Back Boiler Pilot Light Keeps Going Out - Service or Repair?

[johnpgreenan]

Hi,

I have a Housewarmer Elegant 2 back boiler (I think). Its been working fine for around 3 years since I got the house.

Recently the Pilot light has went out, and when I relight it, it will not stay lit.

Now the bolier has not been serviced in this time (I realise it should have been), and I reckon its pretty dusty and dirty in there.
What would be my best options to get this sorted out while I'm at it set up an annual service etc?

Should I give BG a call and get on thier homecare package for monthly premium....if I did this would they sort my problem straight away? e.g. would they give me an immediate call out with free parts (f needed) or is there a wait time before you can claim???

Or just phone a local plumber to have a look and give a quote?

Either way I know it needs fixed, cleaned and serviced and I would like a regular annual service.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Gasman1015]

The thermecouple needs replacing, have the boiler serviced by a local engineer, needs some TLC. Will not cost a great amount.

 

[kirkgas]

the OP's original post sums it up "service OR repair"
never service or repair, it should be service and repair as they are 2 different things all together, but people wait until it breaks then gets some daftie in to service the appliance

 

[dextrous]

Op - beware of some unscrupulous traders out there. Several years ago, my boiler was playing up as you describe. Called out some company with a big ad in the yellow pages (so they must have been bona fide! ), which proceeded to tell me that the heat excahnger needed to be replaced for about £400.

Thought it better to pay the excess premium to BGas and luckily for us it was the thermocouple. He cleaned out the perfectly fine but sooted up exchanger as a matter of course of the first service. In spite of warnings on these forums, there are some good BGas engineers out there - I've mostly been lucky with those that came out.

So, as much as others on here will slate me for saying it, get a quote and if it's more than a say £100, check again, possibly with BGas. If anyone tries banging on about it needing a powerflush, show them the door and try again!

 

[glasgowgas]

phone a couple of local rgi`s but tell them all the facts

i have had loads of phone calls that go like this...............

punter....hi looking for a service on my gas appliance

me.........whats not working on your gas appliance

punter.....will not fire up nae heating or hot water

me.......well you are looking for a repair,not a service

punter.....i know but is a service not cheaper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

done a back boiler this week,fire off,bbu stripped,flue flow test,cleaned
heat ex,burner,lint arrestor,replaced tcouple,set gas pressure,spillage test,gas rated,refit fire cleaned burner,lint arrestor,spillage test

job done 1.5 hours x whatever your hourly rate

 

[nickso]

egads, a housewarmer.

you can try BG if you like, watch the engineers face drop off his head when he spots its a fecking housewarmer.
you can almost guarantee the ventilation will be at risk, the BG guy wont even look at the boiler if thats the case.

 

[Agile]

Any BBU which has become sooted up is only because the mean owner has risked his own safety by not having it serviced!

We intentionally charge more than our usual rate to make it come to £136 to clean it out and bring it back into safe operation again.

Tony

 

[glasgowgas]

We intentionally charge more than

tony remove this and re post it in your

combustion chamber.

that is f@@@ing humiliating

 

[bengasman]

Either way I know it needs fixed, cleaned and serviced and I would like a regular annual service.

The boiler you have is old, has an open flue and the only thing standing between you and CO spilling into your room, is a simple pilot light monitor.

Could be that your pilot light unit is faulty, but it could also be that it is going out because it does exactly what it should be doing: turn off the boiler because toxic fumes are coming into the room.

Backboiler units must be fully serviced every year, which is very different from the 5 minute safety check most people get from british gas.

 

[namsag]

Amazing how ill informed some people are regards BG service policy.

 

[BingoBongo]

gas valve could be gubbed

had to change 1 on a h/warmer last week after someone had changed a t`couple and didnt know what to do next when it didnt work

 

[Deleted member 105431]

Amazing how ill informed some people are regards BG service policy.

I agree nobsag, some people are mistaken that ****ish gas service boilers whereas the truth is they try to condemn them for whatever reason and flog em a new one.

All ****ish gas do is a quick telegan check and then the sales pitch for a COD/powerflush/upgrade/boiler/plumbing cover/drains cover/white goods cover/switch electricity supplier etc etc etc

 

[Deleted member 105431]

BTW BG powermax boiler servicing has proved FATAL so be warned!

 

[namsag]

So dangermouth is what your saying .
that when you worked for BG you never serviced a back boiler properly as is laid out in BG working procedures. Thus possibly putting people lives in danger.
Thought you where a man of principle with the the way you spout off on here but just full of it

 

[Deleted member 105431]

So dangermouth is what your saying .
that when you worked for BG you never serviced a back boiler properly as is laid out in BG working procedures. Thus possibly putting people lives in danger.
Thought you where a man of principle with the the way you spout off on here but just full of it

I have principles which is why I left ****ish gas and very glad I did too. You seem to wish you were still there nobsag, f**k knows why.