Gas fire flue cleaning/sweeping

[Lyon]

Gas fire flue cleaning/sweeping

Anyone know the answers?

Recently had the gas fir cleaned as it had a very yellow flame and we kept getting soot coming out on the the fireplace when it was windy.

Now it still has soot coming on to the fireplace when it is windy,and there is a flapping sound (like a piece of paper flapping in the wind) when it is windy. Also it looks like the fire hasn¹t been put back on the wall correctly as there is a one centimetre gap on the side of the fire that wasn¹t there before the service. This gap is now where the soot comes out of. The guy who I used to service it didn¹t say I needed to have the flue swept and I didn¹t know it would need sweeping as I thought having the fire serviced and cleaned would solve the soot problem,but it hasn¹t.

So i told the guy who service it and he says he doesn¹t do flue sweeping but gave me a number of someone who he knows does.

If anyones interested

Long story short,had him come round and he says to have the flue swept is a big job,had a look round the fire,had a look outside the house at the flue's exit point on top of the house,didn¹t seem to know how to do it or where to start,asked me what was behind the gas fire,said he¹d talk to me later,got in his van,made some phone calls as far as I could see,eventually drove off with no more contact from him.

What a waste of time that was.

So I¹m asking advice here as to what to do next.

Is it a big job as he says. Where is the soot coming from as I¹m to believe after asking other people questions,flues shouldn¹t need sweeping as they should be sootless.

Please help if you can.

Thanks a lot Lyon

[Andrew Gabriel]

Sounds like he didn't know what he was doing. Probably a good thing he walked away.

Not normally. I had one swept many years ago, and it was, perhaps, an hour or two's work, but I can't recall clearly now. You will get a fine layer of soot over everything - although the bloke sealed an industrial vaccum cleaner to the fire opening, you can't filter soot with a bagged vacuum cleaner, and it chucked the fine dust out of the exhaust. So close off the rest of the house and fling the windows wide open in the room.

Depends on the type of gas fire. Decorative flame types which generate gas flames up through imitation coals do generate soot. Any other type shouldn't.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Lyon pretended :

By the sound of it, you need someone who is gas qualified to remove and later refit the fire, with between those visits someone to clean the flue.

Yellow flames are definately bad news. Was the guy you had out, actually qualified and did he disconnect the fire froom the gas?

[harryagain]

A yellow flame indicates the fire is probably generating carbon monoxide (and soot). If this gets into the room, it can kill you, it is poisonous and odourless. The fire needs a proper cleaning/service. It is neccessary to remove a gas fire to clean the chimney. (Sounds like it needs it)

The chimney should be lined (ie have had a flexible metal tube fitted.) Also a terminal to keep birds out and stop back draughts. In days of yore this often wasn't done.

Best not to use this fire until the matter is fixed, you could be poisoned. If the fire is old, consider a new one. (And getting the chimney lined if there is no liner) Get yourself a carbon monoxide alarm.

[YAPH]

Wrong. For a gas far the chimney needs to be in good condition and should be swept before the gas fire is installed if it had been used for solid fuel before.

deffo

[YAPH]

I suggest you call Gas Safe Register and ask them to send their regional inspector to have a look at the work you've had done and see if it's OK and the appliance is safe to use. They will do this for free.

In the meantime I strongly suggest you don't use it or allow anyone else to do so.

[Lyon]

The guy that serviced it was gas safe qualified.He disconnected the gas took the fire off the wall,gave the fire a good clean with a vacuum cleaner and brush,did a smoke test,put the fire back on the wall and re-connected the gas supply.He then tested the fire and ignition to make sure all was well.

The flame is now a very light colour,so light in fact that when it's in use it can be hard to tell if the fire is on in the lowest setting.

The problem is there is still soot coming on to the fireplace through the gap on the right of the fire,which I and the missus are pretty sure was not there before it was serviced.

We don't have a chimney only a terminal. I already have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted and working.

I think i will get in touch with Gas safe and get them to come round and have a look at the work done,just to see what they have to say about it.

Thanks a lot for the replies so far,very much appreciated.