Central heating Boiler loosing water pressure - no visible leaks?

Question

Loosing water pressure (going down quickly-- within 2 days) but no signs of leaks in obvious places
I do not wish to raise too many floorboards -just laid a wood over floor !
no leak visible in ceiling either
10 days (aprox) prior to pressure problem occuring ,I fitted a new radiator - have checked carefully around this area - no leaks

Boiler type Voikera 28 - sealed system

3 Questions:-
1 Any suggestions please?
2 Is there a gadget to detect water leaks without having to lift all the floorboards ?
3 could there be a problem with the gas boiler itself?

Looking forward to your replies

Thanking you all in anticipation

Answer 1

yes I'm sure its your boiler I have a tap by the side of my combi and if i notice the gauge down to 1 i just turn on tap and its up to 2 in no time at all !!!it could be the fitting of the new rad and there is an airlock that needs bleeding

Answer 2

Central Heating Losing Pressure

Answer 3

1) Its quite possible there is still air in the system following the radiator replacement - so don't be too hasty in lifting boards etc.It doesn't take much air to lose pressure. In fact every time I bleed a rad I expect to top the pressure up.
2) I don't know of any gadget to help as the pipes under the floors will be insulated. You could isolate the boiler from the pipework and put a pressure test on it. Not something to be doing this time of year though it would identify if it is the pipework or the boiler.
3) You can lose pressure in the boiler if the heat exchanger were leaking or if the prv were passing - the one that discharges outside if the system goes over pressure

Answer 4

If your boiler is over five years old then it may have an internal leak. A leak into the heating chamber. This will evaporate and never be found. You have to diconnect the heating system and short circuit the boiler to test this. NOT ALWAYS THAT EASY. AND DON'T RUN IT TOO LONG. A more likely cause is the expansion valve is leaking. This would take the water outside the house. Look for a pipe leaking water ouside the building or in the basement.

Answer 5

When you installed the extra radiator did you use compression fittings ? If the system was OK before then you must really have a close look at what you have done before you start suspecting the boiler. It can be as little as 1/2pt to drop the pressure on the boiler, this will dry up as quick as it leaks. As others have suggested look at the pressure discharge pipe. If the expansion vessel is at fault then the pressure would be going up to the 3 bar mark when the heating is on and then dropping down to near zero when off.

Answer 6

Is it a steam boiler or a hot water boiler. Steam boilers will lose water when operating normally. A closed hot water system should not lose much if any water. If you find a leak somewhere in the boiler itself use boiler solder. Its a available at most home stores.

Answer 7

If it is a combi boiler, I reckon it sounds like the cold water inlet pipe is leaking at the screw valve [bib-****] You will need a plumber, or maybe a heating engineer as it is close to the boiler. The flexy pipe is pretty standard top up cold water for a combi. Put a bowl under it for the time being.

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Answer 8

just as well that im a CORGEY registered plummer.First i recommend you to get a heavy mallet/crowbar and give the rads a good pounding,dont forget, put 3 monkey wrenches on the pipes so the air escapes and turns the radiator bleed key at the same time. Get someone to go upstairs and put their ears on the pipes, listen for tapping while the other knocks the pipes downstairs, this should work.
This is what id do first. in the unlikely event that the above fail, get a pick axe and pierce deep holes in the body of the boiler, this releases bunged up emissions, you will hear a bang, but this is a good sign that the emissions were not the root cause of the problem, Back to the pipes, cut about 30cms off the pipe in the kitchen, and 30cms off the pipe in the bathroom, swap these over, secure and tighten with jubilee clips, now turn on the boiler.(patch up the holes with expanding foam, and secure it with silicon sealer,it should work fine. then get a powerful blowtorch and heat up the water on the boiler for about 10mins. then touch it with your bare hands, to see if it heats up ok.
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Answer 9

I would suggest that the pressure release valve is dripping water to the outside of your premises or somehow when system was drained, the bladder within the pressure expansion vessel has become deflated, this can be re-inflated just like an inner tube in a football, but if it has become ruptured then the vessel will need to be replaced, have an experianced corgi heating engineer check this out.

Answer 10

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