Cenral heating boiler -- SERVICE. Should cleaning be included?

[slpjslpj]

Hi all,

I have found a few threads on boiler services, but as I can't find the answer to my question, I'm starting this new thread.

I fully understand that a safety inspection and a safety check certificate, is an entirely separate thing, and does not involve maintenance or repair of the boiler, unless something must be done to the boiler, in order to make it safe and operate properly.

Rather, I am talking about an annual maintenance and service, separate to a safety inspection, that aims to ensure as much as possible that the boiler works properly, and as much as it is possible to do so, aims to prevent faults before they occur, or prevent them developing and getting worse, to the extent that the boiler finally stops working.

From my reading it seems that the word "service", can mean different things, depending who you ask. But I always, perhaps or probably wrongly, assumed that it would always include cleaning, when the annual service is carried out.

My question is, ---
Should a combination boiler be cleaned internally, when it is 'serviced'? What should be cleaned, and why?

Thank you all in advance.

 

[45yearsagasman]

....

 

[slpjslpj]

Just for the sake of clarity, I am not asking for instructions on how to clean a central heating combination boiler, and nor am I intending to clean, or attempt to clean a boiler. I am asking only what I asked in the above questions.

Should a combination boiler be cleaned internally, when it is 'serviced'? What should be cleaned, and why?

 

[Iamchamps]

To be honest I would like some clarification also. Paid £70 for my new boilers first year service. He took the cover off turned it on, inserted his meter into a hole near the flue, checked my radiators were bled and then filled in the service book and left.

 

[ianmcd]

depends on who is doing the service, if it is one of the big six then you are getting an annual safety check not a service , if you get a local independednt you might get a proper service , again if you get the manu, out you should get a proper service but the same as taking your car into the dealer you havent a clue what they did or didnt do, better if you can get a local independent and form a good working relationship.

 

[RayCaister]

BG did not clean the condensate trap during my boiler service on Vaillant combi.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Depends on the boiler and the age.

By "cleaning" I assume you don't mean inside the pipes. I had one doughnut expect a full powerflush as part of a routine service.

 

[slpjslpj]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for responding. I assume from what you've written that you are a registered and qualified engineer, which is great, so thanks for replying.

No I don't mean cleaning the pipes, such as in a central heating radiator flushing or the like. I understand that is a seperate type of service, paid for seperately. I mean cleaning of areas inside the casing of the boiler, such as behind the combustion chamber cover, and behind the cover(s) that conceal all the electrical wiring and circuit boards etc. Those kinds of areas.

Should those areas be cleaned? What should be cleaned? And if they should be cleaned, why?

Sorry this sounds like a trick question, but it's not I assure you. It is a genuine question from myself, because I am concerned about the level of servicing I have been getting, and am trying to get an expert opinion of what should be cleaned, -- if indeed anything should be cleaned.

It may be that the answer is that nothing needs to be cleaned. If so, that's the answer and I can stop concerning myself.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Like I sad, it depends on the boiler.

You wouldn't necessarily clean around the electrics, although I suppose the occasional sweep with a hoover wouldn't hurt.

The combustion chamber doesn't always need to come off either.

On some boilers, like Ferroli you don't do any more than necessary as they have a habit of breaking themselves.

 

[slpjslpj]

Hi Dan,
Thanks for that.

I'm not sure what you mean it depends on the boiler. I assumed they all work in more or less the same way, so would all need a similar type of service.

From what you are saying then, I can't help feeling that I've been wasting my money paying for an annual service all these years. I guess the meaning of service these days, isn't what I thought it was. Probably my age. To me when something electrical and or mechancal is serviced, things are actually done to it.

Maybe modern things aren't considered to need servicing in the old definition of the word. But I have to confess, that troubles me a little.

I remember when we used to get our gas fire -- when we had one -- serviced. The engineer used to take off the covers and clean all the dust and stuff out of it. When I get my car serviced, I have the oil changed and the air filters, the plugs get replaced, that kind of thing. They charge for that anyway.

So I just assumed that cleaning would automatically be part of a boiler service, because dirt can cause it's own problems. The manual that came with the Boiler lists 7 different things to be cleaned under servicing. Again, probably wrongly then, I just assumed that any boiler service would do what the bolier makers say in the instructions that come with the bolier.

 

[endecotp]

You would necessarily clean around the electrics

Dan, I think you missed a NOT in there. Probably best to clarify....

 

[Dan Robinson]

I can't help feeling that I've been wasting my money paying for an annual service all these years

Not at all. They need checking and adjusting annually.

I just assumed that any boiler service would do what the bolier makers say in the instructions that come with the bolier.

Yes.

I assumed they all work in more or less the same way, so would all need a similar type of service.

Different boilers have different requirements, but they all need checking annually. Some need new gaskets when opened up, some don't.

You haven't deemed it necessary to tell us what boiler it is so it is impossible to help you further.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Dan, I think you missed a NOT in there. Probably best to clarify....

Indeed - edited.

 

[slpjslpj]

Sorry Dan,

I forgot to say it's made by worcester. It's a 350 RSF Combination boiler. And as I say, the manual that came with it, lists 7 different items to be cleaned in a service. So I assumed cleaning these things must be important. They say once per year should be enough.

The worcester manual doesn't say why these items should be cleaned, but I assumed that not cleaning at all, would be considered at least, as a bad or incomplete service. Hence my feeling that I've been wasting my money.

I know when it was under warranty, and I used to have it serviced by worcester themselves, they always cleaned it. But since it became out of warranty, and I've had other people 'service' it, it hasn't been cleaned at all.

So I've been trying to find out if cleaning is actually neccessary, and if it is, why. But reading around, there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer. My instincts tell me that cleaning dirt away from certain areas is important, but getting a clear answer seems to be pretty hard to find.

 

[Dan Robinson]

It doesn't necessarily need cleaning, but the engineer should at least check if it needs it or not. There isn't much point using a flue gas analyser on it either, although it doesn't do any real harm.