Hi people
We've had a gas central heating system for about 8 years now and it's never been serviced.
The missus is getting a bit worried (speaking to the neighbours) that it's a bit dangerous to leave it as long.
I think that an annual service is unneccessary and we should only bother to get it fixed if something goes wrong.
What is the point of a service ?
Any comments welcome.
A lot depends on the type of boiler. Some old boilers tend to soot up and need cleaning out regularly. Some new hi-tech boilers need regular checking and adjustment to keep them working efficiently. The rest run for ever without being touched. If yours is one of those, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a good maxim.
The trick is in determining which sort you've got!
I've just had a look and it's a -
Worcester Bosch 24CDi COMBI boiler.
The thing is the missus got this local handyman to do some work around the house (he made a pretty good job of it) but told her he has friends & family for all our needs.
I'm one to wait until something needs fixing because I'm sure you waste money on insurance etc.
Any other comments welcome.
Are you giving the old boiler a proper service?
Nononono, Adam's the village sex maniac (and possibly not the only one)
The village idiot will be round with a hacksaw to call you a plantpot real soon now.
Owain
Boilers being a euphamism for what ? The mind boggles !!
Apparently BG did some data mining, and discovered that they are better off only touching gas boilers when they go wrong. So that's exactly what they do on their service contracts, they run the boiler, sample the flue gasses for CO? C02? (I'm not sure) and only take the cover off if the readings are out of spec.
If you really want to DIY I suppose you could get a meter and do the same, calling in a service man only when there's a problem. After all if it's running fine, as determined by the output gasses then there's nothing to do.
In message , Victor Meldrew writes
So that would be your roof, drive, boiler and sewer all in urgent need of repair, then ...
... when any new faults they introduce are concealed by the existing fault
Owain
In message , Victor Meldrew writes
No, that's not Adam, that would be Dennis
Adams just someone who it's best not to get on the wrong side of
Oh, lookie at your post above
Tell her to ask the people saying it is dangerous exactly why that is so. I guarantee they will have no genuine answer to give. More likely that they have been told that by someone who services their boiler on a regular basis for a huge fee.
That's what Roger so succinctly described as an "aint't broke/don't fix" type. As long as it's room-sealed (I don't think there were any conventional flue CDi-s, though I know there were of other W-B boilers of this period) I wouldn't expect it to need attention until something or other (e.g. the fan or diverter valve) packs up.
In message , YAPH writes
While we are on this subject would anyone care to comment on the Potterton PrimaF LPG boiler, mine hasn't been serviced since it was installed 10 years ago. It seems generally happy, flame looks as it always has, very occasionally recently it has failed to fire up, pilot light comes on but that is all. Give it a 2nd chance and its OK, I'm suspecting the thermocouple that detects the pilot but as it hasn't become a major problem it has been left alone.
In message , Bill writes
Yeah, I've never looked at mine (28i Junior) - installed just before the efficiency regs came in
There is no thermocouple, it has electronic flame sensing
Your problem is either
the pcb
the HT lead having broken (and yes it will still spark)
the HT electrode not quite being in the flame
bad earthing
In message , geoff writes
Thanks for that Geoff, the pilot is OK but it doesn't always turn the gas on to the main burner so it just sits there with the pilot burning, no idea for how long, is there a watchdog on it that would reset and try again or does it just sit there?. But I now know I don't need to look for a thermocouple. I have a general circuit somewhere but not sure it goes into detail on the PCB, having spent 30 years repairing electronics I hate to be a "board changer" much prefer to replace components. Cheaper too :-)
In message , Bill writes
Especially from me
but ... I was slightly too hasty there, the question is whether the spark keeps going or not when the pilot is alight
If it stops, then the pcb has sensed that the pilot is alight, if not, it hasn't
if it stops sparking then its pcb or loom to the main valve or main valve solenoid
>
The Glowworm Galaxie back-boiler here has just celebrated its thirtieth birthday.
The only things that have ever gone wrong with it happened during servicing by BGas.
The last time they came, seven years ago, the chap held a smoke candle to the top grille on the gasfire, and despite his best attempts got a huge amount of draft to take the smoke away.
I forebore to tell him that we live on the top of a hill, and even on a day that appears still, you can hear the pilot light guttering in the chimney draught. I also didn't mention to this chap that the air inlet for the boiler is at the bottom, behind a removable fascia.
For some reason, I've never asked them back, and the boiler hasn't been 'serviced' since.
I think the advice to leave it alone is ok for people who keep an eye on things and take action if things change. If it is out of sight and out of mind then it could be suffering from a number of problems that could escalate. Not least - a slow water leak - also I get the impression that topping up is beyond the ability of understanding of some people.
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