Gas Engineer's help needed...

**flipper321** · 22nd July 2004

... I have a problem with some work that has been done to a boiler of mine, if anyone out there in the know would be able to provide some friendly free advice on some technical details I would be most grateful as this problem is beginning to bring me down.

Please contact me if you feel you can help.

**bomberman** · 22nd July 2004

Post your problem and i'll try and help if I can.

Bomberman

**flipper321** · 22nd July 2004

OK here goes.... last February (2003) we moved into our current home. The boiler is an IMI and to as far as I am concerned was working fine (it had been serviced the November before we moved in) - there was no reason for me to think it was not working.

In February this year we decided to have it serviced, we called a guy from a local firm to come do it and he made us aware of a leaking pump valve and leaking vent pipes. All in all for service and repair we paid �185.

Now that the summer has come this year we turned the central heating off and left the hot water on, however the radiators still fill with hot water meaning our house is too hot (this didn't happen last summer).

We called the company who did the service who came and looked at it. As the bloke left he said it looked like scale in a heat exchanger (?-or something to that effect. Earlier this week they rang me to say that our system was missing a gravity valve that they could replace for �275. I queried why it was my system was working fine last year but now they have serviced it it doesn't work properly and that there is a missing part that would appear (from my untrained knowledge) to have been working fine last year.

The woman said she go away and talk to an engineer. Yesterday I received a letter from the comapny stating that wouldn't work on my boiler following unveiled allegations regarding their work.

The question I have is how could my boiler that was working last year now have what they say is a missing part - they are the only people who have opened up the boiler in that time. I don't understand the technicalities and just want someone to explain what has happened. Unfortuantely the firm I have been dealing with have taken this to mean I am accusing them of wrongdoing, which at the moment I am in no position to know whether they are or not.

Please help!!

**Roty** · 22nd July 2004

Is it a combi boiler or conventional one m8?
If it's a conventional it looks like ur 3 port valve has gone, if it's a combi let me know what model it is.

**toto67** · 22nd July 2004

Here m8, if you said that you paid them to service the boiler etc would I be right
in saying that you have a contract with them for this service????
I have a also got a service contract with b/gas and any problem s they sort them out
well thats what I pay their service contract for....
Cant you just phone up say b/gas and tell them you were thinking of taking out
the service contract and then you would get a 2nd opinion with your boiler and hassle
free service m8.....that is unless you havent got any type of service with the previous
company...
You see it all the time m8 companies coming out to service ppl boilers etc and
hitting them for things that they dont need..just like the prog" builder from hell"
get a 2nd opinion m8 b4 you get anything else done...better safe n sorry
good luck m8 :thumbs

**flipper321** · 22nd July 2004

toto - no it's not a service type thing it was a one off service.

Roty - it's an IMI Powermax 155 if that's any help. It's a conventional boiler.

**Roty** · 26th July 2004

It sounds like ur 3 port valve or 2 port valve has gone, depending on whether u have a y or s plan heating system. This has nothing 2 do with ur boiler, they are normally situated by ur cylinder.
These valves have a ball inside which move whenever u select hot water or heating to block whichever one u r not using or stay open when u want both on. In ur case the valve is not working and is staying open, whenever u put ur hot wate on, the water is also flowing 2 ur radiators.
These valves cost about �35 to buy plus 2 hours labour 2 fit.

U could change it urself if u are reasonably competent as it is not that difficult.

Scale on ur heat exchanger would just mean the boiler would have to heat the water longer 2 reach the temp u want or wouldn't be able to get 2 it if the scale was 2 bad. If u had a combi it would be ur diverter valve.

**flipper321** · 26th July 2004

OK thanks there guys, think I'll get a second opinion then.

**kracken** · 26th July 2004

Depending on the type of 3or 2 port valve you may just be able to buy the actual actuator ( valve head) by itself ,failing that you will have to get the complete item . Ideally it wants replacing with the seperate body/head type so that in future it is also a sinch to replace.

p.s. usually the synchron motor goes , these are fairly easy to fit/replace .

if undertaking any work by yourself , please make sure you follow the relevant safety guides and isolate power to central heating system where req.

**lisa (up my own) bott** · 29th March 2005

yep i would go with the 3port valve, although if they do fail they should fail to domestic hot water setting. are you near wolverhampton? i could pop in for a free check if you are.. ( free check must include cups of tea)

**thommo** · 30th March 2005

if your rads are heating when switched off its deff the 2/3 port valve it will be stuck, sometimes they can be freed but other times they need to be replaced but its quite cheap and it has nothing to do with the boiler itself that will prob be working fine,

one of the easiest finds and fixes once you ask the owner whats happening,