Potterton boiler broken and leaks

[Barry Lee]

Hi

So my system boiler was making turbulent "klanging" noises before intially breaking down.

I had a read up and it was suggested to clean the system. Thus, I can bought some sentinel x800 and after going through the motions(emptying the f&e system, bleeding rads etc) Before dropping the product in the f&e tank, and soon after the heating(except 2 rads out of 8) and hot water was back on. I left the x800 over night and had the heating on an hour at night and an hour in the morning before flushing it out and before aplying an inhibitor.

3 days later, after working fine, the boiler is broke again. Sounds fine from the pump, and machinery, but the boiler is not firing up.

Then, I've noticed when I turn the hot water tap on water is streaming down from the front of the house, it seems coming from the loft and coming through to outside. The closest room to this, the bath room, I've also noticed water marks occuring on the ceiling and may have been there for a while. So I think this could be linked.

Anyone know why that maybe? Thanks in advance for any solutions and feedback.

 

[Scott_D]

Loft tank overflowing?

 

[Rob Foster]

ok ...questions ...what type of system do you have
Combi, System, traditional open vented, what sort of boiler
how old, thats just the start...put up the answers and we will all have a look and pitch in....Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Barry Lee]

Both tanks in the loft seem fine, water not over flowing. A little drip comes out the water tank when it's reached its maximum level but, not running.

Should also add the tanks situated are at the back of the house and not at the front where the leaking water is coming from. There is a tube/chimney component on the roof above, not sure what the use is for and every house on the road has one

 

[Barry Lee]

ok ...questions ...what type of system do you have
Combi, System, traditional open vented, what sort of boiler
how old, thats just the start...put up the answers and we will all have a look and pitch in....Rob Foster aka centralheatking

Hi mate, it's a pottersdon profile system boiler and about 20 years old. Also should add we've never cleaned the system in over 30+ years until the other day

 

[Scott_D]

Any pictures of what’s leaking?

 

[Barry Lee]

Any pictures of what’s leaking?

The loft has huge beams and I'm unable to get close to where the running water seems to escaping to the front of the house. So not sure what is leaking exactly

 

[Rob Foster]

prv open and gunked up ?
what do you fink scott, I am off on patrol now till 5 centralheatking

 

[Harvest Fields]

Have you checked that the pump is spinning?

 

[Rob Foster]

The loft has huge beams and I'm unable to get close to where the running water seems to escaping to the front of the house. So not sure what is leaking exactly

take a piccy from outside

 

[Barry Lee]

take a piccy from outside

At the moment the water is only dripping, however as I've mentioned, when you turn the hot water tap on, the water flow increases and starts running down intensely.

Been on the roof and its all dry. Thrwater seems to be coming from the white panel above the window. This would be from the loft I'm presuming??

 

[Barry Lee]

Have you checked that the pump is spinning?

I've not opened it up, but I've placed me hand on it and it vibrates, if that is any indication?

 

[Riley]

Unvented cylinder?

 

[Barry Lee]

Unvented cylinder?

Yes, we have a cylinder, its old like, 40 years+ so not sure it's unvented

 

[Scott_D]

Think you need to hey someone in to have a look. Everyone is clutching at straws.

 

[Riley]

Bet it’s an unvented discharging into the guttering

 

[Scott_D]

Bet it’s an unvented discharging into the guttering

F&E overflow is my guess

 

[Riley]

Actually yeah if I read the whole post he does have loft tanks but he did say they were at the opposite end of the loft

 

[Rob Foster]

ok its a conventional system, the f&e ....little tank is overflowing ...why not just tie up the ball valve and see what not happening , centralheatking

 

[Harvest Fields]

ok its a conventional system, the f&e ..little tank is overflowing ...why not just tie up the ball valve and see what not happening , centralheatking

Because it might be the ball valve that is faulty and not shutting off. So lifting the ball valve may do nothing.

 

[Barry Lee]

ok its a conventional system, the f&e ..little tank is overflowing ...why not just tie up the ball valve and see what not happening , centralheatking

Hi, when you say overflowing...the water is contained within the tank and not spilling out. Is this what you meant? The ball valves seem to be fine and water stops once it reaches a certain limit

 

[Rob Foster]

Hi, when you say overflowing...the water is contained within the tank and not spilling out. Is this what you meant? The ball valves seem to be fine and water stops once it reaches a certain limit

but is the water reaching the level of the overflow pipe ?

 

[Riley]

If it starts gushing once a tap is open there’s more to it. I’d suggest that it’s mains cold bypassing a mixer and going back up the pipe to the tank

 

[Barry Lee]

If it starts gushing once a tap is open there’s more to it. I’d suggest that it’s mains cold bypassing a mixer and going back up the pipe to the tank

A plumber mate, said something similar...if that is the case, what would be the solution? Ta

 

[Riley]

Replace tap.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Replace tap.

And fit non return valves

 

[Barry Lee]

but is the water reaching the level of the overflow pipe ?

 

[Barry Lee]

View attachment 37349

 

[Harvest Fields]

Looks like it could be. (I thought you didn’t have access to the tanks in the loft? Or did I miss read that?)

 

[Barry Lee]

Replace tap.

Soz pal, do you mean the taps on the sinks or other?

 

[Barry Lee]

Looks like it could be. (I thought you didn’t have access to the tanks in the loft? Or did I miss read that?)

I have access to tanks but, unable to get to thefront of the loft where the leak seems to be appearing from

 

[Harvest Fields]

Soz pal, do you mean the taps on the sinks or other?

Which ever one is passing. They will need checking / isolating one at a time. It will only be a mixer/mixer shower/monobloc tap not individual ones.

 

[Riley]

Right first thing you need to do is ascertain if the wet patch on the front of the property is anywhere near where your overflow/warning pipes for the loft terminate to outside.

If yes quite likely your culprit and we can look at causes

If no then you need to see what else is nearby or potentially terminating into the gutter. Is it just the gutter blocked and overflowing and it’s just an unfortunate coincidence.

If it is the overflow then either the tanks are overflowing or something is backfilling causing the tank to fill. I’d say that’s the likely culprit.

 

[Barry Lee]

Been on the roof a couple times and both the gutter and roof is dry, so water must be seeping through the brick work via the loft to outside

 

[Riley]

Do your overflows actually terminate to outside?? I’ve seen this a couple of times