Boiler about to explode?

Surfer · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:22

Water pressure from the boiler is dropping to zero. Hydroelectric engineer came round looked at boiler, topped up water pressure. He says there is maybe a leak somewhere.

Problem is ive checked under floorboards hallway (lots of pipes), bathroom, bedrooms, kitchen AND no water is leaking....so i got no idea why the water pressure is going down.

The boiler still comes on when its at zero. Though it does sound a tad clunky

What should i do next? Get a plumber out and DIG up every square inch of the flat?

cm1179 · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:24

do you rent?

Surfer · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:26

own it.

Badgi · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:28

I wouldn't have thought the boiler would blow if the pressure is low.

Morbius · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:28

Practically zero chance of it exploding. There are several mechanical failsafes.

TheMightyTen · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:31

Am I about to die? ............Quick to the internets

Lakeland · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:31

How long does it take for the pressure to drop?

Surfer · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:32

hrrmmm about a day or 2 days to drop to zero. If i chuck the heating on full pelt for the majority of that 2 days it doesnt drop. Soon as i switch it off it drops.

fretted · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:34

bleed all your radiators, for gods sake

Surfer · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:37

Bleed? As in let the water drain out? So i should probably switch off the water? then bleed em?

Paul11 · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:39

bleed, to let the air out

also , look for leeks around the radiator bleed values (i had this recently)

if the pressure is doping that quickly there must be water coming out somewhere

SilverTongue · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:39

bleeding is to remove the air from radiators not water

Surfer · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:40

how does one do that?

ahh wait this?

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/bleeding_a_radiator.htm

Lakeland · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:41

Surfer said:
hrrmmm about a day or 2 days to drop to zero. If i chuck the heating on full pelt for the majority of that 2 days it doesnt drop. Soon as i switch it off it drops.

Strange? That would make me think the leak isn't part of your pipes/radiators but something to do with your boiler.

Has your boiler been turned off for a while or is it in regular use?

Hank_Marvin · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:41

sounds like air to me. Bleed the air out of all points then fill up with water to get the pressure back up.

Xordium · 25 Oct 2010 at 12:41

Had this previously and the problem ended up being the pump being congested with debris. New pump all fixed.

Vonhelmet · 25 Oct 2010 at 13:00

Surfer said:
Bleed? As in let the water drain out? So i should probably switch off the water? then bleed em?

Water on. We do it with the heating on too, but I've no idea if you're supposed to. Top the boiler up with water. Go radiator by radiator. Bung a towel on the floor, and hold the key with a towel if you've got the heating on. Open the valve very gently and let the air hiss out, then close it when the water starts dripping out. Do the "lowest" radiators in your flat first, if there is any appreciable difference in the height of them, then the "highest". Once that is done, top the boiler up again.

That ought to do it.

Paul11 · 25 Oct 2010 at 13:01

im not sure it a bit of air in the system would keep causing the pressure to drop like that

Surfer · 25 Oct 2010 at 13:14

i'll give it a shot today and report back....i really hope its something as simple as air..will save me money. Not bothered if its the boiler as its covered under a contract i have with hydroelectric (they said it wasnt the boiler)

need to find a spanner

Paul11 · 25 Oct 2010 at 13:15

Surfer said:
need to find a spanner

radiator key if its an older radiator