Boiler replacement question... Urgent advice needed please

daxearles · 17 Aug 2006

Our lovely British Gas service engineer has just condemed our boiler today. He has disconnected the gas and I am now having to take cold showers. I can just about put up with that but have a young son (9 weeks) so we need to get a new boiler pronto.

We live in a 4-bed detached house and want to know whether we would be better off with a traditional condensing boiler with a tank or a powerful combi boiler. I have no knowledge whatsoever and although I have scouted on the internet, I always think that forums are somewhere where you can get honest and frank advice as opposed to the salesman pitch that the British Gas guy will give me tomorrow. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!

chrishutt · 17 Aug 2006

First get a second opinion on your existing boiler. It may be that the BG guy was not justified in condemning it. Did he say it was Immediately Dangerous or At Risk? Did he ask your permission to disconnect it? The boiler may just require some minor thing like improved ventilation. Do not have anything more to do with BG, least of all getting a new boiler from them.

daxearles · 17 Aug 2006

Thanks for that. I can't remember what he actually said but the boiler is 27 years old and I knew it was on its last legs. I am not very technical but I will describe the problem. At the back of the boiler, he showed me a cobweb that was moving (don't laugh) which he said showed that gas was being blown out of the back of the boiler. He said that it would be carbon dioxide and then carbon monoxide. He said this meant that there was a gas leak inside the boiler and, on inspection, he said that he had to disconnect the gas.

He didn't ask permission to disconnect it. He just did it. Do they have to ask permission by law?

Any other help and advice is most welcome.

chrishutt · 17 Aug 2006

Did he not issue you with a form explaining what action was taken?

Of course they have to have your permission to disconnect. Unfortunately some behave like little Hitlers and cut you off without asking.

daxearles · 17 Aug 2006

I have just read the piece of paper and it does say 'immediately dangerous'. He didn't ask permission as, if he had, I would have said no.

How about the combi vs. tank?

corgiman · 17 Aug 2006

must check me gas regs for

Signs Of Spillage

Be sure to check for moving spiders web, left there, most usually, by lazy arsed British Gas Engineers who cannot be bothered to get the hoover out

Oh dear

As chris says get a second opinion

chrishutt · 17 Aug 2006

What make and model is your boiler? I wouldn't trust BG. Get a second opinion on the boiler.

No one has the right to disconnect your appliance without your permission. However if you refused permission he would have had to inform the gas transporter (National Grid/Transco or whatever) who would disconnect your gas supply! Nevertheless he should asked.

daxearles · 17 Aug 2006

The boiler is a Potterton Nettaheat 16-22. I guess it's chasis was once a nice ivory white and now it's nicotine yellow which suggests its age.

Does it have any antique value?

corgiman · 17 Aug 2006

nice old boiler

Room sealed I think (it was the flamingo that was open flued wasnt it?)

Hope gaz will see this and tell us

still get a second opinion

and call british gas and ask them where your wanring notice is

chrishutt · 17 Aug 2006

daxearles said:
The boiler is a Potterton Netaheat 16-22.

Ahh...that is a potentially dangerous boiler. It has positive fan pressure in the case which means that if there were a gap or hole the combustion products might escape into the room. Nevertheless it may only need a case seal or something, so still go for a second opinion.

scatmanjohn · 17 Aug 2006

Lets be careful here,

Its common for these things to rot and spill fumes.

As already said, these can be Very Dangerous

I'm with the BG geezer and would have chopped it off if not 110% that its not spilling.

27 year old netaheat?

Time to upgrade i think.

corgiman · 17 Aug 2006

agreed but the BG man should have been more specific about the reasons

rather than a wavy web

Agile · 17 Aug 2006

I would guess there are about 500,000 of these still in use!

They are capable of being dangerous BUT the reason for the problem need to be determined and a decision made as to if a repair or replacement is the best policy.

A nice new boiler will probably be say 92% efficient compared with about 60%.

The rapidly escallating price of gas means that a proper price for a new boiler will give a return of about 20% on the cost!

Tony

Trance Nation · 17 Aug 2006

No way should u automatically be needing a new boiler (unless it's totally f.......... u get the point)

Sounds to me like the eng has shut ur boiler off for reasons off spillage eg- DANGEROUS FUMES entering ur house due to faulty casing seals. However BG policy on casing seal testing is with a lighted match where the casing joins the main boiler body, not tested by means of a cobweb

BG Operational Procedures state clearly to be wary of draughts and thermal airflow when carrying out such a test to be sure off mis-diagnosed faults occuring. A faulty casing seal will easily blow out a lit match.

Shame on u for saying u would have said no to turning the appliance off - it's ur life right enuff so good luck with that.

Anyways, if it were casing seals that is the only fault they are still available (i replaced 1 only last week) so its worth getting back onto BG or in fact READING the note the eng gave you, as the fault desription should be on there. This may allow a short term fix till u get a new boiler, which i and the others highly recommend. Potential death traps those Netaheats are, I hate them with a passion.

corgiman · 17 Aug 2006

daxearles said:
I have just read the piece of paper and it does say 'immediately dangerous'. He didn't ask permission as, if he had, I would have said no.

as the above says if you had of said no you would have been a fool

not only could there be a chance of the applaince killing you, and better to by safe in this situation and I would defend the BG guy, if at a later date he had been found to be mistaken if he could have demonstrated the reasons why he took this course of action, to the hilt.

Better to have no hot water

that aside, the emergency gas provide WOULD have disconnected you and it would have cost you a fortune to get reconnected

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Boiler replacement question... Urgent advice needed please

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