Plumbing/Electrical problem... help

Moshe Gariani · Feb 18, 2016

Got home this evening to find no heating or hot water...

Boiler not working. Traced problem to the Programmer unit having had water dripped into it and not coming on. Water dripped down from a joint above the boiler.

Anyone know what to do apart from get a plumber out, spend a fortune, get a new boiler...?

Westdene Seagull · Feb 18, 2016

If it's the boiler then you'll have no choice but to use a GasSafe engineer.

jon12345 · Feb 18, 2016

What boiler is it? What programmer is it? Is the leak from the boiler or a pipe/joint above the boiler? Can you see or have access to where the leak is coming from?

Moshe Gariani · Feb 18, 2016

jon12345 said:
What boiler is it? What programmer is it? Is the leak from the boiler or a pipe/joint above the boiler? Can you see or have access to where the leak is coming from?

Potterton 100e. Leak is from pipe/joint above - small drip but unfortunately went down outer casing and landed on top of Programmer and penetrated (I assume).

Programmer is old, 24 hour one.

sydney · Feb 18, 2016

"leak" = insurance claim........shirley.....

jon12345 · Feb 18, 2016

That's good, if it's just one of the compression fittings that is on the boiler hopefully just tightening it should sort it. Then once the leak is sorted you will need to buy a replacement programmer. You should be able to get one that goes on the same back plate as the existing one ( no wiring ) just remove the old on and pop the new one on.

Moshe Gariani · Feb 18, 2016

sydney said:
"leak" = insurance claim........shirley.....

really?

Moshe Gariani · Feb 18, 2016

jon12345 said:
That's good, if it's just one of the compression fittings that is on the boiler hopefully just tightening it should sort it. Then once the leak is sorted you will need to buy a replacement programmer. You should be able to get one that goes on the same back plate as the existing one ( no wiring ) just remove the old on and pop the new one on.

Great, thanks. A modern programmer looks like about £70. Also the bottom cover is/was cracked and brittle and was a casualty of my investigations... presumably this has to be replaced? (cost £56).

Mrs G will insist on calling out a plumber tomorrow (cost £50) and will probably be necessary/worth it.

Do you know what the approx. cost of buying/installing a like for like replacement boiler would be?

jon12345 · Feb 18, 2016

Moshe Gariani said:
Great, thanks. A modern programmer looks like about £70. Also the bottom cover is/was cracked and brittle and was a casualty of my investigations... presumably this has to be replaced? (cost £56).

Mrs G will insist on calling out a plumber tomorrow (cost £50) and will probably be necessary/worth it.

Do you know what the approx. cost of buying/installing a like for like replacement boiler would be?

You could get away with outdoing the bottom cover ( the grey one ? ) you may be able to glue it and providing it's not falling off or the crack bothering you save a bit of money.

The programmer is about right at £70 and if the right one is bought should be a like for like replacement so 15 mins for the plumber. Might as well get him to do it if his doing the leak.

I,m retired now so not up to date with latest pricing. but being a 100e boiler ( fair size ) and depending on what system updates you may have like new controls, cylinder, flushing etc it would be about £2000+.

The only thing is although a few years old they are quite good boiler and about 75% efficient. A new boiler maybe 90%+ which sounds good but if you do the maths on your gas bill will take a long time to recoup the boiler cost.

Don't make a decision now but get the existing one sorted. After all it's not the boiler that has let you down. I'd save your pennies and keep the existing one.

jackanada · Feb 18, 2016

Westdene Seagull said:
If it's the boiler then you'll have no choice but to use a GasSafe engineer.

As the problem is a leak outside the boiler and the programmer no gas work involved. No wiring either so a legitimate case for diy

knocky1 · Feb 19, 2016

Is it a Worcester Bosch? If so drip may be from the flue above boiler, a design fault.

Moshe Gariani · Feb 19, 2016

jon12345 said:
You could get away with outdoing the bottom cover ( the grey one ? ) you may be able to glue it and providing it's not falling off or the crack bothering you save a bit of money.

The programmer is about right at £70 and if the right one is bought should be a like for like replacement so 15 mins for the plumber. Might as well get him to do it if his doing the leak.

I,m retired now so not up to date with latest pricing. but being a 100e boiler ( fair size ) and depending on what system updates you may have like new controls, cylinder, flushing etc it would be about £2000+.

The only thing is although a few years old they are quite good boiler and about 75% efficient. A new boiler maybe 90%+ which sounds good but if you do the maths on your gas bill will take a long time to recoup the boiler cost.

Don't make a decision now but get the existing one sorted. After all it's not the boiler that has let you down. I'd save your pennies and keep the existing one.

Thank you very much for all of this excellent advice. The bottom cover is unfortunately shattered into lots of pieces and in the wheely bin. I am contemplating retrieving it and attempting a glue and tape job.

1. Is it essential to have a bottom cover on a boiler? 2. Does it get hot? Would glue and tape be a problem on it?

jon12345 · Feb 19, 2016

No problem, it doesn't get too hot as it's at the bottom of the boiler and it's not essential for the operation of the boiler. So a glue and tape job will be fine.

It just really stops people poking there fingers and provides a protection from water being splashed on the electrics.

So if the boiler is fitted near a sink in the kitchen or you have young children who would be inclined to have a poke about then the bottom tray/case really needs to be fitted.

If the boiler is high up on the wall out of the way in say a cupboard or garage etc then it's not that important.

Good luck with the plumber hopefully you should be up and running soon.

sydney · Feb 22, 2016

Moshe Gariani said:
really?

shirley....really....!!

sydney · Sep 4, 2016

Moshe Gariani said:
really?

i would have thought so....a leak is a leak...!

Moshe Gariani · Sep 4, 2016

Very strange bounce of this old thread...

We ended up buying a new boiler.

Del Boy · Sep 4, 2016

Moshe Gariani said:
Very strange bounce of this old thread...

We ended up buying a new boiler.

How much did it cost?

Garage_Doors · Sep 4, 2016

sydney said:
i would have thought so....a leak is a leak...!

Why would a leak automatically be an insurance claim

sydney · Sep 4, 2016

Garage_Doors said:
Why would a leak automatically be an insurance claim

well , maybe the leak itself may not be but damage caused by the leak would be.

Garage_Doors · Sep 5, 2016

sydney said:
well , maybe the leak itself may not be but damage caused by the leak would be.

If i had a leak, which will always happen sometime, i would never think, oh theres an insurance claim !
In 35 + years of house ownership i have had many thing go wrong, boilers, bath overflows toilets overflowing leaks through ceiling etc but never thought i must claim it on insurance.
I'm guessing by you first reaction to this you have made many claims ? Assuming you have are all water related issues are covered on household insurances?

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