Central Heating Engineer

[martin]

Our boiler is overdue a service, can anyone recommend a good central heating engineer please?

[Merddin Emrys]

This chap is good, we've had him round a few times!

'After a long search,  we finally got someone to service our boiler   He live just around the corner (in Penrhyn Bay) and his name is

Stuart Mills Heating Services 01492 547420  mobile 0955963730'

[martin]

Thanks for the name ME, much appreciated.

[Bellringer]

Another one Martin and he lives not very far from you, is

Nick Jones (NRJ Heating) tel 01492 596293 mobile 07722665150

He does our boiler and gas fire annual service and put a replacement radiator in for us - all very satisfactory.

[Fester]

A very serious word of warning about Heating Engineers, (and Gas Appliance Plumbers in general), that I have been meaning to post for some time.

I was unlucky enough to have a boiler fitted by a guy who had a Gas Safe sticker on his van, but it turned out that he WAS NOT on the Gas Safe register when I later checked.  This is a criminal offence.
I didn't notice at the time, but the sticker must have a Registration Number underneath it. It didn't.

I made it my business to keep an eye out for such yellow and black Gas Safe stickers on vans from then on, and I have to say that more than 50% of the ones I see on vans in this area look suspicious as they DO NOT have a registration number.
I checked on the Gas Safe Register website, and my worries were confirmed.  The names of the companies I suspected do NOT appear on the Gas Safe Register.
http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/

Remember... look for the Gas Safe sticker, and check for the registration number beneath it.
Your life could depend on it!

[DaveR]

Wise words from Mr Fester, there are a lot of crooks about.

[Merddin Emrys]

Stuart Mills reg number is 525581 , strangely I could not find him on the gas safe site by name but I can by the number.

[martin]

Thanks to you all for the names, I will get on the phone today.  That said, what Fester had found out is worrying, how do these people get away with it, are there no checks done on these people?  Thanks again.

[Yorkie]

You can get all the gas safe fitters you like, but it still doesn't compensate for the company that replaces parts that do not need replacing.   Happened to me with a well known, local, and reasonably sized plumbing and heating company.   It was admitted by them but the cost of £240 (paid in cash) hasn't yet been returned.

Can't be bothered to go to CC (small claims) but will get my satisfaction one day!

I've spread the word privately and it has already cost them a lot more on lost business.   

[martin]

Thanks to all of you who put forward names of heating engineers, I have now had the boiler serviced by one of them, and at a very good price, thanks again.

[Yorkie]

On the subject of Plumbers.....

On Monday I had British Gas (under annual contract) repair a fault (F22) on my boiler Which involved replacing a flexible pipe that was clogged up with muck.   The fitter demonstrated a filter (Magnabooster or Magnaclean) that could be installed on the pipework and would filter out such rubbish.  He offered to send a quote which I received yesterday in the sum of £259.00 to supply and fit.

I trawled the Internet, as I am prone to do, and found the identical or similar device available for around £70 or £80.   Fitting basically involved removing a piece of copper pipe after the final radiator in the system, and then attaching the device using standard 15mm fittings, at most an hours work.

Assuming BG can buy the units for less than I can, there seems to be a pretty large profit element even after allowing for VAT!

Having done my own plumbing for years, and as I do not need to be Gas Safe, as I will not be touching the actual boiler,  I thank BG for their advice and will Do It Myself.
 ZXZ

[Merddin Emrys]

This is the magnetic rod in a glass jar isn't it? which picks up any loose iron particles (rust?) I've seen the demo jar, with the black stuff in it. Is it worth fitting? I've no idea, my local plumber has never suggested fitting one, so I've not bothered. I've never had a service contract either, I just have Stuart Mills to service it once a year!

[martin]

On the subject of Plumbers.....

On Monday I had British Gas (under annual contract) repair a fault (F22) on my boiler Which involved replacing a flexible pipe that was clogged up with muck.   The fitter demonstrated a filter (Magnabooster or Magnaclean) that could be installed on the pipework and would filter out such rubbish.  He offered to send a quote which I received yesterday in the sum of £259.00 to supply and fit.

I trawled the Internet, as I am prone to do, and found the identical or similar device available for around £70 or £80.   Fitting basically involved removing a piece of copper pipe after the final radiator in the system, and then attaching the device using standard 15mm fittings, at most an hours work.

Assuming BG can buy the units for less than I can, there seems to be a pretty large profit element even after allowing for VAT!


Having done my own plumbing for years, and as I do not need to be Gas Safe, as I will not be touching the actual boiler,  I thank BG for their advice and will Do It Myself.
 ZXZ

Yorkie, I fitted a similar device to my system some months back, it is very simple to do just put the filter as close to the boiler outward flow as possible  into the 22mm pipe.  Because the rads had a fair bit of gunge in them I introduced a system cleaner, and after a few weeks, the normal system additive.  The unit I got is a Fernox TF1 which seems to be the one that most plumber recommend, and cost £70 from a supplier on the web  It really works well with the very, very, strong magnet catching lots of horrible black sediment.  it is simple to clean the thing out which I do every month or so.  I think is well worth the money, but not at British Gas prices.

[DaveR]

Where does all the sediment come from? With a sealed system, there shouldn't be that much, surely?

[martin]

If the system has not been treated with an inhibitor, the continual action of the circulating water attacks the metal surfaces in the pump and radiators, and as there will always be some air in the system, this causes oxidation of the metal which produces a horrible black sludge, if it gets on a carpet or clothing it is impossible to remove, (I speak from experience).