BOXT

You could simply add an external pressure vessel with its own blowoff exit pipe, but that depends on what the issue is with the internal one.

Just looked up this boiler. It seems the expansion vessel is at the back of the boiler and everything, and I do mean everything, has to be removed to gain access unless there is sufficient access at the top of the boiler to remove it.

I would normally take Andrew's solution but this expansion vessel is seemingly expected to have flow??

Perhaps I mis-described the part but I think you and Andrew are talking about a different component.

This is a diaphragm in a component right at the lower left front of the boiler this bit here -

As I said, last time the plumber replaced the whole three-way valve assembly, including that bit but the only faulty part seems to be the diaphragm.

Nick

No buts - do it yourself!

Yebbut: I know what I'm doing with wood and electricity but I'm out of my comfort zone with plumbing. I guess nobody's had any experience with

Nick

This is a DIY group. You might have better luck with Mumsnet? :-)

It does look quite a simple job.

I wonder if contacting Baxi and ask if it is normal for this sort of failure, what would be the cost of a replacement including fitting, from a professional qualified service?

There is a shortage of properly skilled plumbers, and very busy contractors responding to middleman sites like these. How well they work depends on their behind the scene skills of behaving like a recruitment agency - and vetting their workers.

I spend a little time on YouTube watching the antics of electricians that plainly know their torque screwdriver settings - and qualify why they get paid "top dollar" for neat work with a touch of OCD.

Then there are randoms grifting, bodge it and run types.

Personal recommendations still best, but where do you get them - say, if you live in a bubble and your closest neighbours are from Mars?

Does Checkatrade really work? Tried once, and just got spammed with leads going nowhere from very non-local companies and middleman "recruitment agencies".

recruitment agencies".

This guy has some views on his (boiler repair) industry

It seems to me that device makers in general, do not take into account the labour involved in replacing parts that are more likely to fail than others, Its a bit like cars. In the good old days, simple sub frames and swing out bits could be changed easily, but now the cram it all in and the case looks nice seems to be the ethos.

Brian

Some of the boiler makers have lists of approved tradespeople. That's where I'd start. It seems like Baxi offer their own repair service (fixed price repair 'from £369.60 one off' doesn't sound such a bargain), but maybe you can look up the list from another brand?

The usual paradox is the good people are so busy they don't need to advertise, and the only ones who advertise aren't so good.

I think the 'recruitment agencies' tend to get people who are newly trained or moved to the area and haven't built up their own business / repeat customers / etc. Which isn't a bad thing, but they maybe aren't as experienced as the old hands. Anyone who is experienced won't need to use a middleman to find work.

It's possibly worth looking for adverts in the parish magazine or similar, because word gets around locally if they aren't good. OTOH some people advertise in parish magazines far and wide, so worth digging into for any red flags (eg do they have a phone number in each area code?).

I put out a flat roofing job on MyBuilder and got a series of pitches from people from far and wide, often not roofers. I looked up one: about 65 miles away, and until 6 months before had been employed refuelling trains. Maybe he could have fixed a dripping gutter, but no way would I have trusted him with a new roof.

Theo

Replaced mine on an old Valliant. It too was right at the back of the boiler. I had to remove the flue completely which also ment getting a new one as external plastic parts were fragile, but once the flue was out the way the expansion vessel slid up and out. Far easier than initial expectations.

Brian Gaff snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote

Yes, there is no reason for them to do that given that the buyers will never consider that when buying. What they care about is features and price and that approach increases the price.

Nothing like cars in fact.

Thats bullshit. Not only do car parts fail FAR less often, they also last much longer and the system even tells you what has failed sensor wise quite a bit of the time.