Hello
I have a Glowworm back boiler which is about 23 years old which has been serviced yearly by British Gas under their homecare contract since we moved into the house in 97.
Recently, the motorised valve started to stick and wouldn't move to the hot water only position and the rads started getting hot near the valve which is in the tank cupboard. The engineer recognised it was a faulty valve and changed it and the motorised unit. However, he recommended that we consider a power flush and when I didn't agree to this then pushed the magnetic valve which would only cost me £230 whilst he had the system drained down, £350 if he had to come back. He also told me that I would no longer be insured against any component breaking down in relation to this issue as he had told me about the sludge problem and this needed to be corrected.
For info - the motorised valve has been on about 4-5 years when I had an independent come and install new controls and a thermostat and the motorised valve. Their opinion at the time was that I didnt need a power flush, even though the BG engineers who came to service my boiler each year were recommending that I have one.
The reason I'm concerned is from the moment I opened the door and a tool had been used in anger the engineer started talking about sludge in the pipes and I realised we were going to be going to the usual power flush recommendation due to the age of my system, etc (btw i've only got 2 old rads in the system now as all others have been replaced over time). When he showed me the valve there was a slight greasy coating on the inside of the pipe where it was installed. However, the water coming out of the system when he drained it down was clear, no sign of any dirt whatsoever and it is always clear water when I bleed my rads.
I'm not sure what to do now. I'm paying for a contract which will now only give me minimal cover unless I put my hands in my pocket and do the recommended remedial works. I thought the motorised valve failure was a fairly common fault and thought this is why I pay for my BG cover! I'm getting the feeling that the priority for the BG workers is to upsell to me on their visits, rather than give me the service that I pay for.
I haven't mentioned that apart from the valve problem, the system works brilliantly, all the rads get hot and we have TRVs on the rads upstairs which do a great job. Surely, if the system was sludged up I would be seeing it in poor performance and in the colour of the water when the system is drained down or I bleed it?
Any opinions would be appreciated.
Many thanks
Rick
I have a Glowworm back boiler which is about 23 years old which has been serviced yearly by British Gas under their homecare contract since we moved into the house in 97.
Recently, the motorised valve started to stick and wouldn't move to the hot water only position and the rads started getting hot near the valve which is in the tank cupboard. The engineer recognised it was a faulty valve and changed it and the motorised unit. However, he recommended that we consider a power flush and when I didn't agree to this then pushed the magnetic valve which would only cost me £230 whilst he had the system drained down, £350 if he had to come back. He also told me that I would no longer be insured against any component breaking down in relation to this issue as he had told me about the sludge problem and this needed to be corrected.
For info - the motorised valve has been on about 4-5 years when I had an independent come and install new controls and a thermostat and the motorised valve. Their opinion at the time was that I didnt need a power flush, even though the BG engineers who came to service my boiler each year were recommending that I have one.
The reason I'm concerned is from the moment I opened the door and a tool had been used in anger the engineer started talking about sludge in the pipes and I realised we were going to be going to the usual power flush recommendation due to the age of my system, etc (btw i've only got 2 old rads in the system now as all others have been replaced over time). When he showed me the valve there was a slight greasy coating on the inside of the pipe where it was installed. However, the water coming out of the system when he drained it down was clear, no sign of any dirt whatsoever and it is always clear water when I bleed my rads.
I'm not sure what to do now. I'm paying for a contract which will now only give me minimal cover unless I put my hands in my pocket and do the recommended remedial works. I thought the motorised valve failure was a fairly common fault and thought this is why I pay for my BG cover! I'm getting the feeling that the priority for the BG workers is to upsell to me on their visits, rather than give me the service that I pay for.
I haven't mentioned that apart from the valve problem, the system works brilliantly, all the rads get hot and we have TRVs on the rads upstairs which do a great job. Surely, if the system was sludged up I would be seeing it in poor performance and in the colour of the water when the system is drained down or I bleed it?
Any opinions would be appreciated.
Many thanks
Rick