Most modern combi gas condensing boilers & many standard boilers are now fitted as Pressurised Systems. They differ from the conventional boiler systems with a water tank ,with a ball cock device to maintain good water levels in the system. As the self filling water tank is left out a pressurised system requires filling manually via a filling device, ( a ‘filling loop’). This allows a specific amount of water to be injected into the system via your inlet mains cold water supply.
This water pressure is distinct from the pressure in your hot or cold water taps. The pressure in your cold water taps comes direct from your water mains and is maintained by your water company. The pressure in your hot water taps is created by the head of water in your water heating cylinder or from the electric pump feeding your hot water supply.
How can you tell what your current system pressure is.
Every pressurised system, regardless of the type of boiler (gas combi boiler or standard system), will incorporate a a manual or digital pressure gauge which you can read. This pressure gauge is the device with which the system water pressure in your boiler and system radiators is measured.
To maintain the system in a healthy condition the pressure gauge should be checked monthly. If when you check it, you find that the system pressure has fallen please follow the steps below to re-pressurise your system.
Your central heating system manual will advise of the pressure that your system runs at. Most systems should be pressurised to between 1 and 1.5 bar.

To top up your heating system and increase the pressure, you will need to find your filling loop. It most usually resembles a stop tap and is connected to the central heating system by a metal braded hose. Occasionally you may find that one end of the this metal hose is not connected to the pipe work on your system. There may be a cap on the end of the pipe and it will need to be connected to the system to allow the water to be injected.
To connect your filling loop to the system, simply remove the cap from the end of the pipe work and attach the metal braded filling hose. You will then need to tighten this connection by hand, do not over-tighten with a spanner.
Sometimes this filling loop device may be hidden, behind a pipe near the boiler or perhaps inside a cupboard below the boiler. It should always be somewhere close to the combi boiler as it needs to be able to connect to the boilers copper pipework.
Another issue in finding the filling loop may be that some filling devices are an integral ( built in ) part of the boiler, you should have been advised of this by your boiler installer and you will need to refer to your boilers instruction manual for the exact way in which this system is repressurised.
To refill the system, use the isolation tap you have located to open and close the braded filling loop. When the tap is opened it will allow fresh mains water to flow into your Central Heating system pipes and radiators. As this happens you you will hear the water going through the valves into the system. It is recommended that you open the valve slowly to allow the system to fill up to your desired pressure . When you do this a steady increase in water pressure will be seen on the combi boilers pressure gauge in the same way as you would see an increase on a car tyre gauge if you were inflating a tyre.
If you cannot see your pressure gauge while filling the system it is a good idea to have a second pair of eyes to look at it for you while you are turning the tap. When the recommended system pressure is reached close the valve by turning it in the opposite direction to which you opened it.
There is no need to worry if your system does accidentally become over pressurised . All modern systems are designed with safety in mind and a pressure safety valve is incorporated into the plumbing. This acts like an overflow pipe releasing the excess pressure and allowing the system to revert to the recommended levels.
The pressure relief valve may make a noise as it releases this excess water pressure sounding like a thumping noise, again do not worry, this sound will stop when the system pressure reduces to a lower level.
If the system is free from water leaks the water pressure should remain the same within the system in future months. If you notice that the pressure regularly falls you may have a pressure leak or faulty pressure relief valve.
Bleeding radiators involving perhaps a small amount of the air escaping from a system at the radiator bleed point can reduce the overall system pressure. As a result after bleeding your radiators you should remember to check your pressure gauge and fill the system as required.
water leaks will cause pressure loss within a pressurised cmbi boiler central heating system and the severity of water leaks can vary. Very small leaks will cause pressure drops over a long time, possibly several months or even a year. Leaks of this magnitude may not be detectable as the water evaporates quite quickly although you may spot some residue following evaporation of the water.
Big leaks may be more visible and will mean your system will require filling as frequently as once or twice a week. If this is the case you should check your central heating system for leaks when it is cold paying particular attention to the areas around radiator and boiler valves. It is recommended that you check for leaks when the system is cold as heat causes expansion and can seal small leaks temporarily.

southports local plumber blog march 2013

Vaillant & Worcester Bosch group enjoy success in Which? report.

Worcester Bosch Group have once again have been voted at the top of the polls according to the latest Which Report & Vaillant retains Which? Best Buy leader status.

The Worcester, Bosch Group scooped twenty three Which? Best Buy accreditations for its range of Greenstar gas boilers, including its new CDi Classic range. The market leader was also placed in the category of ‘The most reliable gas boiler brands’ in the latest survey of Which? panel members.

Worcester featured the highest from customer scores in the boiler breakdown cover and servicing report for the fifth year running.

Members were asked to score price, customer service, response repair time and value for money to create an overall satisfaction result.

Worcester, Bosch Group director of marketing and technical support Martyn Bridges said: “We are delighted to receive this response from customers with such valuable feedback. The reliability and efficiency of our products, servicing and customer satisfaction is something we are extremely proud of and invest heavily in every year.”

Vaillant’s ecoTEC range of high efficiency domestic boilers has also once again been named ‘Best Buy’ in the influential annual boiler survey.

The Vaillant ecoTEC range of high efficiency gas boilers has received the accreditation for the third year running, placing Vaillant firmly at the top of the ‘most reliable brands’ category. No other brand scored higher for ‘brand reliability’ or ‘customer score’.

Vaillant Southern Commercial Director Dave Lacey comments: “Which? Best Buy reports are influential, respected, and independent. Our ecoTEC range has always performed well, receiving Best Buy recommendations from Which? for many years, but we’re never complacent so are delighted with this result and the endorsement from happy customers.”

Over eleven thousand consumers were surveyed in compiling this year’s report, twice as many as in 2011.
Plumber report from a local southport plumber

Understanding your heating
The first step to saving energy from heating is to understand your current system. Nearly all houses in the UK have either a central heating system – a boiler & radiators.

Central heating system – boiler and radiators

This is the most common form of heating in the UK. A boiler heats up water that is pumped through heating pipes to radiators throughout the house as well as providing instant hot water to the kitchen and bathroom taps.

Most boilers run on natural gas. Mains gas is usually the cost effective of these fuels, and it also has the lowest carbon dioxide emissions apart from wood. Some boilers also have an electric immersion heater as a back-up.

If you have a system like this, you have plenty of options for energy-saving improvements:

Replace your boiler with a newer, more efficient model.
Fit better smarter controls for your space and water heating – and use them to make sure your boiler only provides heat where and when you want it
Switch to a cheaper or lower carbon fuel or technology. Find out about renewable technologies for generating electricity and heat.
Make any insulation and draught-proofing improvements that you can.
Use chemical inhibitors to help maintain central heating system efficiency
Chemical inhibitors

Introducing chemical inhibitors in central heating systems can maintain their efficiency – helping to save money on heating bills and reduce your energy consumption.

Corrosion deposits in an older central heating system can cause a substantial reduction in the effectiveness of the radiators, and the system as a whole – up to a 15% reduction. The build-up of scale in heating circuits and on boiler components can cause a reduction in efficiency too. Using an effective chemical inhibitor can decrease the corrosion rate and prevent the build-up of sludge and scale – preventing system deterioration and helping to maintain efficiency. Typically, it can increase boiler efficiency by around 3%.

Condensing boiler yes or no ?

Since two thousand and five virtually all gas boilers that have been fitted in the UK have been more efficient, condensing boilers. Condensing boilers have bigger heat exchangers that recover more heat from the burning gas, making them more efficient. You can tell if your boiler is a condensing boiler with a few simple checks:

If the flue is made of plastic, you have a condensing boiler. If it is made of metal you probably haven’t.
If your boiler has a small plastic pipe coming out of the bottom of the boiler, through the wall and into a drain, then it is a condensing boiler.
If you have a gas boiler and it was installed after two thousand and five, then it is almost certainly a condensing boiler.
If you have an oil boiler and it was installed after two thousand and seven, then it is almost certainly a condensing boiler.
If you don’t already have an efficient condensing boiler, consider replacing your boiler with a newer, more efficient model.

Combi or regular heat only boiler ?

Central heating boilers can be combination or regular. They heat the radiators in exactly the same way, but provide hot water for the taps in different ways:

a combi boiler provides hot water directly, whenever it is required, and does not need a hot water cylinder
a regular boiler provides hot water when the programmer tells it to, and then stores it in a hot water cylinder until it is needed.
So if you do not have a hot water cylinder, you have a combi boiler.

A regular boiler is actually more efficient than a combi at producing hot water in the first place, but some heat is inevitably lost from the hot water cylinder, so a combi may be more efficient overall.

Electric storage heaters

Most UK homes that don’t have a boiler and radiators have electric storage heaters. These heat up overnight using cheaper off-peak electricity, and then give out the heat during the day. Electric storage heating is more common in flats, in rented property, and in homes with no mains gas connection.

Electric storage heating is one of the most expensive heating options in the UK, and it also emits more carbon dioxide than most. It is also harder to control electric storage heaters than radiators, especially with older systems.
southport plumbing tips march 2013
Thanks for reading my heating tips.

Knowing when to replace your gas boiler can greatly improve the overall cost of heating your home as well as your quality of life. By researching your new boiler well before the old one finally breaks down, you’ll be able to replace it more quickly. In areas where temperatures regularly drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit or where snowstorms are a regular part of winter, it’s advisable to replace your gas boiler before it splutters to its end to avoid a sudden breakdown in the throes of winter’s coldest days. In addition, if you have an old gas boiler, it’s likely that its relatively low efficiency is costing you extra money to run each month. According to Energy Savers, replacing a 60-percent-efficient boiler with a new 90-percent-efficient model will save you money off heating costs.

As a homeowner, keeping up with home maintenance can sometimes feel like a Hard chore.There are many things that need to be done to a house in order to keep it running smoothly. Plumbing is just one of the many aspects of your house that you have to keep up throughout the year. Below you will find a helpful checklist that will help you to look for plumbing problems as well as potential plumbing problems that should be addressed before they become a real issue. Going step by step on the checklist will help you with preventative care and maintenance of your home’s plumbing.
When thinking about your plumbing system, you need to first realize the number of appliances and pipes that are included in the system. This doesn’t only cover the plumbing system that operates toilets, sinks, showers, and bathtubs in your home, it also covers laundry facilities in your home for your washer, utility sinks, and drains that may be installed.
1.Look for signs of leaks in exposed pipes, where pipes run through the walls or the foundation of your home. Signs of a leak include puddles of water and watermarks.
2. Look for signs of corrosion. Corrosion of pipes can cause leaks and bad pipe connections if not corrected. A sign of corrosion is green stains around brass and copper fittings and on shutoff valves, and yellow or orange stains on old steel pipe..
3. Test water pressure. Water pressure is with how much force the water comes out of sink taps and showerheads. Low water pressure can be a sign of sediment build up in the faucet or shower head. It may also be a sign of a problem with the water line.
4. Remove the showerhead to look for any sediment that may have collected in it. This may be a cause of lower the water pressure.
5. Check each sink, shower and bath drain for the speed of drainage. Slow drainage usually indicates a clog in the drain or a blocked vent pipe. Your drains should have a full swirl when draining. If bubbles appear when water is draining, this is usually a sign of a problem. If there are gurgling sounds, there may be venting problems
6. Check the flushing handle and inside parts of the toilets. Flush each toilet to make sure that it is flushing properly. Check the parts inside the cistern of the toilet to see if any parts are broken, rusted, or missing. Make sure the toilet water does not continue to run after flushing and make sure there is no sign of water on the floor around the toilet.
7. Look for cracked tiles in the shower, around sinks, or near water pipes in the home. Loose or hollow tiles can be an indication that there is, or was, a leak that has caused rotting underneath or behind the tile. Water that goes through the cracks will look like a plumbing leak on the ceiling below.
8. See if the bath sink or toilet caulking is coming off.
9. Check for mildew, which is caused by standing water that may have dried up again.
10. Push and pull gently on each toilet to see if it rocks or moves.
11. Turn on all of the taps in your home to see if there is any water coming out of the handles and valves.
12. Check the washing machine hoses to make sure that there aren’t any cracks and that the hoses are not brittle or leaking. Washing machine leaks are common insurance claims. The best hoses are braided stainless, or other high pressure material.
By running through this checklist on an annual basis, you can check your home for plumbing problems or potential plumbing problems. Addressing these problems on a regular basis can help you to prevent the problems from becoming worse, which can save you quite a bit of money on the long run. Therefore, taking a few minutes to inspect your plumbing system is time well spent.

Please check out the video on this website in relation to refilling your combi system when the pressure is low.
Most gas combi boilers will not work when the system is low on water this video is a good guide to refilling.

During the month of February 2013 we are offering gas combi boiler services at a discounted price,just quote (feb boiler)discount when you call.

A common fault in condensing combi boilers is the condensate pipe freezing locking out the boiler.to ensure this not happening either terminate the pipe internally through a waste pipe or take the pipe external and take the diameter of the pipe up fom 21.5 mm to inch and a quarter then lag the pipe with a quality installation.

Getting a gas safety engineer to undertake a gas safety inspection on all your gas appliances is advantageous as it can identify any future problems and safety issues.
It identifies gas and water leaks efficientcy and many more things.
For a small cost it can save you lots of money.

Adding a system chemical called inhibitor can prolong the life of your combi gas boiler and prevent rusting radiators and thermostatic radiator valves.
Your system is basically water sitting in metal containers it can breed rust.
Call a gas safe engineer to add a inhibitor it is a fairly inexpensive job well worth getting done.

03.01.2013