Intergas Boiler Service

[David Sarbutts]

Hi, I have just British Gas engineers to service my Intergas Boiler. After 15mins looking at the boiler, I was told that the seals should be changed every 4yrs and the parts had been sent to someone else and that they were covering the job.
My question is I've never been told that the seals needed changing before and why was it mentioned today? I've had my boiler serviced since I moved in 5yrs ago and this has never been mentioned before. Can anyone please tell me what's going on?
Regards Dave

 

[Mottie]

Hi, I have just British Gas engineers to service my Intergas Boiler. After 15mins looking at the boiler, I was told that the seals should be changed every 4yrs and the parts had been sent to someone else and that they were covering the job.
My question is I've never been told that the seals needed changing before and why was it mentioned today? I've had my boiler serviced since I moved in 5yrs ago and this has never been mentioned before. Can anyone please tell me what's going on?
Regards Dave

My Vaillant is the same. Should be every 4/5 years. I’ve had it nearly 9 years now. Definitely going to have the full strip down service this year……

Deep Strip-Down (Every 4–5 Years)

• • Heat Exchanger Inspection: Vaillant ecoTEC models benefit from a deeper strip-down service every 4 to 5 years to scrub and flush internal carbon scaling from the primary heat exchanger.
  • Seal Replacements: Replacing the burner door seal, gaskets, and washer components whenever the combustion chamber is opened

 

[David Sarbutts]

Thank you for your reply

 

[Madrab]

New service procedure - Intergas Heating

In February we contacted you about our new service procedure regarding the replacement of every red front plate seal with a Viton black seal, and that the

www.intergasheating.co.uk

 

[David Sarbutts]

Hi Madrab, i had aanother engineer from British Gas yesterday to service my boiler.
After 20mins came down stairs and said all done and left without any comments and nothing in writing to say what he'd done and if he had changed the seals. I've always had paperwork before with comments on it.
My renewal for British gas homecare is due at the end of August and due to their incompetence I've cancelled my renewal.
I got a phone call from someone and asked me why i wasn't renewing and i told him. He then sent me the paperwork that didn't even say it was a boiler service. I've contacted British Gas and asked them to send the paperwork and work completed. I also noticed that both engineers that came used their own transport and not British Gas vans.
Sorry for the epilogue.

 

[David Sarbutts]

Hi Madrab, I had another engineer yesterday, came and went after 20mins. No paperwork to say what he had done and whether the seals had been changed. I got an email later with an attachment with no mention of what had been done, only my address and and gas engineers name. I asked them to send it by post and mention work completed. How shoddy from British Gas. And I did notice both engineers where using their own vans.
The Engineer the day before said it would take 2hrs to do the work? 20mins? I have got no confidence in British Gas.

 

[CountryFan]

This came to light around 2020 and any boiler made before that date needs the seals changing, fairly soon to prevent any issue. The 4 year kits available cover the vast majority of seals inside and the job takes around an hour unless the main heat exchanger is dirty, which then can take even longer, so after 20 minutes I would say it has not been done at all. I do these on a regular basis, my first ones used to take me up to 2 hours, but they changed the kit and obviously I have got a lot quicker.

I am glad you have cancelled, as it seems to be a money spinner/money pit now.

 

[David Sarbutts]

Hi CountryFan, I've been in touch with British Gas and it is obvious that the seals weren't changed. I've paid £300 to them for their Homecare plan and couldn't fulfil their boiler service, knowing certain seals needed changing. If this is a mandatory requirement, then WHY are they getting away with it.
I've put in a complaint and see what they come back with.

 

[CountryFan]

No idea how or why they can get away with it, but it’s not unheard of a gas safety check being called a service.

 

[David Sarbutts]

Absolutely, I'm not a gas engineer, but how are they getting away with it and the don't do a gas tightness test.

 

[CountryFan]

and the don't do a gas tightness test.

It’s not a legal requirement for a gas service and not in the regulations. We do them on ours because it’s social housing landlord, so we have to maintain the pipes and that is one way of doing it.

 

[David Sarbutts]

Perhaps they need to tighten up on the regulations. We are paying for a gas boiler check and not a service. When you take a car in for a service, you know what you get.
If this is the case, there is no point in having such a service and wait for your boiler to break down and then get it repaired, because seals ect. don't get replaced.

 

[pcaouolte]

I used to have BG service my boiler as part of the homecare service. I watched them servicing the boiler and was always happy with the service.

When I needed a new boiler I used a local recommended heating engineer to supply and install it. I decided to cancel the homecare service and use the engineer who installed the boiler to service it. I was absolutely astounded at how much more work the local engineer did on a service compared to the previous BG service.

 

[David Sarbutts]

Thank you for your advice
Kind regards Dave