Unvented cylinder install - how to notify building control

[busydad]

Hi Folks,

Just a quick one to put my mind at rest (or not..).

I recently had an unvented cylinder installed. I'm no expert but aware installers need G3 certification and have to notify building control.

I've just been chasing up my installers to make sure the building control stuff is sorted. Long story short, they have notified the cylinder manufacturer of the install and I have had an email off them saying the cylinder has been registered (for warranty purposes). They also completed the benchmark info in the manual they left me.

Will the cylinder manufacturer normally notify BC or does the installer have to do it through Gas Safe (I thought this was the case). I did ask my installer about this and they have said they have always installed boiler and cylinder together and notified through Gas Safe. However in my case they installed cylinder only, so they said they cant do it through gas safe. Doesn't feel right to me. I feel like I am questioning my installer but just want it sorting as worry about this sort of thing.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Dan Robinson]

The installer does it. We do ours through Gas Safe.

 

[busydad]

Just an update, I have had another look on the gas safe register where you can check the register. When I filtered for unvented cylinders my installer doesn't appear. Now I am worried that they aren't actually accredited to install an unvented cylinder, despite their assurance they are G3 compliant (he even showed me a certificate demonstrating G3), although I wouldn't know if this was correct or not. I wonder if this is why they cant notify of an unvented install (yet they said when notifying boiler and cylinder there is normally a 'checkbox' for unvented which they tick).

Does anyone have any advice on what I should do next? Really worried about it now. I've already hassled my installer a fair bit. Should I get in touch with Gas Safe or Building control or indeed another local Gas Safe engineer?

 

[Dan Robinson]

It's on the back of my gas safe card and listed on my registration.

Go on the gas safe site and check my business. It's registered as 138845, Jennings Heating Ltd.

 

[Dan Robinson]

There are other accreditation schemes, but they still need to notify.

 

[busydad]

Yep I can see it on yours - ive checked my installers and it isn't on there. Have I been sold up the river here? If it isn't listed there does that mean they definitely aren't accredited to install unvented? He really did not strike me as the sort of person to lie about this sort of thing.

Feel a bit stupid -I was sure I checked this before as usually so diligent with these sort of things!

Any advice on what to do next?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Ask him what accreditation scheme he's on for Unvented, but I always thought (happy to corrected) that gas safe picked up all those who were registered for gas as well.

If they're not registered, then frankly, I don't know the best course of action as we've always been thus.

 

[Dan Robinson]

However, if it's been installed correctly, then I wouldn't panic too much.

 

[busydad]

He has registered the cylinder with the manufacturer for warranty and as part of that they have to put in the G3 number so something is out of place.

I'll have to get back to him in the first instance. Hopefully he will have a good explanation!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Have you asked the manufacturer if they notify for the installer? Some boiler companies do for their products.

 

[busydad]

I have emailed them, but they are only open 9-5 mon-fri so will have to wait a few days. The cylinder manufacturer is Telford, so they don't make boilers so not sure if they would notify.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Pretty sure they don't, it's a fairly budget brand.

 

[ianmcd]

I am in Scotland and some things are slightly different here, even if you have G3 it is not automatically added to your gas safe registration, you have to ask them to do it, up here you apply to building control before the unvented is being installed and Building control are supposed to approve it and inspect it after but to be honest have never had an inspection but we dont do many

 

[Dan Robinson]

Building control are supposed to approve it and inspect it after

If they're anything like the BC officers down here then I wouldn't trust them to cross the road, let alone understand an unvented cylinder

 

[scoobydo123]

Post a picture up of the install so the pipe work around the cylinder and the tundish and also where the pipe from the tundish comes out the fabric of the building. I think you can notify BC and there will be a charge but get the photos up so we can have a look