Am I being scammed by a gas-safe company?

[thomasherbert]

Is my query one that knowledgeable people here might be able to advise on.

Am I being scammed?

Time to have my gas fire serviced and, by arrangement, a gas safe fitter arrived to check it. The first thing he did after removing the cover was to screw in this bolt.

He then dismantled and hoovered out the fire, He reassembled the fire and lit it. It now burned very fiercely, roaring even, and he then carried out a check with a little machine - outside at the flue - and came back and told me that the carbon monoxide level was 1200ppm which is above any limits permitted. He told me it is impossible to adjust this level to something safe - a permitted level.

The fire is dangerous and must be replaced. He has disconnected the fire from its gas supply - attached a notice telling me that the fire must not be used and gone away to let me think about what to do next.

What was the bolt he adjusted? It is fully screwed in now - tightly, or at least more than finger tight. Has he sabotaged my fire deliberately? It certainly burned very differently after he had reassembled it.

 

[45yearsagasman]

That's a pressure test point, so it's only used to measure burner pressure and it's meant to be tightened. More worrying is the fact that your numpty of a service man used a flue gas analyser on a balanced flue live flame effect fire. He's a waste of time and I would demand a re visit from someone more sensible. This industry is saturated with idiots. What does flue in poor condition mean? Unless it's rotted out or not sealed etc then what's he on about.

 

[thomasherbert]

Thanks for being so quick. I will do that but now I know the fire is probably faulty (and it's true the wire cage surrounding the flue outside is corroded) I'll get one or two quotes for replacing the fire. It's a relief to know I'm not being taken for a fool and I did suspect that. The fire did burn very differently and he told me the CO level could not be adjusted.

Thanks.

 

[Dan Robinson]

The cage is not the flue .

 

[45yearsagasman]

If he had serviced it correctly AND replaced the logs/coals correctly, and checked burner pressure and gas rated it it should never have been condemned.
That looks like a Valor Homeflame or similar..

 

[oilboffin]

It beggars belief how these prats keep their tickets but they do and always seem to have plenty of work,there must be a better way of policing the trade so we can chuck these jockeys out and once out make sure they don't get back in.

 

[45yearsagasman]

That is probably set way too high. Almost certainly possible to correctly adjust it.

But gas fires are quite complicated and few engineers seem very experienced with them.

No adjustment except supply pressure and fires of that era are far from complicated.

 

[Steelmasons]

That is probably set way too high. Almost certainly possible to correctly adjust it.

How would you carry out a burner pressure adjustment?

few engineers seem very experienced with them.

You being one of them.
Complicated???..jeez..

 

[Razor900]

//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/forum-rules-general-info.19448/

 

[Steelmasons]

Moderators, in what way was my post breaking the forum rules or are you just on the rag again??

Possibly you mentioned Intergas......did I say possibly??....would this be the boiler whereby every 2 years ...........sorry Razor I couldn't resist...

 

[FiremanT]

It IS a Homeflame.

From memory there is an additional burner, purely for a greater decorative effect. The OP probably does not use it, but he may have done.
Also, there is probably a "warm up" setting marked on the knob.

Or he just didn't fit the logs back properly.

 

[Bunnyman]

And fireman i now know you are the real fireman ..... and agile you are one of the ones who don't know what they are talking about

 

[ianmcd]

The first thing he sould have done was to check the power input.

That is probably set way too high. Almost certainly possible to correctly adjust it.

But gas fires are quite complicated and few engineers seem very experienced with them.

Another less than competent engineer. In spite of what DP says, we seem to be reading about quite a few on here.

Tony

Bloody hell do you ever give up so an engineer has attended the property and you are again slagging him off so exactly how are you going to alter the gas rate that you have decided is too high on an appliance with no appliance governor ? To quote you "another less than competent engineer " to be less competent than you would take some doing

 

[snes]

What I find annoying, Razor, is not only have they removed your post, but also your questioning why they have done it.

Yet they persistently allow idiots to troll this forum (even alternative idiots) ad infinitum.......

 

[Bunnyman]

I agree mines gone too, after 5000 posts and many thanks im getting sick of unskilled career change chancers ala agile moderating my posts an giving spurious crap advice.