Gas fire service

[Dberr]

Registered gas fitter serviced and condemned our fire place, citing the he can't remove the closure panel and hence can't test the flue.

Is it his job to remove and reseal it for the service, the fires been in over 20 years and no other engineers ever said anything.

He also stated the isolation valve is suspect water use only, British gas fitted it initially...can't see them using water valves, again no other engineers ever said anything.

Any advice welcome, I suspect I need a second opinion...at my cost!

 

[cross thread]

The plate should be removed so a visual check of the opening / catch space is carried out.what’s stopping the plate from moving ,

 

[Dereekoo]

Is he allowed to condemn it because he cannot check the flue therefore he cannot say its not fit for purpose only that he cannot pass it as fit for purpose? The tap is another issue and he may be right on that so could condemn?

 

[Dberr]

He said he couldn't remove it...I'm assuming it's just sealant and it's par the course for an engineer. Remove/refit reseal?

I understand what he's saying about the tap, but surely a previous engineer would have snagged it....and surely a British gas engineer wouldn't be using gash iso valves meant for water?

He stated suspect water valve used, then confirms on the cert he inspected the iso valve- same one, no leaks.

It's the closure panel that's irritating me...I'd expect that's part the job surely?

 

[OvertonPlumber]

The closure plate is supposed to be fixed with closure plate tape. It's a special gas fire specific gorilla type duct tape. It's not supposed to be fitted with sealant.
Yes the gas isolator looks banshee.
I guess the guy was having a busy day and couldn't be assed with your shoddy installation.
Much easier to just I. D the installation.

 

[FiremanT]

IIIRC, Southern Gas or Thames gas used this design of isolator.

As said, it is a requirement that the builders opening is visibly inspected and the flue itself smoke tested. Generally, you could use a torch to inspect the flue, but as I was not there I could not guarantee it.

Any RGI doing this work regularly, as an independent working directly for clients, would come across this often, and be equipped to deal with it.

Where you have contracted a “big” firm, (even BG) he may be an agency worker ir contractor, and be getting paid peanuts. In this case he won’t be faffing around.

Did he leave a warning note, and a warning label? How did he categorise the fault.?

 

[Dberr]

He was an independent, it's my old folks fire. Condemned and advised operate at owners risk. The written notes stated-ish
'suspected water valve, unable to access flue to inspect' but then the next line stated 'iso valve inspected, no leaks'...well that suspect water valve is the iso.

I'm just a bit peeved, I would expect a gas service engineer to carry the inexpensive tape/sealant to remove reseal the panel....it's about a fiver a roll I guess?
The iso valve, well is it or isn't it a water valve? If it is, why are you inspecting it.

They're now looking at maybe replacing the fire entirely...it's an older model.

Thanks for the response...too many folk about can't be arsed to do their job.

 

[pcaouolte]

He was an independent, it's my old folks fire. Condemned and advised operate at owners risk.

Would a GSE really condemn an appliance and then advise the owner to use it at their own risk? That doesn't sound right to me.