diagnosing a problem and rectifying the fault

[tommyl18]

i have a scenario for you

if a plumber goes to a customers house and the radiator is making a knocking noise when it heats up and cools down. the plumber removes the radiator tightens up the screws to the brackets at the back refits the radiator and the problem is solved . a week later the noise is back so call the plumber ask him to come and have a look as thats not sorted the problem
would it be a case of

another call out fee because he didnt find the fault initially and it is still a matter of elimination

or

comes back for free because the customer paid him to solve the problem but it hasnt been fixed?

 

[muggles]

Rather depends on individual firms, could go either way but anyone will tell you their charges if you ask them. As for us, no idea, the workers never see the bills.

And to your problem...I'd say it's either the sound of the radiator brackets rubbing on the hangers welded to the back of the radiator as it expands and contracts, or a dicky TRV possibly installed against the recommended direction of flow

 

[tommyl18]

there isnt any trvs on the system the wall has a bow in it and the radiator is a long rad with 3 brackets and the middle bracket is obviously very tight because the other 2 are brackets either side are both pulling

only solution I can think of is to remove the middle bracket

 

[Burnerman]

Check that the plastic sliders are still there, where the rad rests onto the brackets, and consider spacing the middle bracket out from the wall a little?
John

 

[simond]

I think your approach should have been clear on the first visit. In other words,

'I'll try this as a first solution, if it doesn't work, I can return but each visit will be chargeable'.

Otherwise you could end up going back four times for a customer with a wonky wall and a radiator you never fitted in the first place.

I only offer maintenance to customers where we installed the system, makes life much simpler.

 

[Agile]

In my view you are the expert and you were paid to fix the problem and thats just what you should have done.


I would have ensured that I fitted plastic inserts because I know that if I did not the problem would not be fixed.

Its not a simple job and I would charge about £120 but do it properly and guarantee the work.

Tony

 

[TicklyT]

Rather than remove one bracket, pack out the fixings behind the 'low' bracket(s) to bring all three into the correct alignment. You don't want yet another call back if the radiator falls off the wall.

 

[rojaca]

well thats a first. something that I agree with tickly-t on. I'll be ranting about british gas and cc's next

 

[tommyl18]

well i went back and put a level across the wall and no word of a lie the wall was 1.5 inchs out from one end of the rad to the other thats how big the hump was. There wasnt enough play on the pipes to pack the brackets out i put a couple more fixings in the brackets to reinforce the existing fixings and removed the middle bracket hung the rad and it was solid no movement and no noises at all job done.