Help! Is my boiler going to explode / burn the house down?

[Adam H]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Short story long: my sister has a mouse problem and a baby in the house, so decided to fork out for SuperProof to visit her flat and plug any holes they find to stop the mice coming in and doing what they do best.

She has a fairly old back boiler situated in the old fireplace in the living room (Baxi Bermuda 57/4M) and ample evidence of mice in there as well.

After SuperProof visited I got a call from her husband telling me the central heating and water were off and he didn't think the pilot light was on, and he couldn't light it. I was a bit confused by his answer when I told him how to look to see if the pilot light was on, and he mentioned they had done some sealing work around the boiler so I asked him to send me a photo...

This is what I got:

The clear look stuff is some sort of sealant and impregnated in that is what looks like wire wool. I've no idea how deep they've squirted this stuff in, it's certainly all around the control module and whatever is behind/around it. It looks like they've completely sealed around the unit so no air can get in from the room.

SuperProof are apparently sending someone round tomorrow to look at it. My instinct is to stop them and get a Gas Safe engineer round first...? I've certainly got them to turn the boiler off and turn the heating and hot water timer off. Should I get them to turn the gas off?

I'd really appreciate any thoughts from anyone on the board that knows a thing or too about boilers. I just found out an hour ago, and am a little worried.

Cheers,
Adam

 

[Stadan20]

Nice one mate but I don't think many people are going to bite

 

[Dan Robinson]

What they have done is incredibly dangerous.

Get a Gas Safe chap in sharpish to pull it out and check the boiler.

Fecking muppets.

 

[Adam H]

Cheers Dan - first thing in the morning then!

 

[Steelmasons]

Dan you're sooo gullible..

 

[Dan Robinson]

Better safe than sorry . I'm in a charitable mood for some reason too You mardy old git

 

[Doggit]

Great intentions sometimes creat great stupidities. If everythings turned off, then there's no need to worry, but you certainly can't get the muppets back in, as all they do, is unblock the crap they put in. Unfortunately, you don't know if they've damaged anything, so it needs an RGI to service the boiler, and you then bill the muppets. They may want to insect it first to make sure you aren't pulling a fast one, but don't let them do anything else.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Get the Engineer to issue a RIDDOR too .

 

[Adam H]

Cheers Doggit

Nice one mate but I don't think many people are going to bite

Dan you're sooo gullible..

Genuinely confused... No plonkers being pulled here.

 

[Steelmasons]

Cheers Doggit




Genuinely confused... No plonkers being pulled here.

Pink pig just flew over my head......

 

[FiremanT]

IF this s not a wind up, then HSE should probably be involved as it is unlikely to be an isolated incident. What about the air vent?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Cheers Dan - first thing in the morning then!

http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm

 

[Doggit]

This might be a wind up, but it's also the stupid sort of thing these these type guys would do. As there's not so many back boilers nowadays, it's possible that it is an isolated incedence, or just an over enthusiatic new guy on the job.

 

[FiremanT]

Dan you're sooo gullible..

It does seem too ridiculous to be genuine. But it would take a brave hoaxer to use a genuine companies name:
https://superproof.co.uk/how-superproofing-works/

 

[Adam H]

I'd definitely categorize the work SuperProof did as taking the ****, and I know you don't know me from Adam, but this is 100% NOT a wind up.

Thanks for the link and suggestion about RIDDOR Dan.

Not sure what you mean about the air vent FiremanT, but thanks for the +1 about RIDDOR. Your comment go me suitably paranoid about Carbon Monoxide though so I've got them to keep a window open.

Doggit - I think you're probably right. Their MO is just find any holes/gaps and fill with cement / sealant / wire, do a half arsed job of tidying up, then leave. I doubt the 'technicians' rigorous training involves how not to mess around with 80/90s back boilers. Still...