Could expanding Foam Crush a gas pipe

[grill]

Hi again,

Is there a donation box for this site as i feel im ripping the as* out of it now!!!

Serviced a Baxi barcelona a while back and it hasnt been on since. Told the land lady that the gas pipe going into the house needed to be cemented in and it wasnt legal.

In her wisdom she decided to use expanding foam!!! The heat now isnt working. I havent got round to it yet but was wondering would the expanding foam have cut off the gas supply to the boiler?? I know it has to come out anyway as it is corrosive but am just curious as to if this possible.


Have advised her over the phone to turn off teh gas ta the meter until i get round there.

G

 

[mlb3c]

would not have thought so it usually creeps out of the ends

 

[gas4you]

If the gas pipe was properly sleeved then the corrosion wouldn't be a factor. Whether she used fire retardent foam would be!

Can't see any foam 'crushing' copper, especially as it should be in a sleeve.

 

[Gasguru]

You shouldn't have told her it was illegal its only NCS - just issue an advice note.

Grill your learning the hard way. Why are you touching Barcelonas/Ideals (especially for landlords) - you know they are carp, they'll give you callbacks and nightmares. You'll never earn a penny off them. Just leave them to the manufacturers - they made the carp let 'em fix it.

 

[gas4you]

You shouldn't have told her it was illegal its only NCS - just issue an advice note.

If it is in the back of a meter box and unsleeved/sealed then it is AR.

 

[grill]

Guys in the words of Cher "If i could turn back time" I wouldnt have went anywhere near them. But as im only starting out im jumping at every chance i get for work!!!

What is the rule about charging etc if you fix service one and it starts messing about. Can you re charge them further time spent on the job or do you just have to work at it until it is sorted????

Its getting to the stage now where it is embarrassing having to go back and try and sort them. Not to mention the grey hair and gnashed teeth!!!!

G

 

[Gasguru]

You shouldn't have told her it was illegal its only NCS - just issue an advice note.

If it is in the back of a meter box and unsleeved/sealed then it is AR.

If its at the back of a meter box it must be sealed with a non setting compound eg FJC however surely no rgi would AR an installation and walk away for the sake of a 5 minute job. On MP installations not allowed.

In the case of callbacks allow for them in the hourly rate. Allow a week per year to cover the occasional callbacks. Cost this lost week into the hours per year. Then you don't charge for callbacks if its within a resonable time of the initial repair of related to it and keeps the customer happy. Thats why some boilers aren't worth looking at - the callback ratio is too high

Don't touch:

Ocean Style FF (often leaking with buckets underneath)
Worcester CDi's (diverters are carp and plates often fail - cheaper to call Worcester)
Older Saunier Duvalls (or warm customer of huge bills if its leaking)
Ideal Responses/Icos/Isar etc (you'll get fed up with telling customers its scrap)
Kestons (also suffer from blocked up heat exchangers - scrap)
Some Glowworms
Baxi's with aluminium heat exchangers (don't even think about it)
Potterton powermaxes
Some later Vokeras (the Linears with modulating fans/linear APS)

 

[grill]

The gas pipe is where it goes through the wall at the front of the house. I.e it has dropped down to ground level ran along and then into the house.

From what little i know this has to be sleeved and cemented into place.

G

 

[Gasguru]

Just sleeved (sleeve sealed to wall with cement) and sleeve to gas pipe sealed on inside wall edge with non setting compound (to allow any gas to escape to the outside.

Its rarely done even by Transco but only NCS ie advisory.

 

[grill]

Thanks a million for the advice on the dodgy boilers. I just seem to be having a right week of it and it is just coming into silly season so it hasnt been a very good start.

But i will stick with it.

What do you do if you genuinely cant fix it or have tried everything and have come to a loss. Have you ever walked away from a job saying you cant do it. When you were starting out obvioulsy not now!!!!

Im not sure how many manufacturers have service engineers over here in N. Ireland but im sure there are some.

Are there ever any sunny bright days in boiler servicing where everything goes sweet!!!!!

G

 

[Rob]

Tomorro i've got to fit PCB's to a britony and a Worcester 24i. Both faults ive never seen before and was stumped by both hence the oredering of the PCB's

Both customers have been waiting over a week without HW and just assume its all gonna be done and dusted tomorrow.

I feel like calling in sick!

 

[grill]

rob884,

Dont take this the wrong way but im glad someone else is having it all there own way!!!! My people havent had hot water for 5 days now so i suppouse they should count themselves lucky!!!!

How you deal with your customers in a situation like this?? Honesty??

G

 

[grill]

Well that is one dodgy boiler sorted out. There was nothing wrong with the Baxi. They just hadnt turned the bloody thing on properly at the timer.

I was ragin but also delighted because i means now i only have one shi&e one left to sort out this week.

And i servcied another Baxi Barcelona tonight and it went sweet.

G

 

[gas4you]

Hope you charged the s h i t out of them for it

 

[JohnD]

Is there a donation box for this site

yes, I look after all donations. just send it to me (cash) and I will make sure it is put to good use.