Not happy with engineer's work, need second opinion

[jwturpin]

I've made a few posts now over the past year about my boiler, but I'm at the point where it has broken yet again, and each time the problems are so similar, that I can't help but think the problem wasn't fixed properly in the first place.

I don't want to upset the engineer however in case what he did was right, and the 2 subsequent breakdowns were coincidentally similar symptoms, but very different problems. The fact he was scratching his head the last time he came though, unable to diagnose the problem and randomly began replacing parts to see what hapenned didn't instill confidence in his abilities.

So, whilst I realise it's gonna cost me, I need to get another engineer in to see what they think, but I'm worried that because i'm not satisfied with one engineer's work, how do I trust the reputation of someone else I call from the yellow pages?

Does anyone know of anyone in the Halifax/Brighouse area who they trust implicitly and could come diagnose the fault and see if any previous work carried out was unneccesary?

Regards

jon

 

[Agile]

There may be someone here who can help.

However its difficult to know what the actual fault was after several parts have been changed and a boiler is working again.

As far as a customer is concerned most faults seem similar, i.e. the boiler is not working.

Certainly some engineers are not very good at fixing boilers and customers are often suspicious as TV entertainment programs make them think that every engineer is dishonest or just incompetent. They are only a few like that, most are honest and reasonably competent.

Tony

 

[jwturpin]

I know exactly what was changed, and the problem is, whilst whatever he did seemed to temporarily solve the problem, it has now reoccured and I'm left with a part functioning boiler.

As you can imagine, I am reluctant to call out the same guy for a 4th time for what symptomatically is the same problem, incase he isn't fixing it correctly, and any work he does do only temporarily alleviates the problem.

I know cars and boilers are very different beasts, but with cars when diagnosing, you remove parts to inspect, accidentally knock things, put things back on correctly but with a slight change in orientation, hit them with a hammer in case something was sticking, etc, and then the problem magically disappears, only to return later with no logical cause or reason. I assume the same is somewhat true with boilers to a certain extent.

The money I have spent having this boiler repaired over 18 months could have funded a new boiler!

I'm desperate to get a trusted opinion, and a repair I can trust!

Thanks again

jon

 

[gasbanni]

post a description of the problem and make and model of the boiler plus what parts he's fitted then we might get somewhere

 

[Agile]

I know exactly what was changed, and the problem is, whilst whatever he did seemed to temporarily solve the problem, it has now reoccured and I'm left with a part functioning boiler.

jon

You may know the symptoms but I doubt that you know what the problem is.

If you share all the details with us then we can use our experience of boiler problems to give you advice.

Tony

 

[jwturpin]

I know exactly what was changed, and the problem is, whilst whatever he did seemed to temporarily solve the problem, it has now reoccured and I'm left with a part functioning boiler.

jon

You may know the symptoms but I doubt that you know what the problem is.

Sorry, that read wrong, I meant "I know exactly what was changed, but, the problem is, whatever he did seemed to....."

Anyway, in response to your requests, I'll try to be concise with this...

12 months ago, DHW was cycling H/C/H/C/H..... Thermistor replaced

2 months ago (visit 1) - boiler fired up, when CH it got up to temp, it cut out, tried 2/3 times to restart, then failed. Pump ran, but it didnt fire up again unless I turned the unit off at the mains and back on again. DHW was only luke warm, but was constant. PCB replaced, fault persisted. Tried to change DHW heat exchange unit, but screw too tight and head stripped

2 months ago (visit 2 - 2 days later) - problem persisted. Old PCB put back in, Changed Air pressure switch, pumped up expansion vessel. Problem seemed to be fixed. DHW heat exchange screw drilled out, unit replaced, new screw in.

4 weeks ago - CH & DHW, fan & pump on, flame on, flame fails after 5-10 seconds. Pump stays on, fan whirs up & stops several times, then as if a fluke, flame comes on again. CH Cycles, eventually gets hot. DHW cycles 5/6/7 times, eventually stays on with hot water running constant.

Have put up with it since then using a small calor gas fire, and a bit of patience with the shower as eventually I get hot water.

Hope that's clear enough, any points need clarifying, let me know

Thanks guys

Jon

 

[Agile]

post a description of the problem and make and model of the boiler plus what parts he's fitted then we might get somewhere

You may know your boiler make and model but we dont!

What you have listed may not always have been the exact or even main cause of the problem but as it made it work it would have seemed to the engineer to have been a satisfactory repair.

Unless you had a particularly good engineer thats probably about what someone could expect from an average engineer. Probably better than you would have got from Homeserve.

You are presumably free to choose another engineer?

Tony

 

[DP]

12 months ago, DHW was cycling H/C/H/C/H..... Thermistor replaced

Thermistor could be defective, so replaced. Anyhow, it is cheap enough to fit and check instead of replacing the HWHE.

2 months ago (visit 1) - boiler fired up, when CH it got up to temp, it cut out, tried 2/3 times to restart, then failed. Pump ran, but it didnt fire up again unless I turned the unit off at the mains and back on again. DHW was only luke warm, but was constant. PCB replaced, fault persisted. Tried to change DHW heat exchange unit, but screw too tight and head stripped

Would suspect ignition problem. Not related to hot water issues.

4 weeks ago - CH & DHW, fan & pump on, flame on, flame fails after 5-10 seconds. Pump stays on, fan whirs up & stops several times, then as if a fluke, flame comes on again. CH Cycles, eventually gets hot. DHW cycles 5/6/7 times, eventually stays on with hot water running constant.

Ignition failure.

See nothing out of place so far. Heating engineer seems to have done the right things to get the boiler to work..

Question. Has the boiler been serviced? How long did the service take? What make is the boiler and what model?

 

[Agile]

Since the 1st visit was two months ago then WHO replaced the thermistor a year ago?

So this engineer has come out twice? On both occasions the boiler seemed to have been fixed when he left?

There is now what might be an ignition fault and that needs to be properly diagnosed and fixed.

Tony

 

[jwturpin]

post a description of the problem and make and model of the boiler plus what parts he's fitted then we might get somewhere

You may know your boiler make and model but we dont!

Tony

Whoops!! sorry! I typed all that in a rush with 5 spare mins at work! its a Baxi 80Eco

 

[jwturpin]

Since the 1st visit was two months ago then WHO replaced the thermistor a year ago?

So this engineer has come out twice? On both occasions the boiler seemed to have been fixed when he left?

There is now what might be an ignition fault and that needs to be properly diagnosed and fixed.

Tony

I'm not doing very well here giving accurate info...I apologise!

All repairs done by same company, and engineer.
1st visit - 12 months ago
2nd visit - 2 months ago
3rd visit - 2 months ago following day

god, hope i got it right this time! lol

Thanks for persisting with me!

Jon

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

i think everything that has been done does not at all seem underhanded.

stop worring not everyone is out to rip people off!

 

[jwturpin]

post a description of the problem and make and model of the boiler plus what parts he's fitted then we might get somewhere

You are presumably free to choose another engineer?

Tony

Very much so, I dont have boiler insurance hence not having to deal with whomever they send to me..

As Agile says, "unless I got a particularly good engineer, it's all you could expect from an average engineer". I'm worried i'm going to fork out yet more money on another 'average' eng, when I was hoping to get one of those 'particularly good engineers' on recommendation from someone on here?

Thanks again

Jon

 

[DP]

Any information about service and makel & model of boiler available?

 

[jwturpin]

i think everything that has been done does not at all seem underhanded.

stop worring not everyone is out to rip people off!

Tony/Agile hit the nail on the head earlier on the thread, I think i've been subject to paranoia from all those silly tradesmen from hell TV shows. I know there are some good honest people out there, but I know very little about boilers and I have to take everything on trust, and as my current eng has been three times for what to meagre old me, seemed like very similar symptoms, I'm obviously being very over cautious!

Thanks for the reassurance!

Jon