I had two new hot water cylinders installed by a local plumbing firm on Dec 23. There's now slightly damp boards underneath one of them. It must be a v slow leak - hard to tell where it's from - but it's coming from somewhere I've attached a pic of what looks like the most likely culprit - what I think is the vent sits the leak, and one of the joints has tacky stuff around it (see above the grey plastic in my second pic). Does this look like a problem? This part of the second cylinder has has been cladded, but that also seems a touch damp. Thanks! Also, let me know if I'm best starting new threads for different issues, or sticking to the one thread.
If you have a leak you really need to contact the plumbing company who did the work as they will have to guarantee their workmanship and any materials they supplied. However, if the company cannot do repair work due to holidays or whatever, any urgent work could be carried out by another plumber if all records of leaks and before and after work is made. The auto vent can leak easily and can be manually closed off at the tiny vent cap near top of it. The joint to the compression nut and the joint at the plastic fitting appear to have some sealant? If the sealant is rubbery set, then it could be a type of silicone sealant like LSX Fernox. That is not needed on plastic push fit. Only substance ever to be used on pipes to push fitting would be a slight smear of suitable silicone grease to make the joint go together without damaging the fitting. Personally I wouldn’t use plastic there and just have used copper fittings and pipe. (I don’t use plastic though) I am suspicious of the work tbh, but can’t comment on just one photo of part of install
Thanks! Actually, it could be grease - it felt soft, and like the lube you use on bike seat posts... I guess silicone would have dried in 2 days? I'll try to get the plumbing firm back on Friday. Leaking very slowly, so not worth getting someone to work on Boxing Day for! They've got a decent reputation locally, and previous small work has been good, so I'd hope they're reliable (and I guess I'm going to find out...)
Find out what that 'sealant' is. To me it looks suspiciously like Vaseline, or some other petroleum based product, and that is an absolute no-no when working with pushfit, as the petroleum degrades the neoprene gaskets used in the pushfit couplings.
Thanks! Wrapped loo roll loosely around it, including loosely over the small hole at the top - I guess that's ok? The wet boards underneath have dried up overnight, so not sure if it was just a bit of water coming out during removing old cylinders and fitting new... I'll find out soon, I guess. That tacky stuff could be vaseline - similar look and texture - but I don't know how to tell. The vent looks worn - see pics. Might they have used the vents that were serving the old cylinders?
As Heat has said, Why have they used Plastic pipe there??? It looks easy enough to have fitted Copper. I would seriously have them replace it.
Thanks. I'll see what they say tomorrow. To be fair, I didn't specify copper - but if it's causing problems already...
Right - ironically, the vent connected to its cylinder with copper is the one that's definitely leaking - see pic. I'll ask plumber to look at both, though. Thanks for the help!
Plumber been - says joints look ok, but the auto air vent was leaking a bit and needed reset. Suggested I keep an eye on it and get back to them if there's problems... Thanks for the help with this!
Not sure how an auto vent can be “reset” ? They either seal off properly, or they need replaced. The vent looks second hand (so maybe been your original and reused? ) There is some green on the female fitting which might be a leak. There seems to be ptfe tape around the threads of the female straight where nut and olive go - which unfortunately indicates the installer isn’t a plumber. Get a real experienced plumber to take a look at it all if you get no satisfaction from your guy
Sorry about the slow reply - I've not really made much progress with this. The vent is still leaking the odd drop - I'd guess it does need replacing. I did only ask the company to replace the cylinders, but would you expect them to have replaced the auto vents too? It's frustrating to be having problems because they've reused a cheap part like this
1. In my experience they always leak eventually, generally within a year or two of installation. So close down the cap, and you might just as well have fitted a manual one. 2. In theory they can be dismantled, and from the marks of the body of the one in your latest photo someone has tried. I say in theory, because the two halves are usually screwed so tightly together they can't be separated without wrecking the thing. Inside is only a float and a needle valve, and a good clean usually gets them going again for another year or two.
Just tell them you are not happy. You didn't spend all that money to have it leak somewhere else. Perhaps even do away with Auto vents, & go manual.
Yet Aqualisa for example specifically recommend it on the push fit fittings with their showers, "Tube should be cut using a rotary type cutter and lubricated using a silicone based lubricant or petroleum jelly (Vaseline or similar) prior to insertion into the fitting".
Thanks. And it's reasonable to expect a few to be included in what I paid for the cylinder replacement? I'm guessing that replacing the vents shouldn't be a big job anyway?
Replacing the vents is a 5 minute job ... draining down the system to do the replacements, and then refilling and bleeding all the radiators is a good couple of hours.
Thanks. Annoying they didn't replace them at the time, then! Would it be reasonable to expect the company who replaced the cylinders to fix this without charging extra?
Plumber who installed is coming to take a look. If I do get the vents replaced, what's the impact of going manual? Less likely to leak Vs having to vent this manually every so often? Thanks!