Central Heating Boiler No Longer Work During Servicing

[slickcondo]

Hi - I am new here and I hope to get some opinion here regarding my recent experience and I hope also hope to get some help.

I have a Ideal Elan RS30 central heating boiler that has been giving me faultless (almost) service for the past 25 years or so.

Recently, I had a annual service on it by a gas engineer. During the annual servicing, it suddenly stopped working (it was working before the engineer touched it). During the annual service, I don't know what the gas engineer did, but from what I can see, the pilot light was on, but the boiler could not fire up. Then after some fiddling, it seems the pilot light cannot be lighted anymore (not sure). The engineer then told me that the fault is because I have a faulty gas valve and need to be replaced as the safety cut-off is not working.

Being an old boiler, the gas valve was not stocked by his regular parts supplier when he phoned them and he said he have to look around to get one and come back. Since then, I have not been able to contact him and I am now left with a Warning Label stucked to my boiler and the boiler is now off.

I would like to have your opinion and suggestions on:
1) whether is the fault caused by the engineer who damaged something or is this a regular occurrence when gas engineers do a annual service on a working boiler ?
2) should I try to track the engineer down and get him to come back to fit the new part that I can get my hands on one now (and its way over a hundred quid including VAT !!) or should I get another engineer to fit the part ?
3) and most importantly, is the fault - that it could not be fired up - due to the faulty gas valve or could it be something else - electric, etc as it seems the gas engineer did not even checked this before concluding its a faulty gas valve.

Any suggestions and opinion greatly welcome and many thanks in advanced for your help.

 

[ALEC1]

what a wierd post.. speak to the engineer who serviced it...

 

[slickcondo]

what a wierd post.. speak to the engineer who serviced it...

Why is it a weird post asking for opinions and/or suggestions ? As i said, the engineer suddenly seem uncontactable. i am sure I can get in touch with him sooner or later, but that will require a lot of phoning and hoping he will answer the phone. That is why I posted here seeking alternatives if available.

 

[AngelesPlumbing]

Make a logical approach, age of boiler is wonderful still working. Heating engineers always make sure the appliance safe to use before he leaves the premises. Did he sabotage you? Or the boiler is giving up. Cost on old boiler parts is really expensive. Your decision to call the engineer again of course charged you and not guarantee to work or invest get new boiler range from £600 to £1500. I would suggest get new boiler installed just get out headache situation especially before winter is coming

 

[FiremanT]

It is not likely to be the gas valve. Have you paid the first guy? Is he Gas Safe registered?

 

[bazdaman]

It could of faulted when he turned off the pilot or checked the safety device which happens with older stuff,

Its sunday so he may have his phone switched off!

It sounds like the only thing he may be guilty of is not communicating the situation properly before he left.

Hope all goes well

 

[slickcondo]

Make a logical approach, age of boiler is wonderful still working. Heating engineers always make sure the appliance safe to use before he leaves the premises. Did he sabotage you? Or the boiler is giving up. Cost on old boiler parts is really expensive. Your decision to call the engineer again of course charged you and not guarantee to work or invest get new boiler range from £600 to £1500. I would suggest get new boiler installed just get out headache situation especially before winter is coming

Hi and thanks for your comment. It was working without any problem until this "service" and I can't afford a new boiler being unemployed at the age of 60 plus and not claiming So my only alternative is to get the part even if tis more expensive. But hope ti will last me another 5 to 10 years without any problem.

 

[slickcondo]

It is not likely to be the gas valve. Have you paid the first guy? Is he Gas Safe registered?

Yes, he is Gas Safe registered. Really it's unlikely to be the gas valve ? Why is that ?

No, I have not paid for it because he said he will get the parts and then come back. Was supposed to contact me to let me know if he got the part and at what price. But no calls from him and when I called him, I only get the answer phone each time.

 

[slickcondo]

It could of faulted when he turned off the pilot or checked the safety device which happens with older stuff,

Its sunday so he may have his phone switched off!

It sounds like the only thing he may be guilty of is not communicating the situation properly before he left.

Hope all goes well

I did noticed he was able to light the pilot again after turning it off. But then when he raised the temperature of the room stats to get it fired up, it did not fire up. Then a bit more fiddling and the end result is a faulty gas valve because he said the safety could not cut out when the pilot goes off. I am not well versed in gas, so not sure if what he said means this is why the boiler could not fire up ? Is he correct ?

He was suppose to phone me yesterday to let me know if he got the part and the cost. But he didn't and on the several occasions I phoned him, I only got the answer phone. So now I am a bit worried and thinking back and reading between the lines of what he said, I think he was implying that he would preferred if I get someone else to fit the part. Maybe that is why he did not asked for payment before he left ????

 

[Dan Robinson]

It is possible the valve has failed (it is rare though), but a few checks are needed.

Is it a square button you push for the pilot?

I suspect the engineer, or you, or both have your terminology muddled.


Is the pilot actually lit and stable now?

 

[ALEC1]

the weird part is that you use an engineer that you cannot contact...where did you get him from?

 

[slickcondo]

It is possible the valve has failed (it is rare though), but a few checks are needed.

Is it a square button you push for the pilot?

I suspect the engineer, or you, or both have your terminology muddled.


Is the pilot actually lit and stable now?

Yes, it is a square button to push to light the pilot. He told me its the gas valve and he took off the plastic cover and had Honeywell engraved on it, but no part number or anything. Having checked on google, the gas valve that is supposed to be faulty also have a honeywell label on it from what I can see on google/ebay listings. He also spoke to his parts supplier mentioning gas valve and my boiler model.

The only check I see him made was just on the this part with the yellow button which I assume is the gas valve ?? what other check should he have done ? I know the pump is still working as I can hear it when he could not get it to fire up.

The pilot is not lit as he turned off the gas supply to the boiler and he slapped a red warning label on the boiler !

 

[slickcondo]

the weird part is that you use an engineer that you cannot contact...where did you get him from?

We was easily contactable before this happened as I have used him before for my hot water boiler servicing, but not for this central heating boiler until this time round. Couldn't afford to have both boilers serviced at the same time as its quite expensive for my budget.

 

[ALEC1]

can't you email him? or text him?

its annoying when people go AWOL, but sometimes there are good reasons...

 

[FiremanT]

It is not likely to be the gas valve. Have you paid the first guy? Is he Gas Safe registered?

Yes, he is Gas Safe registered. Really it's unlikely to be the gas valve ? Why is that ?

e.

Because you said the pilot can not be lighted (sic)! Now you say it can be, but is turned off.

We are not allowed to give gas advice here, and as your boiler is turned off, we can;t even really help with some basic checks. Suffice to say that most of us could probably identify the fault remotely by asking a few questions and receiving accurate responses. Have you actually checked his GS status?

Essentially, this boiler is as simple as it gets, and I am surprised that the merchant did not have the valve on the shelf

You really need to give the guy a chance. Anything could have happened, do you have a mobile or landline number? he may have gone away for the weekend or even lost hos phone. It is not professional to neglect to contact you,but stuff happens!

Try texting him and telling him that if he doesn't respond by, say, Tuesday you will find someone else. If he has serviced the boiler, then I can't see why he would walk away with no £££'s