Has this been carried out properly?

[fixitflav]

An open vented system has a header tank (F&E tank) usually in the loft. The tank is open to atmosphere so if the surface of the water is agitated it can absorb air (oxygen), which can be circulated and cause steel radiators to rust. That only happens if the system looses water and needs the ball valve to open, to top the tank up, or make up for any evaporation from the tank.

Another mechanism for introduction of oxygen, is via the vent pipe. This rises up from the heating system, then curves over at the top, to end in the tank just above the surface of the water. In a badly designed system, water from the system can be 'pumped over' - water will flow out of the end of the pipe, to flow back into the tank, which introduces air into the tank. This simply should not happen.

Perhaps I could add that up to about the 1970s the usual arrangement was Boiler - Open vent - Pump - Rads - Cold feed. In that case, when the pump starts the level in the open vent pipe falls by perhaps 1m, due to the boiler headloss, the level in the F/E tank rising a few mm due to larger area. Then when the pump stops the reverse happens, an effect known as see-sawing. So there is ~ 0.3 litre of potentially aerated water entering the system every pump cycle.
Nowadays the arrangement is Boiler - Open vent - Cold feed - Pump - Rads (open vent and cold feed not more than 150mm apart) giving much reduced change in levels. So ingress of oxygen is much lower.

My system is about the same age as yours. I replaced the heat-only boiler and converted to W-plan in 1999. Boiler is Ideal SE50, needed a few minor repairs but still working fine. I scrapped the galvanised F/E tank for plastic in 2010.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My system is about the same age as yours. I replaced the heat-only boiler and converted to W-plan in 1999. Boiler is Ideal SE50, needed a few minor repairs but still working fine. I scrapped the galvanised F/E tank for plastic in 2010.

I still have the larger galv tank up there for the HW cylinder, in the wing of my loft and invested in a plastic version to replace it, stored out back for the past two years. The replacement for the galv tank will be much more difficult to install, it's boxed in, so for now I'm just keeping a careful eye on it.

 

[fixitflav]

I still have the larger galv tank up there for the HW cylinder, in the wing of my loft and invested in a plastic version to replace it, stored out back for the past two years. The replacement for the galv tank will be much more difficult to install, it's boxed in, so for now I'm just keeping a careful eye on it.

The OP still hasn't told us whether the boiler was changed, hence whether the bodged pipe is down to guys who did that, or it's been like that for a while. But in any case there's no way it should be left in that state, there's still a chance of a frost!

 

[JustAnotherSteve]

The OP still hasn't told us whether the boiler was changed, hence whether the bodged pipe is down to guys who did that, or it's been like that for a while. But in any case there's no way it should be left in that state, there's still a chance of a frost!

The boiler wasn't changed, and upon reflection and by comparing previous photos of the side of the house - you are correct that the initial photo showing the pipe into the downpipe was indeed there previously, but it's certainly useful to learn of the risks in its current state. That said, it would still appear we've been needlessly led down the route of having the system sealed prior to a power flush of a microbore system, and I would be curious to learn if anybody has a verdict on whether the PRV pipework added in the boiler is of sufficient standard in terms of workmanship, and what the reason is for the second hole seemingly having appeared in the wall a couple of inches beneath where the PRV exits?

Before:

After:

 

[fixitflav]

The boiler wasn't changed, and upon reflection and by comparing previous photos of the side of the house - you are correct that the initial photo showing the pipe into the downpipe was indeed there previously, but it's certainly useful to learn of the risks in its current state. That said, it would still appear we've been needlessly led down the route of having the system sealed prior to a power flush of a microbore system, and I would be curious to learn if anybody has a verdict on whether the PRV pipework added in the boiler is of sufficient standard in terms of workmanship, and what the reason is for the second hole seemingly having appeared in the wall a couple of inches beneath where the PRV exits?

Before:
View attachment 226095

After:

View attachment 226096

OK thanks. For the 2nd hole, my guess is the installer had a PRV outlet pipe layout in mind, but then changed his mind. You could put some filler in the hole.
I'd expect the PRV outlet pipe to emerge from the outside wall, but can't see it in any of the photos. Perhaps it's out of shot.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

As above, the installer drilled the wall in anticipation of where it was needed, then found the pipe layout wouldn't work. He seems to have not bothered sealing around the actual hole he did use though, despite have used sealant to fill the unused hole.

Question the gas guys - would a hopper added to the fall pipe for the condensate drain be better?

 

[Bullet-Proof_Biscuit]

They've used a tank connector onto that down pipe, is it RWP? Don't think condensate (grey water) is allowed into RWPs any more, possibly not for a long time.
That notwithstanding, I'd swap it for a brass tank connector, it would not deform when tightened and grip and seal the RWP much better and not leak.
Also that insulation is not outdoor rated, and birds eat it, which is bad for you and for birds. Get some decent outdoor/UV rated insulation on it, dead easy, and you really don't want it to freeze in winter as mentioned. White pipe on show looks poo also,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compress...334840&hash=item3666c5ed6f:g:TsUAAOxy4fBTkBvo

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Armaflex...294065&hash=item2f2d4eec00:g:X9MAAOSwp-ZciNv8

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

They've used a tank connector onto that down pipe, is it RWP? Don't think condensate (grey water) is allowed into RWPs any more, possibly not for a long time.

It still doesn't solve the issue of - if the gulley becomes blocked, the water back up to the boiler via the condensate drain. That couldn't happen with a hopper.

 

[Bullet-Proof_Biscuit]

It still doesn't solve the issue of - if the gulley becomes blocked, the water back up to the boiler via the condensate drain. That couldn't happen with a hopper.

True regarding hopper. Divert it to a real drain ideally, if it's local to a sink or external floor gully..