I have not called any professional because there is the Coronavirus
"how long is a piece of string" Pandemic.
Since January 2021 boiler started leaking water drops after I saw
heavy smoke coming from the flue, so I turned boiler off and took the
bottom cover off to collect the drops.
I have put washing up bowl under the boiler to collect the water drops
and then each day once or twice I empty it.
The boiler is a few years old and so part/s sourcing is a challenge
and it probably requires a total boiler replacement.
From January 2021 to now I can see corrosion / limescale deposits and
some rusty stains on the washing up bowl.
I have switched from gas central heating to electric radiators. To
bathe I heat water pot and use bucket.
So I'd be grateful if professionals could tell me the steps on how to
stop the boiler water drops until the coronavirus situation improves.
The system has hot water storage cylinder, cold water tank and is
therefore called standard / regular / traditional / conventional
boiler.
(i) Do I have to go into loft and do something at the cold water tank (large)?
(ii) Do I have to drain cold water tank (large), if so is this by
siphon pump as using plumbing wrenches might be complicated because it
could cause accident for layperson?
(iii) Do I have to shut the stopcock function in the cold water tank
(large) - is there anything in the market to do it cleanly and for
long time rather than using timber and string?
(iv) Do I have to insert a stopper / bung in the water outlet - how
can I make sure that water flow does not shove-out the stopper / bung
after a few days or weeks?
(v) Do I have an easier method - is there some pipe above the boiler
that has a valve which can be switch off the water flow using a screw
driver?
(vi) Do I have to do other stuff for doubly ensuring water drops which
method is used remains shut?
(vii) Do all registered plumbers / gas engineers have to carry gas
masks by their regulation bodies, if eventually a professional has to
be called?
Thank you.
