OT - the boiler mayhem continues

[eastlondonseagull]

Hmm... my boiler. No offence, Rowdey, but I was not impressed. Nirmal from Megaheat turned up three hours early on Friday, and I was out, so we rescheduled for next day. Said he had to do the school run

When the bloke did arrive (not sure if it was Nirmal, this dude who turned up was more middle-aged), I paid £70 only to be told that the boiler seemed to be in tip-top condition and he had no idea what was causing the noise. Was told that I should speak to a specialist engineer from Ravenheat themselves, as they might know what was what.

I had a bloke round fitting SKY + at the same time, so I couldn't keep an eye on both, but the boiler man said he'd serviced the boiler at the same time and he had various theories about what might be wrong (the noise is coming from the reverse valve, apparently), but he couldn't understand why the cold tap affected the noise. All i ever saw him do was peer into the boiler's guts with a torch, not sure what a 'service' actually entails.

The noise has actually got worse since he visited, so am not a happy man. I suppose the only saving grace is that he at least was 'honest' enough not to charge me a fortune for something that didn't actually need doing.

Have just spoken to Ravenheat direct and because I've not got extended warranty, they can't help. They said I should get in touch with a Corgi-registered engineer. Agghh!

 

[chez]

Sounds like you'd be better off just stumping up the cash now mate. Get a well known firm in and be done with it.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Sounds like you'd be better off just stumping up the cash now mate. Get a well known firm in and be done with it.

Would you like to lend me some cash, Chez?

 

[chez]

Would you like to lend me some cash, Chez?

Thats the problem isnt it mate, but how long can you fork out small amounts of cash just for some bloke to come round and have a guess at the problem (thats what it sounds like anyway). It'll get to the point where it would have been cheaper just to get a proper firm in. I suppose you spoke to Alex did you about the bloke who sorted her boiler out - she reckons he was quite good, not sure about his boiler skills though

 

[eastlondonseagull]

I suppose you spoke to Alex did you about the bloke who sorted her boiler out - she reckons he was quite good, not sure about his boiler skills though

Aye

 

[London Calling]

"The old boiler needed a good service"

 

[virgirlo]

errr... excuse me, but my boiler man was extremely reputable and kept his boiler fitting hands to himself!!

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Tradesman are all shit apart from Steve Needham who was a superb sparky recommended to me on here. I have tried 3 plumbers and left my numbers and none of them have had the courtesy of even calling back. I may have a grands work of work to do and they " lose my number " it really fills you with confidence doesn't it. This has happened 3 times now.

They are all shit

 

[eastlondonseagull]

errr... excuse me, but my boiler man was extremely reputable and kept his boiler fitting hands to himself!!

Can you PM me his number please, hun?

x

 

[Rangdo]

he couldn't understand why the cold tap affected the noise

It is very unlikely to be a boiler problem if it does it when the cold tap is run since the water won't go through the boiler and the boiler won't fire up. It will most likely be pipework. Try making sure the stop valve into the house is fully open (wind it as far as it will go anti-clockwise and then back quarter of a turn).

All i ever saw him do was peer into the boiler's guts with a torch, not sure what a 'service' actually entails.

If he serviced it then he should have left you a document with all the readings he took such as burner pressure, combustion ratio etc. If he didn't then he didn't do a valid service and you should ask for your money back.

Have just spoken to Ravenheat direct and because I've not got extended warranty, they can't help. They said I should get in touch with a Corgi-registered engineer. Agghh!

Try phoning their technical support for engineers as opposed to customers. They should be able to give you the advice you need. Tell them that you are an engineer if you have to.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

If he serviced it then he should have left you a document with all the readings he took such as burner pressure, combustion ratio etc. If he didn't then he didn't do a valid service and you should ask for your money back.

Wow, thanks for that mate. I got nothing except a hand-written receipt, so will be complaining tomorrow. Thought he seemed a bit dodge.

 

[Rangdo]

Re: Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

Wow, thanks for that mate. I got nothing except a hand-written receipt, so will be complaining tomorrow. Thought he seemed a bit dodge.

No worries. They may try to say he did a visual inspection but that is not the same as a service. At the very least he should remove the combustion chamber cover (where the burner is, not just the boiler case) to visually check for water leaks and other defects, take a burner pressure reading, test the operation of the safety cut out on the gas valve and take a combustion reading.
Also, be wary about his CORGI credentials. Just because the company say they are registered does not mean that every employee is. Every qualified engineer should carry their own personal CORGI ID card and I would have thought that they should have written their ID number somewhere on the paperwork although this isn't essential.
Like I say, if it does it when you just run the cold tap I would be very surprised if it was the boiler. Could it be a dodgy ball valve being noisy when it shuts off?

 

[London Calling]

Re: Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

Wow, thanks for that mate. I got nothing except a hand-written receipt, so will be complaining tomorrow. Thought he seemed a bit dodge.

To folllow this thru......he has to fill in your Boiler **** card ( I can't recall its name, he has to sign this card, with remarks etc, date it and more importantly:

He has to leave his Corgi registration number.
A corgi registered plumber cannot leave a boiler that is not fully serviced, working and in the extreme situation dangerous.

Hope its helps. I think if you go onto the corgi site, it outlines what to expect etc.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

No worries. They may try to say he did a visual inspection but that is not the same as a service. At the very least he should remove the combustion chamber cover (where the burner is, not just the boiler case) to visually check for water leaks and other defects, take a burner pressure reading, test the operation of the safety cut out on the gas valve and take a combustion reading.
Also, be wary about his CORGI credentials. Just because the company say they are registered does not mean that every employee is. Every qualified engineer should carry their own personal CORGI ID card and I would have thought that they should have written their ID number somewhere on the paperwork although this isn't essential.
Like I say, if it does it when you just run the cold tap I would be very surprised if it was the boiler. Could it be a dodgy ball valve being noisy when it shuts off?

All he took off was the boiler cover, definitely not the combustion chamber cover. And he wrote 'boiler service' on the invoice, with no other details whatsoever.

re: the cold tap, it's a strange one. I'll be sat watching the telly, on the computer etc and I'll be up and down every ten minutes cos of the noise it's blasting out. All that with taps closed tight. Opening and then closing the hot tap sets it off, as does the cold tap, which is the mystery. Will investigate further and demand money back.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

To folllow this thru......he has to fill in your Boiler **** card ( I can't recall its name, he has to sign this card, with remarks etc, date it and more importantly:

He has to leave his Corgi registration number.
A corgi registered plumber cannot leave a boiler that is not fully serviced, working and in the extreme situation dangerous.

Hope its helps. I think if you go onto the corgi site, it outlines what to expect etc.

Thanks LC, will mention all this tomorrow. A bad job all round methinks. And it certainly sounds dangerous, even if it actually isn't!

 

[Rangdo]

the boiler man said he'd serviced the boiler at the same time and he had various theories about what might be wrong (the noise is coming from the reverse valve, apparently), but he couldn't understand why the cold tap affected the noise. All i ever saw him do was peer into the boiler's guts with a torch, not sure what a 'service' actually entails.

This may not be your boiler but as an example:
http://www.ravenheat.co.uk/pdf/RSF82/RSF82screenV3.1.pdf

He should be doing at least section 7 from 7.1 to 7.2.9. More if there are any issues.
Also, I've never heard of a reverse valve. Combi's have a check valve/non-return valve on the filling loop but that's system pressure. Nothing to do with when you run the taps.

 

[Rangdo]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

re: the cold tap, it's a strange one. I'll be sat watching the telly, on the computer etc and I'll be up and down every ten minutes cos of the noise it's blasting out. All that with taps closed tight. Opening and then closing the hot tap sets it off, as does the cold tap, which is the mystery. Will investigate further and demand money back.

It sounds like a problem with the cold main. If it was just the hot then it could be the boiler but if it does it when the cold is tap is on or even when you are not running anything (assuming the heating isn't running) it is unlikely to be the boiler because it isn't involved with running the cold tap.
Next time it does it try to trace the vibration through the pipework. Just put your hand on different parts of the pipework (as long as it's not hot obviously) and feel where it gets stronger and weaker i.e. towards the boiler or away from it.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

It sounds like a problem with the cold main. If it was just the hot then it could be the boiler but if it does it when the cold is tap is on or even when you are not running anything (assuming the heating isn't running) it is unlikely to be the boiler because it isn't involved with running the cold tap.
Next time it does it try to trace the vibration through the pipework. Just put your hand on different parts of the pipework (as long as it's not hot obviously) and feel where it gets stronger and weaker i.e. towards the boiler or away from it.

Will do, thanks Rangdo. It never does it when the heating's off, that's for sure.

 

[Rangdo]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

Will do, thanks Rangdo. It never does it when the heating's off, that's for sure.

Just out of interest did the "engineer" hear the noise or did it not do it when he was there?

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: OT - the boiler mayhem continues

Just out of interest did the "engineer" hear the noise or did it not do it when he was there?

Not much at first, so I was getting a bit worried, but then it started playing up when he was fiddling with the taps. Didn't do it when the taps were closed, though, unfortunately.