Cost and difficulty of Boiler Service

[Gammy leg]

Hi,

My Viesmann Vitodens 100W combi is in need of it's 1st service to keep the warranty going. The plumber that fitted it, and the whole new central heating system, has been very unreliable so I don't want to bring him back for the service. A couple of questions:

Roughly what should I expect too pay a gas engineer to service the boiler and clean out the the magnaclean. ( Hoping that at 1 year old it won't need many, if any, parts or repairs ).

Should I use an approved Viesmann service engineer or are they simple enough for anyone to service?

Location is Kent

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

I am a homeowner, not a mender.

If you go to the Viessmann website you can find approved installers by distance from your postcode. If you use a small local independent you are likely to get the person who has been on their training day. If you are happy, use the same person in future. A larger company may have as few as one employee who's done it, and you may be sent one of the others. The experienced person should be quicker. He should open it and clean out the combustion chamber and the condensate trap, and test the flue gases for correct burning. I don't recall if there's anything else.

You can empty the Magnaclean yourself, it's easy. Like emptying the bag on your hoover. Instructions are on the Adey website. It will have been delivered with one small and one very big black plastic spanner. You use the big spanner to take the top off and the small one to close the service valves. It's interesting to see how much dirt there is. Be sure to read the instructions first.

I have a Viessmann which is nearly ten years old. It's needed one replacement part (free under guarantee). I get charged less than £100 for a service.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Expect to be charged an hour's labour, or equivalent. Engineer won't do much on the first service, visual of the flue and internals. Check combustion and condensate.

At 4 or 5 years old they'll want to open up the burners. Some of us have a special tool for cleaning out the heat exchanger.

Actual cost will vary massively from area to area. We charge £80 plus vat, parking, congestion etc.

 

[FiremanT]

It will have been delivered with one small and one very big black plastic spanner. You use the big spanner to take the top off and the small one to close the service valves.

But not necessarily in that order

 

[mcmoby69]

Cost is whatever it takes to feed nominated boiler man to feed his wife and kids, pay mortgage etc.

Your 30min service man isn't going to do it right. Allow for travelling too.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Your 30min service man isn't going to do it right.

That's a bit harsh. I can do a full strip and scrub down of an Intergas or Shiessmann 100 in 30 minutes without too much bother. Providing access is reasonable and it's not been neglected previously.

An Intergas I can even do with one hand

 

[mcmoby69]

I'm getting slower in my old age!


My red cape and underpants were hung up a while ago.

 

[durhamplumber]

You can empty the Magnaclean yourself, it's easy. Like emptying the bag on your hoover. Instructions are on the Adey website. It will have been delivered with one small and one very big black plastic spanner. You use the big spanner to take the top off and the small one to close the service valves. It's interesting to see how much dirt there is. Be sure to read the instructions first.

What could possibly go wrong.The average punter cannot manage the fill loop

 

[durhamplumber]

What could possibly go wrong.The average punter cannot manage the fill loop

....Like emptying the bag on your hoover???.. is it bolox

 

[bernardgreen]

Instructions are on the Adey website.

Which is useful for people with access to the internet. Incredibly hard to believe but not everybody has access to the internet.

 

[JohnD]

Which is useful for people with access to the internet. Incredibly hard to believe but not everybody has access to the internet.

Although for people using the DIYnot website to post questions, it is more common than you might have thought.

 

[bernardgreen]

Although for people using the DIYnot website to post questions, it is more common than you might have thought.

Obviously they are a subset of the entire UK population, a subset that does have acess to the internet.

 

[fezster]

Some of us have a special tool for cleaning out the heat exchanger.

Is this tool boiler specific? And is cleaning the HEX usually an extra cost?

My Vaillant 438 is coming up to 6 years old and I think the HEX could do with a clear out, but given what everybody says about the small pathways, I'm not sure how difficult it is or even if it's possible.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yes it is.

A Vaillant may be OK with it, I don't know But a Vaillant at that age will have other considerations too.

 

[fezster]

Ok thanks. I have the boiler serviced annually, so will ask about the HEX on the next service.

I would hope the other considerations have been taken care of by my usual engineer. Perhaps optimistic ... :=)