Boiler pressure question

[Chrisnewton]

Hi all

First post on here so go easy on me lol.

Basically I moved into my house about 8 years ago and we had a ferroli boiler, it was fine and did the job fine, however it had one problem. I always had to top the pressure up as it kept dropping to half a bar. I'd top it up to 1 bar and within a week it would drop to half a bar, however never any lower and even at half a bar it worked fine.

Anyways the boiler broke and we have just got a new one an ideal logic plus. We have had it a week and again the same thing is happening it started of at 1 bar but now it's down to half again.

After reading around it sounds like we have a leak somewhere but if this was the case would we have not seen something by now if it's been going on for 8 years? Also if it was a leak would it not drop to zero?

I know the real answer is to get a plumber out and of course I'm probably going to have to but I have always imagined a plumber trying to find a leak could take hours if not days? And be expensive?

Does this sound like an expensive job? Will floor boards etc need to be pulled up?

Thanks for any advice

Chris

 

[Killy Bing]

Leak or your expansion is under sized.

does the pressure rise to 2 or 3 bar during opperation?

if it is a leak, after that long you can almost guarantee it will be in the ground floor

 

[Chrisnewton]

Leak or your expansion is under sized.

does the pressure rise to 2 or 3 bar during opperation?

if it is a leak, after that long you can almost guarantee it will be in the ground floor

Hi thanks for the reply what does expansion undersized mean?

 

[jefaz]

Hi thanks for the reply what does expansion undersized mean?

Well how big Is your property? How many radiators?

 

[Chrisnewton]

It's a 2 bedroom house with 7 radiators

 

[albatross]

How many radiators have you?
How big is the house?
How high the gauge rise to when the heating is on?
Are the downstairs floors concrete or wood?

 

[albatross]

It's a 2 bedroom house with 7 radiators

It shouldn't be an undersized expansion vessel then.

 

[jefaz]

As above. I'd be suspecting a leak under the floor somewhere. Maybe you could try a leak sealer to add to you system although they aren't great.

 

[Chrisnewton]

Next time the heating is on I will check to see what it's going up too.. I'm not sure if it's concrete or wood! Never looked! It's over 100 years old the house so I'm guessing wood? If it's Concrete would that not make it impossible to find a way leak?

One thing I have noticed is one of the radiators on the valve thing that you can turn to turn the radiator on or off there was a few drops of water on it. But really wasn't a lot.

 

[Killy Bing]

Next time the heating is on I will check to see what it's going up too.. I'm not sure if it's concrete or wood! Never looked! It's over 100 years old the house so I'm guessing wood? If it's Concrete would that not make it impossible to find a way leak?

One thing I have noticed is one of the radiators on the valve thing that you can turn to turn the radiator on or off there was a few drops of water on it. But really wasn't a lot.

Only has to be a small leak to drop it by half a bar over a week.
get the plumber to start there

dont add leak sealer unless you can help it.

where are you based?

 

[albatross]

stand in the living room and stamp your foot on the floor, you should be able to tell if its wood or concrete!

 

[snowhead]

stand in the living room and stamp your foot on the floor, you should be able to tell if its wood or concrete!

If you end up in the cellar, it was rotten wood.

 

[Chrisnewton]

If you end up in the cellar, it was rotten wood.

Lol its wood, definitely.. I'm based in teesside.. I know this sounds silly but if it is a leak why does it not go to zero?

 

[jefaz]

It may just be weeping somewhere and it takes a certain pressure to force the water out of said weep.

 

[AtlasGas]

It may not leak if the pressure is below 0.5 bar, sounds like it could just need the gland nut tightening on the rad valve with the dribble. I'm in Teesside, give me a PM if you want me to come and have a look.

 

[Killy Bing]

It may not leak if the pressure is below 0.5 bar, sounds like it could just need the gland nut tightening on the rad valve with the dribble. I'm in Teesside, give me a PM if you want me to come and have a look.

previous posts show he knows his stuff, jump at it

 

[Ermintrude]

Sounds like the gland nut on valve needs a slight tighten. Upload a picture.

 

[Ermintrude]

Don't let a smoggy in your house! Ever !

 

[Chrisnewton]

I will upload a pic

 

[Chrisnewton]

Hopefully you can see this pic, under the grey knob that you turn it had a few drops of water, I closed it and didn't feel any water but the pressure still dropped a little

 

[Chrisnewton]

Ok heating is on and it gets to just below 2 bar, is that too high?

 

[wetdrip]

Ok heating is on and it gets to just below 2 bar, is that too high?

Check your boiler manual for correct pressure settings.
However, I'd say you're too high; as a guesstimate, I'd say between 1-1.5bar.
If you've no manual, go online and do a search for make and model number pressure setting.
Anyway, the pressure will drop, due to the leak.

 

[Chrisnewton]

I'll find out thanks

 

[Chrisnewton]

Got manual here but it's all German to me

 

[acecharly]

Id start saving and get the rest of your system updated to match your new boiler and just put up with topping up for a while.

If you bought a new car you wouldn't drive it round with old seats in.

BTW, if its 2 bar when its hot it wont hurt but you realy don't want it going any higher.