Gas Boiler servicing

[Shane007]

I take it with those readings, it's a standard efficiency boiler, however, he has set the Analyiser up to read a high efficiency boiler. :-o
A boiler service is not just a safety check & a quick clean of the heat exchanger. It is servicing the appliance as per the manufacturer's instructions & a drain down of the boiler to check/adjust the vessel pressure is a must. He must also gas rate the appliance to see if the boiler is running within +5%/-10% of MI's.
He must check standing & working pressures to ensure they are within limits. He must do all this with any other gas appliance switch on at their max, such as a hob with all rings on full & a gas fire on high fire.

 

[STEINER]

I take it with those readings, it's a standard efficiency boiler, however, he has set the Analyiser up to read a high efficiency boiler. :-o
A boiler service is not just a safety check & a quick clean of the heat exchanger. It is servicing the appliance as per the manufacturer's instructions & a drain down of the boiler to check/adjust the vessel pressure is a must. He must also gas rate the appliance to see if the boiler is running within +5%/-10% of MI's.
He must check standing & working pressures to ensure they are within limits. He must do all this with any other gas appliance switch on at their max, such as a hob with all rings on full & a gas fire on high fire.

So, its not a proper service in the fullest sense in your opinion. In essence this is what Bord Gais have been doing every year with me and Electric Ireland this year. I don't have a gas fire, but they have never gone near the gas hob.

 

[Shane007]

This is my argument all along. They charge more for less.
The cooker should be turned on to full output whilst the boiler is gas rated & working pressures tested.
If the cooker has a lid, this MUST be raised for the gas soundness test, otherwise the rings are not tested for leakage.
The vessel pressure must be tested as per MI's & the only way this can be done is by the boiler being drained fully.

He does not know how to use his FGA!

I changed a boiler only last week where an installer installed it 5 years ago that broke every reg in the book. BG serviced it every year since & never said a thing to the customer. When I was upgrading the gas pipe to the correct size, I went to cut the pipe & the whole pipe fell out of the gas meter. It's joint was never tightened & was leaking gas for the past 5 years! Luckily outside, but each year BG had apparently soundness tested it.

The first thing I do is soundness test to see if the system is gas sound. When I finish my works, I soundness test again, just to make sure I started with a sound system & I am leaving with a sound system. Gas man's paranoia is a beautiful thing!

 

[STEINER]

I finally got my customer service callback from Bord Gais today 23rd October about the no-show of the boiler servicer on 8th October. They must have a lot of complaints to wade through. They are sending me a cheque for €30 as a goodwill/apology gesture.

I lodged my €30 today, but had to lodge it to our mortgage account as we don't have any other joint account. Ah well, something to look back on in years to come.

 

[cheaperbyhalf]

Did you notice if he drained down the boiler & check/adjust the expansion vessel pressure? This would be one of the most common call outs I get & is rarely checked during a service.

You probably won't get the system drained and pressure vessel checked on a standard service. Plumber would have to charge double the price and wouldn't get any work.