If you post some photos of the filling valve someone may work out the cause.

Potentially not helpful post:
That yellow handle doesn't look right - it should either be in line with the pipe, or at a right angle to it.
@pigletjohn, can you help?

Ah, so @PigletJohn, you're here now!
Breathes sigh of relief as I am one of your fans!

Hooray for PigletJohn! He is a treasure.

The yellow handle is the valve I turned to repressurise it this morning. I can’t remember where it was before I started, but I can’t turn it any further clockwise than it already is. When I opened it this morning I could hear water running but I can’t hear it now. I have no idea where the main stop cock is Will it be outside?

If it is a combi boiler, the expansion vessel would not be visible from the outside, it is all inside I think. Don't go inside though, don't remove the cover. I wouldn't touch anything any more without proper advice from a gas man, or appropriate plumber if it were me. You could google for the boiler instructions, people repressurise their own boilers, so fixing this prob may be ok, the instructions might say what to do and if it can be done safely by a non qualified person. Guess you should tell the landlord really though. I feel your pain as having been in similar situation in the past. Perhaps you could face time with the right professional, with him or her guiding you through what to do, if it is a straightforward, safe procedure.

Turn the yellow handle so it is at a right angle (that means it's off).
Then try bleeding again.
All in the absence of people who know better than me though!

Oh PigletJohn to the rescue....like SpiderHandyman

If the yellow lever us the filling valve (it should be blue, not yellow) then it is a quarter-turn valve.

You don't turn it "as far as you can"

You turn the lever parallel to the pipe for "open"

And right-angle to the pipe for "closed"

Like the slot that looks like a screw head in the silver one.