Dodgy boiler - advice needed please

[Karen in Granville]

Apologies if this subject has been covered in another thread. But I need some advice and know plenty of wise people read these humble requests.

I bought a pleasant but dilapidated flat in the coastal town of Granville, Normandy three years ago as a holiday/weekend retreat and employed local tradesmen for the renovations.

All went well except for the boiler. I am no expert but think you would call it a combi boiler - providing hot water for washing and central heating 'instantly'. At first, all was fine but the boiler quickly began to lose pressure in between my monthly visits. I called out the amiable plumber who installed it. He looked puzzled, twiddled knobs, bled air from the bathroom towel rail, twiddled knobs again and went home. After a few call-outs, he taught me how to twiddle the knobs and bleed the rail. A temporary repair but I really want it fixed properly. That was 18 months ago. I have written (in reasonable French) several times to the plumber, he seems concerned when I ring him to chase up the letters - but nothing happens.

Now the problem appears to have worsened, I get baffling error messages on the boiler's display panel and the whole system closes down for 20 minutes then fires up again. I have to do something more decisive.

In England I could complain to trading standards or the plumbing trade associations. I could even contemplate suing him. But I have no idea of the French systems. Can I threaten the wretched man with reporting him to someone or something?

Help!

Many thanks,

Karen Woods

 

[Chancer]

[quote user="Karen in Granville"]

.

In England I could complain to trading standards or the plumbing trade associations. I could even contemplate suing him.

[/quote]

For what exactly?

[Karen in Granville]

For not providing me with a boiler that works, surely? My home combi boiler can be turned off and left alone for weeks without losing pressure.

[suein56]

[quote user="Karen in Granville"]

I have to do something more decisive.

[/quote]How about contacting the boiler manufacturer and asking if one of their 'experts' could visit to sort out the problem? Failing that find a plumber who is more capable than the one you have.

Sue

[Russethouse]

Has the boiler manufacturer got a web site ? What make is it ?

[jondeau]

It is a very simple problem.....though fixing it may not be, somewhere on the system you either have a leak or the boiler has a faulty safety valve.

Any half way competant installer should know this straight away

[Gluestick]

Please appreciate it is very difficult for anyone to diagnose any problems with heating system remotely and from only a quite sparse description of the trouble.

From what you say, it would seem you have two separate problems.

Firstly, once pressurised, the system ought properly to stay pressurised for an indefinite period.

Quite clearly, somewhere you have a leak; now either this leak is visible or hidden. Visible since it is from a connection (e.g. to a rad) or elsewhere. However, it may well be in a place where pipework is concealed (e.g. under a floor or behind walls).

The second problem is the boiler control system automatically overriding the progamme. This may well be because the system pressure is beneath specified and then the boiler would shut down on safety grounds (i.e. it will fail safe).

You seem to imply that the whole system was installed fairly recently and the installer is the plombiere you have called out on a number of occasions.

If it is a new installation, then it should be covered by the mandatory Ten Year Guarantee.

If this guy simply can't be bothered, then call out another competent chauffagiste, ask him to diagnose the problem and then write a report and a devis stating the costs to fix it. Expect to have to pay for the Devis.

Send copies to the original installer and suggest that if he fails to rectify his work, then you will be complaining to his metiere and etc. And arranging to have the defective work remedied and sending him the bill!

One word of caution: boilers are now quite complex and you would be advised to source an approved installer-dealer via the manufacturers, since then the artisan will have the correct equipment (normally a laptop and appropriate software) and access to the manufacturer's Knowledge Base.

Bonne chance !

 

[Le Plombier]

If the pressure drops regularly and frequently you have a leak, purely and simply

Combi boilers will play up, display error messages and fail to fire if the system pressure is low

They do lose pressure but it is very slow and you should be repressurising approximately every six months plus, the same as a normal boiler

Le Plombier

[Karen in Granville]

Many thanks for all your contributions. They have been extremely useful.

I've now had a friendly conversation with a Chaffoteaux expert here in the UK and will go on to consult one of his French colleagues.

Best wishes,

Karen

[BIG MAC]

My Worcester Bosch Combi boiler at ho,me hasn't needed topping up in the last 10 years or so. Then again I fitted the heating system (Not the combustion appliance as I am not Acs / Corgi registered)

[jondeau]

You sure the pressure gauge is working ?