Gas boiler install

[daz]

Hi Guys

I've been reading through past comments about others doing a DIY task of installing a boiler.

I've recently bought my first house and believe the baxi(?) free standing boiler is dead (it has a long shiny tube going out of the house through the flat roof - Townhouse), I got a quote and they are around =A33,000 (npower). Unfortunately I cannot afford these kind of prices! Yesterday I popped into B&G and saw a combi boiler for =A3500 which seemed quite tempting, I looked at the back and there is a single gas tube and a couple of water tubes so it looks easy to fit.... (he says...)

Anyway, I wondered if it is illegal to install a boiler or what the implications are? No one seems to want to know to help me! Or can anyone recommend a person at a reasonable price? I live in Milton Keynes

Thanks Daz

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

It's not illegal so long as you get a corgi registered plumber to do the final connection to the gas main and check the system over.

[Christian McArdle]

It's a case of if you need to ask, then you can't do it! However, a little ringing around might find you a CORGI willing to do it for a hourly rate.

Christian.

[tarquinlinbin]

No its not illegal as long as you are competent. Also you will need to notify CORGI that you are doing a boiler change in your house!. Remove antispam and add 670 after bra to email

Be a good Global citizen-CONSUME>CONFORM>OBEY

Circumcision- A crime and an abuse.

[Christian McArdle]

Why would you possibly need to notify CORGI?

Christian.

[John Rumm]

Start by reading this:

No one seems to want to know to help me! Or can

Quick, get this man an Estate Agent! ;-)

[andrewpreece]

I've been reading through past comments about others doing a DIY task of installing a boiler.

I've recently bought my first house and believe the baxi(?) free standing boiler is dead (it has a long shiny tube going out of the house through the flat roof - Townhouse), I got a quote and they are around £3,000 (npower). Unfortunately I cannot afford these kind of prices! Yesterday I popped into B&G and saw a combi boiler for £500 which seemed quite tempting, I looked at the back and there is a single gas tube and a couple of water tubes so it looks easy to fit.... (he says...)

Anyway, I wondered if it is illegal to install a boiler or what the implications are? No one seems to want to know to help me! Or can anyone recommend a person at a reasonable price? I live in Milton Keynes

Thanks Daz

You can fit a boiler yourself including the gas if you are reasonaby mechanically inclined/ experienced in DIY/ not a dope. You don't need to tell anyone. The specialist tools neeeded are minimal and can be rigged up cheaply in most cases ( i.e. u-tube manometer for measuring pressure ). You can often find the installaion instructions for boilers/combis in pdf formats on the website of their manufacturer. I used Vaillant, and they at no point required the use of a flue gas analyser, the only specialist bit of kit that you might be asked for in installation instructions. There are rules about the placing of flues, about putting gas pipes through cavities or in stud walling, about running pipes in concrete, about testing for leaks, about sizing the gas pipe for the boiler etc etc. Look at the links at the bottom of Ed Sirrett's post to get you started.

Look back at the posts on this Newsgroup by going to Google Groups Archive and having a nose around for the past two or three years at queries to do with gas fitting or combis/boilers. If you're fearful of not being competent enough to fit a boiler then don't. Don't expect the warranty to necessarily be honoured in the event of a fault since they ask for the CORGI registration of the fitter on the guarantee card ( they did on mine ). Do expect to spend some days collecting and digesting info and documents that will allow you to fit the boiler properly and safely. Do come back here and ask questions if you're stuck. Don't expect us to carry the can if you screw up! Finally, don't make any mistakes on the gas side of things ( you don't have liability insurance! )!

Andy.

[daz]

Hey guys,

After reading all your valued opinions I have decided I'm going to get a professional in to do it, while the connections look simple I am going to doubt myself in doing the job properly!

What is interesting, is the different understandings to the competence of the diy'er and how on earth the average person is supposed to grade themselves

Anyway, thanks for all the advice!

Daz

[Phil]

Which would probably be deemed an unacceptable and unfair term and condition in a court of law.

[andrewpreece]

Interesting point, though I expect I'd have to go to a court of law if they proved difficult over a fault that occurred in the warranty period, and that's a lot of hassle ( which I imagine they rely on to stop people taking it further ). Still, my two year warranty expired at Christmas and the boiler has worked perfectly so I'm never going to find out exactly how Vaillant would handle a claim for a non-Corgi installed combi!

Andy.