Boiler Service in Watford

A new customer hadn’t had their boiler serviced since installation. Luckily they called Space Heating for a service, and we were able to identify and rectify several faults. 

We were horrified to see the installer had fitted the boiler flue upside down. 

The flue is one of the most important parts of the boiler, and the manufacturers go to great lengths to explain the different flue options in the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Even so, I’d expect the most inexperienced installer to know which way up to the flue. 

There were other faults on the installation. 

Have you ever heard of people's boilers failing because the cold weather has caused the condense pipe to freeze and block? 

This is generally because a white overflow pipe (20.5mm) has been used. If a condense pipe is run externally, then a 32mm (1.25 inch) pipe must be used as a minimum. 

As you can see in this picture, the installer has used the white pipe, which is normally used as an overflow pipe from the water tanks in lofts, which is too small and prone to freezing. 

Also, in the same picture, there has obviously been a problem with the pressure relief valve (PRV) letting by and the discharge pipe dripping. Instead of finding the cause and fixing it correctly, an isolation valve has been used to cap the pipe. 

The PRV is a safety device within the boiler that fully opens at three bar pressure and releases any pressure within the system should a fault occur. 

Capping it off nullifies the safety device, and had a fault occurred, the pressure would force a burst in the boiler or heating circuit and could’ve caused damage to property and or the customer. 

We rectified the faults, and now the boiler is working as it should. 

  1. A new flue was fitted and made good internally and externally 
  1. Isolation valve was removed, a new pressure relief valve was fitted and the expansion vessel was re-charged to cure the initial problem 
  1. The condense pipe now meets regulations 

For more information, get in touch with our helpful crew: 

0800 158 4423

Info@spaceheatingltd.co.uk

 

boiler flue
condensing pipe