Ideal Isar Filter

[kmooreuk]

Called out British Gas (Homecare cover) to check Ideal Isar boiler as it had stopped producing hot water. They said the problem was sludge and chippings in the heat exchangers, and that I need to get a filter fitted. They said the filter would costs £250 and it is not included in the homecare cover. They also said the heat exchangers need to be flushed but they would do that as part of the service for fitting the filter.

Wanted to check the cost of this part but not really sure what I'm looking for.

Does that sound right? Any advice?

 

[bengasman]

This forum is not for price checks, but for technical advice.
The question you should be asking here is: does the diagnosis sound correct?
The answer would be: not really.
If you are planning to spend £250 for a repair, make sure you get it in writing that the system is guaranteed to work fine after the filters is installed and the hex cleaned.
And make sure the guarantee says "WILL" work fine, not "SHOULD" work fine.

 

[petit_pablo]

I imagine the diagnosis is correct, i had the same this week. The "sludge/chippings" is normally magnatite from the heating system.

BG should clean/replace the plate heat exchanger in the first instance and recommend that a filter is fitted. Whether you decide to have this done at the same time or at a later date is up to you. Also, BG dont have to fit it.

 

[Agile]

I thought that no sludge related problems were included?

Has there been a change?

The op could have a gauze filter fitted by an independent for about 90 pounds!

Tony

 

[kmooreuk]

Thanks for the responses so far.

bengasman - I wasn't really trying to get a price check. More of a sense check that what they were saying seemed sensible, and also more information on the filter part they had recommended so I could research if £250 was paying way over the odds! Good suggestion on getting written confirmation, although i reckon i would struggle to get BG to agree to that?

BG specifically said that blockages / sludge related issues were not included within my homecare agreement (something i need to verify), and that they could clean/flush the heat exchanger but would need to charge for it (£100+) as my boiler does not have a filter.

He then recommended that I get a filter fitted with them, at a cost of £250 and they would sort out the blockage at the same time. This all seemed a bit dodgy to me, hence the request for more information.

 

[nickso]

The terms and conditions say something about the first blockage is free, then chargeable thereafter. You would need to check the wording of it as I seem to remember it being a bit ambiguous.

Sounds like they want to sonic clean it which is a waste of time really.

You won't get any written confirmation other than the terms and conditions that should have come with the quote for the work.

 

[bengasman]

Good suggestion on getting written confirmation, although i reckon i would struggle to get BG to agree to that?

If someone suggested to me I fork out £250 or £350 without a guarantee that it would sort the problem, I'd sit down and have a very good laugh.
PP is a chap who knows what he is on about, so the diagnosis could be right.
I have seen the same problem on the same boiler, and it was the diverter.

Does your heating work fine?
Does the boiler come on at all if you open the hot tap?