Gas Fire and Unsealed Cast Surround

[davas]

Hello everyone,

I'm not sure if this the correct forum or not but since my main concern is gas safety then I've decided to put it here.

Here's my situation - getting a new fireplace fitted so decided to have the chimney swept beforehand. At the same time I decided to have another chimney swept at the same time since lots of debris have fallen onto the gas fire in the year since fitted.

The sweep tells me that the existing fire surround is incorrectly fitted since soot and debris was falling out of the joints as he swept. This not only made his life incredibly difficult but also poses the question of is the fire safe?

Clearly any fumes from the fire could find their way back into the room through the unsealed sections of the cast/surround which cannot be good!
It was fitted by installers and the gas fire installed by Corgi fitter.

My question is who should be responsible here? The installers or the Corgi gas fitter? Should those leaks have been picked up in the gas checks or not?

Any help or advice on the direction i should send complaints would be appreciated!

Chris

 

[powell30]

Yes the surround should be sealed. Not sure what you mean by installers or corgi fitters......they should be one and the same unless the surround was fitted before your gas fitter installed the fire? Either way it needs checking. I suggest that it should have been spotted by the RGI but if he didn't fit the surround it's not his issue to fix it.

 

[kevplumb]

I suggest that it should have been spotted by the RGI but if he didn't fit the surround it's not his issue to fix it.

it should have been

and it should have been sorted or no fire fixed

 

[powell30]

Agreed but the point is moot.........it's in....but unless it's sealed it should be going off. OP who fitted what??

 

[davas]

Sorry for the confusion in terms...

We paid a fireplace company to do both jobs - fit the cast and the fire.

The company provided the 2 guys to fit the surround and their own sub contracted Corgi registered person to install and commission the fire. They worked closely together to do the job.

I got my corgi certificate through the post a few weeks later

Thanks for info regarding the RGI spotting the problem!

 

[kevplumb]

no point is if its not sealed rgi should have checked it

and either not fitted fire or rectified it after pointing it out to custard

as far as the "surround fitters" are concerned its not down to them afaik

could be anything going in

ie electric

 

[powell30]

OP, Kev is correct. It needs sorting. Call the company you have a contract with and get them to send an RGI to seal it and check it. Open flued appliances are the most dangerous type in my opinion and it needs to be sorted. Quick.

 

[davas]

Thanks for your replies!

I have the company coming out on Wednesday to take a look and now I know the severity of the situation (i.e. dangerous) I'll not them wriggle out of it.

It answer to one of the posts the surround fitters knew that a gas fire was going in since they were there when it was being done... the gas line had to be fitted before they could lay the hearth etc and the RGI did that.

I'll report back the outcome of our discussions on Wednesday but you are all adamant that a RGI is required to check the installation?

Thanks again for your help!

Chris