"At Risk" Boiler!?

[nickllambert]

We have a contract with British Gas. It gives us insurance & our boiler is serviced each year.

Last year , according to the engineer, the boiler, although approx. 25-years old, was fine. Yesterday, it was serviced by a different, very pushy engineer, who was giving us the "Hard sell" over British Gas's overpriced products, & he decided that, according to current criteria, the boiler is now classed as "At Risk" & we can no longer use it at all!

The reasons he gave, seem to me, very minor & have not changed since last year. They are:-

Small dent in balanced flue.
No vent in work top above boiler.
No metal casing around floor mounted boiler, which is in lined carcass, as specified by the Gas Co. about 20-years back.

Nothing about the boiler etc. has changed, but they (Gas Safe) have, apparently, moved the goalposts.

Is there anything we can do as we cannot afford a new boiler?

 

[Tibbot]

You're unlikely to get the all clear from anyone here who can't even see let alone visit the installation.

 

[freakzzonb]

what exactly has the engineer wrote in the At Risk section of the paperwork he left you

 

[barkie1]

if you are un-sure speak to a good local engineer who MAY come and inspect the boiler and give you a second opinion. He MAY or MAY NOT reinstate the appliance? i dont know how this wwould sit with british gas though on thier insurance cover? If the engineer does not class it as AR or ID but not willing to reinstate the appliance. call gas safe see if they will inspect or call BG again an ask for a second opinion?

Again i dont know the install or the background so im not saying the guy has it wrong. or right. but as customer or a responsible appliance user you can get a second opinion?

 

[expertgasman]

Small dent in balanced flue.
probably silly

No vent in work top above boiler.
Probably AR

No metal casing around floor mounted boiler, which is in lined carcass, as specified by the Gas Co. about 20-years back.
Probably NCS,maybe AR but not sure. Phone GasSafe and try to get advice, you will need details of boiler.

Whatever, if it is classed as AR, then you didn't HAVE to allow isolation. I would WRITE to BG and deman exlanation as to why there is a sudden change of tack.

 

[Gasman28]

Make and model of boiler would help.
Normally, if it is a balanced flue boiler in a cupboard, it's classed as NTCS - Not to current standards without proper ventilation.
Small dent in the balanced flue - where? If it doesn't interfere with the combustion process, no probs?
No metal casing around floor mounted boiler, which is in lined carcass, as specified by the Gas Co. about 20-years back
What does this mean?
Different engineers see things differently. Do not castigate the BG engineer, your boiler is 25 years old ffs. Bite the bullet and get a new one.

 

[nickllambert]

what exactly has the engineer wrote in the At Risk section of the paperwork he left you

The only points in writing are the flue, which I am sure does not effect exhaust gases, and the casing. The vent above the boiler was only mentioned but not recorded.

 

[Gas2Air]

It could be that he has classed both ventilation and flue issue as NCS thus going to AR. Please be aware that the AR situation is serious but can be used as BG use often a way to cover themselves and hiself.

Nothing wrong with that. Maybe get a second opinion to clarify it, ultimately it's upto you after his advice to use the appliance or not.

If it has been in good order before and judging by what you have wrote i see no reason why not. But get another chap in there to check.

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Been working for 25 years and been fine, just how small is this dent in the flue, air gun pellet size, or wifey smacked it with the people moveing JCB taking kids to school

25 years old, time for a new one, just make sure you get another quote from a recommended RGI.

 

[Nige F]

No metal casing around floor mounted boiler, which is in lined carcass, as specified by the Gas Co. about 20-years back
What does this mean?
.

Probably that the casing supplied with the boiler is not there but the carcass of the surrounding kitchen unit is lined with a similar - but not white enameled metal sheeting . There is no vent hole cut in the worktop. BG certainly look after your world - but they have equal concern for their shareholders

 

[gas112]

Ideal e types and thorn m42`s amongst others where sold as cased and uncased ,
If uncased was used in a kitchen unit then the unit was to be lined with asbestos or some other similar fire protection.

 

[algas]

Its worked fine for 25 yrs get a 2nd oppinion, if there is no leakage of flue gasses or scortching of the work tops or units i would just class this as ncs, thats without seeing it of course

 

[nickllambert]

Its worked fine for 25 yrs get a 2nd oppinion, if there is no leakage of flue gasses or scortching of the work tops or units i would just class this as ncs, thats without seeing it of course

I get the impression that BG just want me to buy a new boiler from them. I am always getting letters saying the spares are no longer available etc. The engineer was also very pushy trying to sell us other goods.

We had the thermocouple changed, by BG, just before Christmas & that engineer did not seem to have any problem with the condition of the boiler.

 

[Agile]

I often go to boilers which have been turned off by engineers working for large firms.

PROVIDING I am going to be responsible for the future maintenance of the appliance then I will come to my own conclusion and in many cases do turn them back on.

What I DONT do though is to turn it back on just to start an argument with BG. If a customer chooses BG as their maintainer then they should accept their judgement and not play off one engineer against another.

Most of these situations are based on personal judgement!

Oddly I looked at a boiler in a friends house and would have considered it as AR because of badly cracked fire cement aroung the flue connection whereas BG had not thought of that as a problem. I told her to get them to renew it when they next called. I was only there to see her new cat!

Tony

 

[boabcelt]

Visiting a friend to look at her pu*sy? Didn't know you had it in you old chap!