Do I need a Gas Safe plumber/engineer?

[Biilee]

Hi,

I want to replace two isolation valves - one on the cold water pipe and one on the hot water pipe, both pipes lead to my kitchen sink mixer tap in my house. (Both valves are corroded and the valve on the cold pipe is leaking slightly.) I was advised that if the main stopcock is turned off then a plumber can work on the cold water pipe to replace the leaking isolation valve without it affecting my combi boiler system (as long as none of the hot water taps in house are turned on). However, if I also go ahead and get the isolation valve on the hot water pipe leading to the kitchen tap replaced, will the plumber need to be a Gas Safe engineer/plumber who can work on combi systems/boilers? - I ask this as I am not sure whether any draining off of the hot water supply to the kitchen tap will necessitate anything having to be done to the combi boiler/system.

Many thanks.

 

[dontknowitall]

No need for a Gas Safe plumber in these circumstances. It's all wet system and there's no need or requirement to take the case off the boiler.

 

[Biilee]

Thanks Dontknowitall,

Even though I wouldn't need a Gas Safe plumber, would the plumber need to do anything at all to the boiler without the case being taken off the boiler, e.g. might the plumber need to re-pressurise the system at all - or would there be no need for him to do this or go anywhere near the boiler?

 

[davebigpipes]

No no need to touch boiler, even if there was a need to press buttons or refill still doesn't have to be gas safe if not taking case off boiler or touching the gas supply

 

[PlumbBobBob]

put simply, turning off the stopcock will isolate all water hot and cold to whole property

 

[Biilee]

Thanks Steveb. What I am wondering about is that in order to fit an isolation valve on the hot water pipe the plumber will obviously have to cut into the pipe and that will mean that any water that is in the hot water pipes will have to be drained off after the main stopcock has been shut - So, once the isolation valves have been fitted to the cold pipe and to the hot pipe and the water is turned on again, will anything have to be done to the combi boiler (such as re-pressurising it) before we start calling for hot water again from the hot water tap?

 

[anz]

Just make sure that the boiler is turned off, and once you have completed the job turn the hot tap on whilst the boiler is still off to get rid of the air. This will prevent the boiler from overheating/kettling.

The boiler shouldn't need re-pressurising or have you got a unvented/traditional system?

 

[Biilee]

Hi Anz
I don't know whether my system is unvented/traditional - I know I have a combi boiler and it's a sealed system for the heating. After the two isolation valves have been replaced should I turn on not only the hot taps, but the cold taps too, i.e. before I turn the boiler back on?

 

[jaybob]

just hot but if you turn off main stopcock you will need to bleed air from cold supply anyway so your tap doesnt SPIT WATER ALL OVER YOU. YOUR PLUMBER WILL KNOW THIS ALL ANYWAY AND ALSO WILL KNOW WHAT HE CAN AND CANT TOUCH PROVIDING HE IS AN HONEST TRADER

 

[jaybob]

HIT CAPS BY MISTAKE MY BAD
and again lol

 

[PlumbBobBob]

if you put your approximate location there may be someone on here near to you who could do it for you.