Service of a boiler - what should be included?

[loziv]

Hi

When getting a boiler serviced (in my case a 2 year old Worcester Bosch CDI System Boiler)

what should be included in the service by a good tradesman

For example I have a magnaclean unit by the boiler should this be emptied
Powerflush?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Depends on the condition of the boiler.

The procedure is in the manual.

A magnaclean only takes a few minutes to clean. But it isn't part of the boiler.

In fact it is user serviceable.

As a rule though we do check and clean them.

 

[Agile]

I would always empty a gauze or magnetic filter as long as it had been correctly instralled with the isolating valves.

The boiler would be inspected and tested as appropriate for its age and condition.

Power flushing is never part of any service and as its usually £350 and a service only £55 then thats not surprising!

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

I had a complete a7se try and complain to Gas Safe once that when I serviced his boiler that i didn't PowerFlush it

He didn't get very far .

 

[doitall]

Hope you had a good excuse Dan

 

[Dan Robinson]

I think the adjectives I used to describe him to the inspector were along the lines of:

Muppet
Nimrod
Dick
Peenarse

&

Total goit.

He got my drift anyway .

 

[doitall]

No mention of ********

 

[Dan Robinson]

Sadly the term hand't been invented at that stage. But he was/is a ******** of the highest order (cheers DM).

 

[ChrisR]

2 year old Worcester Bosch CDI System Boiler

Not very much, see the manual. In practice a number of other things would be inspected very quickly that you'd not see the guy doing.

Magnacleans can leak from the isolating valves, so he might not want to interfere with them.

 

[Gasguru]

One of the most important tasks would be to bleed the radiators, drop the pressure and check the expansion vessel...but very few will bother.

It's essential on the Worcesters due to the fact the safety valve is located behind the boiler and if the pressure rises too high (perhaps from a depleted expansion vessel) the valve will open and it's a pig of a job to replace.

Otherwise on such a young boiler it's mostly visual cheaks for water leaks, checking the combustion, gas rating it, reseting the service timer, etc.

I don't touch Magnacleans (or any other filter) unless the customer is prepared to pay for the extra work...especially since so many will leak afterwards or are leaking.

 

[joe-90]

A gas fitter has a van load of expensive tools and meters.

Yet he leaves them in the van and comes in with a dust sheet and a Henry.

 

[onecog]

You are pretty much right there Joe.
I have been (was) servicing all types of boiler since the early 80's either for councils or gas board and all i needed then was a couple of screwdrivers,grips,leak detector,smoke pellets/matches,paint brush for dusting,hoover and gauge.Times have changed??

 

[Nige F]

All they need now is smoke (pellets) and mirrors

 

[dcawkwell]

It depends on the boiler.

Some can have a basic check that the seals are ok and the burner is burning correctly with a flue gas analyser.

Others like Ideal Icos will require flushing out or the condensate pipe will block and mean a break down.

Most modern boilers need very little and it is just a check.
A service might stop an expensive repair if for example condensate starts leaking into the boiler but it won't necessarily prevent a breakdown.
You could have a boiler checked every year on the dot and it will still breakdown.

In this day and age it is a way of preventing and insurance company trying to wriggle out of a payment if there was a fault in the boiler that burnt your house down as you could prove you had it checked.