Condensing boiler requires top up everyday. Should it have been installed in a 1960s house?
Anonymous user 15/03/2024 - 2.45 PM
Hi,
My parents live in a 1960s house. They moved into the house in 1992, and have had the boiler replaced a few times. All the pipework is original.
Just before Christmas, they had their previous traditional boiler replaced with a condensing boiler under the advice of their plumber. They were told it would need topping up relatively irregularly.
Over the last few weeks, the boiler has required topping up multiple times per week, and now once a day.
The plumber who fitted the boiler says that he believes they have leaking pipes under the floor.
A different plumber has said that a condensing boiler should never have been fitted in a house with older pipes like theirs, as it'd put too much strain on their system.
They're now looking at what options they have.
My parents are obviously very upset as they spent a lot on having the new boiler fitted. I'm looking to understand:
A) Whether it's appropriate to fit a condensing boiler to a system of a house of that age, and whether any additional checks should have been done?
B) What the best options are to resolve the situation?
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Condensing boilers should not need regaular top ups. I would 100% grauntee you have a leak on one of the flow or return pipes that connect to the radiators under the floor. ( more than likely ground floor otherwise you would of seen signs of water damage to celings or walls.
I would strongly recommend you get someone to pressure test your system and see if it holds for a hour. If it dosent hold then identify which pipe is leaking. ( this will only be the radaitor pipes that would need testing. ) this can sometimes only be a pin hole size.
Hope this helps
Lewis faragher
do you mean a combi boiler?,any boiler you fit now is a condensing boiler ,weather it ba a combi,a system boiler or conventional boiler,with a combi boiler the pressure in the pipework is greater than in a vented older style system,and with really old pipework may lead to leaks in the pipework and also may be to much for old radiators and may lead to leaks in them as well,the original plumber should have explained this to your parents and if he was unsure have re fitted a conventional boiler.there is not a lot you can do now other than sort out the pipework if you keep filling it ,it will lead to massive amounts of corrosion forming in system witch will destroy the boiler.
Sounds like you have a primary LEAK..
My advise is to keep eyes and ears open for signs of dampness appearing anywhere within the home ..and AT THAT current topping up rate by YOU.."LISTEN" for any whispering of silent weeps and slight hisses immediately just after topping up again for at least 15-20mins (SO LOWER THE NOISE LEVELS AT THIS TIME "sound like" SHHH)
Alternatively...
Look outside wall behind boiler for any weeps of water there ( where there's a little piece of copper pipe turned back to the wall)
NOTE:::
Having to KEEP topping up your boiler on a REGULAR basis WILL not prolong the lifetime of your product..
Good luck and hopefully this brings you a bright outcome and sufficient heating back to your home in the nearest future.👍
pd
