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Hi All
I've just joined the forum as I'm looking for some guidance on a bit of a problem I've got.
Basically we had a new heating system put in (December 2014). At the time of the installation we had two brand new cast iron column radiators. To cut a long story short, one was installed at the time and due to ongoing work on the property the other one didn't end up being fitted until about 12 months ago. Anyway over the last few months we have noticed quite a bit of rusting around some of the radiator gaskets. Some of the joints have actually been leaking slightly, dripping rusty water onto the carpet etc.
We have spoken to the radiator supplier who says that the most likely cause of the rusting is because none or insufficient inhibitor was put in the system. Well the 'Commissioning Checklist' in the back of the Worcester Bosch boiler manual (filled in by our plumber) states that 0.5 litres of Sentinel Inhibitor was put in the system at the time of the original installation which according to the manufacturers guidelines should be enough to protect the 4 radiators in the property at that time, including the one that was yet to be fitted. What I don't know is whether the system would have been partially drained or not when they came back to install the second radiator? Obviously I don't want to raise this issue with the plumber until we know our rights and have our facts straight. If the system was drained should it go without saying that they should also top up the inhibitor as a matter of course afterwards, or is this something we should have specifically requested at the time? We have since bought a Sentinel X100 test kit which has confirmed that there is indeed insufficient inhibitor present.
The radiators are under a 10 year warranty but the suppliers are stating that in order to put them right we are to send them back and have them flushed and restored etc all at our own cost. Presumably as they believe that lack of inhibitor is the cause.
Where do we stand in terms of getting the problem put right. Is the plumber liable for the costs and any work that needs doing in order to rectify the problem? I would be very grateful for any advice.
Thanks in advance.
Catherine
I've just joined the forum as I'm looking for some guidance on a bit of a problem I've got.
Basically we had a new heating system put in (December 2014). At the time of the installation we had two brand new cast iron column radiators. To cut a long story short, one was installed at the time and due to ongoing work on the property the other one didn't end up being fitted until about 12 months ago. Anyway over the last few months we have noticed quite a bit of rusting around some of the radiator gaskets. Some of the joints have actually been leaking slightly, dripping rusty water onto the carpet etc.
We have spoken to the radiator supplier who says that the most likely cause of the rusting is because none or insufficient inhibitor was put in the system. Well the 'Commissioning Checklist' in the back of the Worcester Bosch boiler manual (filled in by our plumber) states that 0.5 litres of Sentinel Inhibitor was put in the system at the time of the original installation which according to the manufacturers guidelines should be enough to protect the 4 radiators in the property at that time, including the one that was yet to be fitted. What I don't know is whether the system would have been partially drained or not when they came back to install the second radiator? Obviously I don't want to raise this issue with the plumber until we know our rights and have our facts straight. If the system was drained should it go without saying that they should also top up the inhibitor as a matter of course afterwards, or is this something we should have specifically requested at the time? We have since bought a Sentinel X100 test kit which has confirmed that there is indeed insufficient inhibitor present.
The radiators are under a 10 year warranty but the suppliers are stating that in order to put them right we are to send them back and have them flushed and restored etc all at our own cost. Presumably as they believe that lack of inhibitor is the cause.
Where do we stand in terms of getting the problem put right. Is the plumber liable for the costs and any work that needs doing in order to rectify the problem? I would be very grateful for any advice.
Thanks in advance.
Catherine