sonic clean

[greendawg]

Hi

My mother-in-law had a problem with the hot water cutting out or not working on her combi boiler, which is only a year old.

She called someone out who said it needed a new part and a sonic clean to fix it, and if she had just the part replaced without the clean then it would just go again.

He said that it would cost her £500 for the sonic clean, but if she had it done when the new part was being replaced, then the sonic clean would only cost £250.

Does this sound right?

Anyway, she had it done.

She had the part replaced and the sonic clean, and the boiler is still not working - and advice on what the problem might be and what the cost of fixing it should be?

Thanks

 

[EddieM]

Yep, quite simple, she's been done, get 'em back and tell 'em to fix it or you'll sonically clean them!!

 

[namsag]

What boiler is it

And WTF is a sonic clean

 

[mickyg]

sounds like the new gimmick BG are pushing. Can't imagine anyone else out there with this bit of kit, so I'm gonna put my neck out and say its either BG or a complete Bull*hiter

 

[namsag]

Perhaps Agile sits and speaks to it for hours

 

[scatmanjohn]

Its BG's latest money spinner.

 

[gas_man_gaz]

ya right mickyg, its bg's new device to clean heat exchangers, from what ive heard it is pretty good. the heat exchanger has to be removed n is put it what looks like a large deep fat fryer
but it int gonna do owt if the fault is miss diagnosed, what was the fault and what have ya had fitted?

 

[mrgas]

Yes but hold on... £250- £500 to sonic clean a plate that costs new say £100.
Something smells rotten here!

 

[Deleted member 105431]

surprise surprise another case of misdiagnosis and mis-selling from ****ish gas.

next they'll be flogging you a powerflush and magnaclean. . . . .

 

[greendawg]

Don't know if it is BG, I'll check. I only know that she pays them a monthly maintenance contract and they said this wasn't covered by it.

I only just found out about it after the event and though it sounded a bit suspect.

The only other bit of info I have at the moment is that they took some part out and went away with it for about an hour for cleaning and then put it back in - I don't know what the part was.

But I have found out that the part they replaced was a filter that they charged her £250 for - I would of thought a filter would be part of a maintenance contract.

So in total they have had a years worth of monthly payments from her for doing nothing + £500 to unsuccessfully fix her boiler.

And I know you can get a new combi boiler for less than that!

 

[nickso]

get them back if its not working. it will be BG, no one else is using sonic but them on boilers.

it is very effective on plate h/e's,manifolds, pipework and anything else with small waterways which is where they are trying to save money by cleaning them rather than putting them on new. cleaning them gets them as clean as new anyway. its also good for low content copper h/e's too. not so good for larger h/e's, particularly cast ones. the size is limited by the bath size anyway.

if there is a problem that could be solved by sonic and water quality has bot been mentioned before then it can be done free of charge. if its previously been mentioned then the standard charge is £250 i believe. in most cases buying a magnaclean, which will undoubtedly be touted, will mean the sonic is done for free.

 

[namsag]

Majority of plate heat exchangers are under 100 quid many under 50 quid how is this value for money to the customer

 

[nickso]

Majority of plate heat exchangers are under 100 quid many under 50 quid how is this value for money to the customer

it does seem daft. im not 100% sure on the price but £250 does ring a bell.

the majority are free of charge but if it was chargeable most would find it cheaper to go third party. i actually quoted someone to replace the PHE instead of cleaning it and it was cheaper. a lot of primary H/e's could be close or above £250 including labour though.

as said if they were to keep within the T+C's they would need to do something about the water quality anyway, most choose an MC but not always from BG.

 

[namsag]

Give it a year and after everyone has had there go at BG it will be there own little money spinner
aka FGA for servicing, power flushing and magna cleans.


Still think its taking the pish for majority of jobs that will be done withit

 

[nickso]

Give it a year and after everyone has had there go at BG it will be there own little money spinner
aka FGA for servicing, power flushing and magna cleans.


Still think its taking the pish for majority of jobs that will be done withit

the machine is pricey and BG got a good deal on them i hear.

BG can afford to waste hours but not parts. it might not be cost effective for an independant RGI to do it. possibly not for PHE's anyway.