Does no-one repair gas fires any more?!

packwood67

My first post. Have subscribed to the newsletter for a long time, but never been irritated enough to post on the forums before!

Our gas fire (Valor Homeflame, approx 15 years old) has developed a problem, it now won't fire up - it ignites, but won't stay lit. Having had a very similar problem with a boiler before, I think it could be a thermocouple issue but of course I'm no expert. [A new one CAN be purchased for £5-6] Getting someone to correctly diagnose and repair it....oh dear. [Before you suggest it, I wouldn't do it myself, as anything to do with gas I keep well away from].

The larger companies (Homeserve, Heateam etc) don't want to touch the fire as it is "too old". Particularly surprising for Heateam, as the fire is Valor. Plenty of local Gas Safe registered engineers/companies seem to be "too busy" to consider doing it or perhaps even to call back. Or they just don't touch fires. I still await a call back from someone only a couple of miles away but I'm not getting my hopes up. I guess the job is "too small".

Surely I can't be alone in wanting to retain my fire, 15 years old and working fine up to now, or is Worcestershire just a strange twilight zone for repairs?

C_Mababejive

The problem will either be a worn thermocouple or a blocked pilot light.

I would have thought British Gas would sort you out and certainly,for an independent,this would be a nice easy job i.e bundle an annual service of fire with the fix of the problem...simples

You see the public are their own worst enemies.

Under the mighty British Gas Corporation, that centre of excellence held in trust by the Government for the people,you could have got your fire serviced easily and at a special reduced Winter offer rate....happy times

packwood67

Thanks for the reply. I must admit I thought British Gas only did one off repair jobs boilers and such, not fires, so that's something for me to look into if my local guy doesn't come through. Clearly BG would charge more, but at least it would be done.

rustyboy21

Hi Packwood

You have hit the new age problem of engineers not wanting to take responsibility for any problems you may have in future.

According to gas regs, if an engineer repairs a gas appliance or replaces it in your home, they then become responsible for all the gas appliances in your home. Stupid but true. This means that if they repair it for you and you then have a fault with the boiler or cooker for example, it becomes their responsibility to try and sort it for you. With a small job like fitting a thermocouple, costing about £50 inc labour, you then have a problem with the boiler not lighting, they then start losing out on any margin they made.

Have you really spoken in depth to Heateam? it surprises me that they said they wouldnt do it. It wil cost you over £100 for them to do it, but experience has shown, they do go out sometimes. It could be the time of year you are asking, as they are tied up with frozen boiler pipes at the moment with all the cold weather, as all boiler co's are.

I would suggest you go through the local paper and find an old gas board engineer, who is still registered, who may be able to help you out. the big companies more than likely have too much on this time of year for such a 'small job' as they would say

hope the above helps

DVardysShadow

rustyboy21 wrote: »

... According to gas regs, if an engineer repairs a gas appliance or replaces it in your home, they then become responsible for all the gas appliances in your home. Stupid but true. This means that if they repair it for you and you then have a fault with the boiler or cooker for example, it becomes their responsibility to try and sort it for you.

Could you explain this more, please? It sounds too stupid to be true, but if it is true, it needs changing.

ormus

not just gas fires is it?
lots of items are not worth repairing due to the high labour costs. and cheap chinese imports.

ie
my new gas fire cost 99 quid at a BQ easter sale. a mate installed it for a case of beer.

rustyboy21

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Could you explain this more, please? It sounds too stupid to be true, but if it is true, it needs changing.

When a gas engineer calls out to do a repair, they usually have to switch the gas off at the mains to do so to regulations.

They then have to then go through the house re instating all the other appliances, ie Boiler,cooker,wallheaters etc.

It is silly,but it is true. You can guarantee that once you switch the gas off, something is not going to relight. Then you get the house owner saying, you were the last one touching the gas, you have done something to it,it's your fault. In my 20 years in the fire industry I have had it done to me so many times it isn't funny anymore. I have had cases when I have said I am not going to send an engineer back out as there must be a fault with the boiler for example, then you next have a call from Corgi( now gas safe) saying they are going to do a call to the house to check it. You then get told you have to sort it out by the authorities. It is all on the house owners side, it's not fair.

This is why you cannot get an engineer out to do small jobs on old appliances. Engineers would love to do 20 5 minute jobs a day at £50, Than a big Job lasting all day at £300, but this stupid rule puts them off doing it.

Hope that explains it better

keystone

So in that scenario whats different about the plumber who has to turn the water of or the electrican who has to turn the volts off?

The answer is nothing and it will affect most trades to one extent oir another.

Its a so simple rule - you touched it last you are responsible for it WHATEVER it is. Noone would undertake any work under your "new age problem".

Tradesmen don't get paid for the privelege of abrogating responsibility for what they do. Get paid for it - you are reponsible for it. Simples.

Cheers

jafsie

We just had the same problem, when my mother in law died her gas fire was only a year old and cost £400 it was a real beauty so we took it when we sold her house, we couldn't get anyone to fit it and we couldn't sell it because nobody wanted it without seeing it working. Real bummer:(

keystone

1. None should ever contemplate buying a second hand gas appliance under any circumstances whatsoever.

2. I don't know any gas operative will entertain the thought of installing a second hand one either.

In neither case is there any knowledge of how its been treated or maintained and its potentialy just too dangerous to be worth the risk TBH.

Cheers

amcluesent

The Gas Safe Register web site had pictures of those registered. I must admit to avoiding "yoofs" looking unshaven and with baseball caps and went for the "old boy" on the basis they would have some pride in their work and wouldn't just try and sell me a new unit.