Hey all,

I'm wondering if anyone, or anyones hubbies know anything about boilers, and boiler fitting?

There were problems with the radiators last year, they were getting hot at the top but not at the bottom, Now everyone is saying bleed them, but thats only if they are hot at the bottom and not at the top! It seems that the problem is that they are sludged up (or so says google, and thats what my cousin, a plumber said last year).

I told the landlord this last year, and the boiler (a combi boiler) was pretty old and started getting really high pressure, so my cousin came to look at it and said the automated release valve was buggered and a new boiler was needed as it was really dangerous as could potentially explode.

Anyway, my cousin gave her a quote ( which i dont know) and she got someone else to do it, now the bloke she got to do it works for british gas, but i don't think he installed the boiler as a british gas worker, i think maybe he bought the boiler, and as hes a friend of hers, he fitted it for cheap.

This year, Iv turneed the heating on and the radiators are still doing the same, and now the new boiler ( which is probably nearly a yr old) keeps making odd noises. So I Told her about it, and about the radiators, and shes gonna come round friday to have a look.

Since talking to her i have googled the problem, and everywhere has said that the system needs a powerflush, to get all the sludge out, but that EVERY boiler manufacturer recommends a flush before installing the new boiler, otherwise the sludge will go through the new boiler and wreck it basically.

Now I also found a forum which said that any decent plumber will quote a price for a new boiler and fitting and the price will include a powerflush. So i'm guessing that her friend did it for cheap and didnt have the right equipent and kept the price down by not doing it.

I have read that by not doing the flush, he may have voided the boiler warranty.

What I wondered, Is have I got the above correct? And Does it need a powerflush? Should he have done it? And if it gets done now ( nearly a year later) will the boiler already be fooked???



To be honest, i don't really care, as its completely her own fault, but if she keeps having all these expenses, i can see my rent going up, and i cant afford it!!!

we have the same problem with our rads yep they deffo need a flush through with some kind of chemicals but our plumber wouldnt do it as our pipes r so old and it would have corroded the pipes making it worse so our land lady said just water flush them and yes they should b chemically flushed b4 the new boiler was put in (thats what we r trying 4 b4 the weather really turns with the replacement of them pipe work) as for invalidating your boiler as it wasnt done b4 it was fitted im not 2 sure. Ur rent shouldnt go up as a result of her stupidity and trying to cut corners and do things on the cheap (as our is doin)

Hope u get it all sorted out hun XX

I downloaded the Vaillant installation manual offline, for the new boiler, and it is highly recommended that a flush is done prior to fitting a new boiler, and that has to be in accordance to some regulation, which basically means it needs to be a powerflush. ( Maybe look into it, as it might not be in accordance to the regulation if your landlord is trying to cut corners??) We rent privately, and in our contract there is a clause that says she can increase rent 6 monthly if she need to, but only by government published rpi or something, and if i cant afford it i can terminate the contract... obviously i dont wanna terminate, but dunno if i could afford the extra rent!!!