Gas safe

[Johnmelad502]

Just watched Cowboy Builders, and in order to catch a builder out they dropped the pressure on the combi boiler. They claimed that this could only be re pressurised by a Gas safe engineer.

So, when I recently changed a radiator for a towel ladder and had to re pressurised the combi, did I break the law?

Please don't move this to plumbing admin...

 

[sooey]

No you didn't, they must have been talking complete bollix.

 

[Johnmelad502]

No you didn't, they must have been talking complete bollix.

Thought so.

 

[jacobball]

Technically, when you "work" on a gas appliance after you have to:

check the flue is ok
check the ventilation is ok
check the burner pressure/gas rate or when applicable both
and check the appliance is operatinf safely

 

[Gasman28]

Technically, when you "work" on a gas appliance after you have to:

check the flue is ok
check the ventilation is ok
check the burner pressure/gas rate or when applicable both
and check the appliance is operatinf safely

You mean re-commission the appliance then? The above sounds like a Landlord Safety Inspection. If the filling loop to re-pressurise the system is remote from the boiler, then there is no problem.

 

[jacobball]

No when any work is done on a gas appliance. Obviously the loop is remote, but for eg/ changing a fan, pcb etc is classed as work even if not a gas component

 

[joe-90]

So if you don't undo the casing then you are OK?

 

[Johnmelad502]

No when any work is done on a gas appliance. Obviously the loop is remote, but for eg/ changing a fan, pcb etc is classed as work even if not a gas component

So I was breaking the law?

 

[Gasman28]

No when any work is done on a gas appliance. Obviously the loop is remote, but for eg/ changing a fan, pcb etc is classed as work even if not a gas component

Not all filling loops are remote - many are attached directly on the boiler.
The OP didn't mention changing the fan or PCB, which, under certain circumstances, would be a job for an RGI.

 

[joe-90]

Operating a lever that has directions for the householder doesn't contravene anything. What's wrong with you jobsworth gas people?

 

[Steve]

Why would one need a gas safe engineer to use a filling loop? All you're doing is turning a valve, watching the gauge go up and turning it back off! It doesnt affect the safety of the appliance!

In fact my neighbour went away once and his heating had a leak (quite a bad one it turned out) and he told me every day to go in and fill his system up and bleed the rads - it was winter and he had the heat set at 10 degrees. Towards the ened of the 2 weeks it was getting harder and harder to reach the magical pressure, so I ended up turning it off - fed up of waiting, and if the leak was that bad it'd empty itself within a day. It was 5 degrees outside, nothing was gonna freeze!

 

[Gasman28]

Operating a lever that has directions for the householder doesn't contravene anything. What's wrong with you jobsworth gas people?

That's what I was trying to say Joe - no probs with the OP re-filling his own system.

 

[jacobball]

Topping up a system regularly by a householder is not a problem with th reg's except a prob with the boielr, ie a leak / ex vessel prob.

 

[joinerjohn]

This subject has been done to death on this and other forums.
Filling the radiator side of the boiler does not constitute working on the gas side of the boiler. If the filling loop is accessible without taking covers off then the manufacturers wouldn't bother with the user manuals that tell the householder how to top up the pressure themselves.

 

[Gasman28]

This subject has been done to death on this and other forums.
Filling the radiator side of the boiler does not constitute working on the gas side of the boiler. If the filling loop is accessible without taking covers off then the manufacturers wouldn't bother with the user manuals that tell the householder how to top up the pressure themselves.

That's what I said some time ago