Gas boiler CO - just a service? Really?

[AndyI]

Hi all.

Our elderly gas boiler is behaving disgracefully (burning yellow), so a nice chap from National Grid came round, stuck an 'Immediately Dangerous' notice on it (on account of the CO possibility [p.s. I have a CO detector, no probs detected]) and put a disc in the meter outlet.

I rang the British Gas call centre to arrange for a repair, and the blokey told me that CO was a servicing thing. I expressed my incredulity, told him about the NG person and his disc/sign, but he wouldn't have it.

When the British Gas engineer comes round on Thursday, will he just tell me it's a repair job and come back next week? The deal is pay upfront, and I've paid upfront for a service. Not bothered about the extra cost - the Mrs is an Aussie, and you do NOT want to live with a cold Aussie for any longer than necessary.

And yes, we're going to get a new one.

Thanks for listening to a trivial question. You are very lovely.

Andy

 

[gas4you]

Unless he tested the boiler and proved it was producing CO and was spilling into the room I think ID is over the top, as well as discing off the meter.

If the appliance is proved to be ID then the gas pipe to it should be cut and capped, not the entire supply to the house.

A good service should sort it out though. Probably just the lint arrestor blocked with dust and fluff.

 

[corgiman]

it probably is a service issue as it could be caused by a mucky heat exchanger

best place to start would be to have it serviced.

as for the TOFO (turn off eff off) engineer they will shut the boiler down even if you say you THINK its spilling so mentioning him to BG wont impress I am afraid.

It wouldnt impress me

 

[gas_man_gaz]

the engineer will prob turn up and tell ya it should be down as a repair as the boiler has been capped off! he'll come and check it all out for ya but if there is owt wrong it's chargable.. ud prob be better off with a repair visit, with bg if they work on the boiler they have to do all the checks they'd do on a service visit anyway

 

[AndyI]

Thanks for that - looks like the other half may not cause me physical harm, then.

The only appliance using gas is the boiler, so no big inconvenience to us having it disced. The Corgi chap might have a different view....

TOFO - must remember that.

 

[AndyI]

Maybe I spoke too soon - gas_man_gaz, does that mean the engineer might b*gg*r off then? As I say, I don't mind paying, it's just the possibility of a cold weekend (in more ways than one!).

 

[ollski]

A transco (yes I know) follow up should be a repair as it allows more time to do it properly, but your bg guy cannot change the job so if it comes down as a service he should bite the bullit and get it done but won't be too chuffed. He may well have a case in saying your boiler is disconnected and try to get you to phone it in as a breakdown but simply insist the call centre won't let you and let him battle it out with the office.

 

[AndyI]

OK, so all should be fine for me (though possibly not for the engineer), unless he has an attack of the awkwards. In which case, que sera sera.

Thanks a lot, guys - you've saved me a lot of stress.

 

[Agile]

All of these people have made encouraging ( and otherwise ) comments but none has actually asked what make and model.

Different boilers have their own characteristics!

It may well be a back boiler but as soon as they get a yellow flame they get sootted up which is more than a "routine service" to sort out.

We charge £180 to sort that out but thats something of a punitive charge to teach the owner to get them serviced regularly.

So as a matter of interest what is your boiler?

My Aussi cousin is quite small and quiet although her husband rides a Harley Davidson! Another aussi I meet every year or two in the UK is a big agressive girl and not someone to meet on a dark night!

Tony

 

[corgiman]

All of these people have made encouraging ( and otherwise ) comments but none has actually asked what make and model.

Different boilers have their own characteristics!

It may well be a back boiler but as soon as they get a yellow flame they get sootted up which is more than a "routine service" to sort out.

We charge £180 to sort that out but thats something of a punitive charge to teach the owner to get them serviced regularly.

So as a matter of interest what is your boiler?

My Aussi cousin is quite small and quiet although her husband rides a Harley Davidson! Another aussi I meet every year or two in the UK is a big agressive girl and not someone to meet on a dark night!

Tony

In my defense Agile I didnt ask because I knew it was an OF boiler and knowing what model it is is totally irrelevent IMHO what make/model it is if it is displaying signs of incomplete combustion.


And you would charge HOW much for a service?????? I thought you were always a little bit cheaper than everyone else?

You must be feelin poorly, have a tab mate

 

[nickso]

op

your problem is twofold.

1) you have had the misfortune to have phoned the BG callcentre where you will have been put through to a moron. this moron has absolutely no idea what you are talking about but will probably be reading off a cue sheet. are you on contract? if you are then poor combustion should have been put through as a fault.

2) you will have to rely on the pot luck system and hope you get an engineer willing to ignore all of the above.

in future if you phone up and want a repair then say nothing is working. do not mantion CO or smells or anything like that unless you suspect you have a gas leak etc. this will ensure you do not get a waste of time call from NG, TRANSCO etc and will get the right jobcode to the engineer.

 

[nickso]

bloody computer

 

[Agile]

And you would charge HOW much for a service?????? I thought you were always a little bit cheaper than everyone else?

You must be feelin poorly, have a tab mate

I am feeling fine!

For a wall mounted boiler £55.

For a floor mounted OF boiler £65.

For a back boiler/fire £85 ( If I can successfully recognise it on the phone! )

The typical back boiler has the misfortune of having a small inlet air filter which easily blocks if not cleaned regularly. If its used for very long with a yellow flame then it quickly soots up and is a dirty job to clean out.

Tony

 

[gas_man_gaz]

Maybe I spoke too soon - gas_man_gaz, does that mean the engineer might b*gg*r off then? As I say, I don't mind paying, it's just the possibility of a cold weekend (in more ways than one!).

soz went to pub! id personally tell ya its a breakdown and have the job changed to an oca (on call assistance) which would cost £156.. if i wa fellin generous id change the job type and tell the office to set the price at whateva ya had agreed with the call centre.. or if it wa a easy job jus do it!

 

[Agile]

G-M-G and if it was a well sooted up 552 ?????

Less that an hours work I am told!

Tony