Gas fire servicing and regs

Aylesbury_Duck

I've just moved into a house with a Wonderfire Airflame Excel 18" gas fire installed. I've tested it with the windows and doors all open and it works and looks good. Now I want to get it serviced and safety checked before using it properly. There is no form of extra ventilation, just the open chimney, which goes against all the regs and advice for a 10kW rated gas fire. It's hugely overpowered even for what is quite a large room.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an expert to look at it? I want someone who can service the fire and carry out whatever ventilation is recommended, and in the right location. There are no end of qualified gas engineers and no end of builders, but I want the wall-bashing element carried out by someone or a company expert in the fire side of things too. I'm based in Aylesbury.

Thanks

keystone

Ask your neighbours for the name of a local RGI they would recommend. When you have three names invite them round individually to look at it and price it for you. Then you have three comparative quotes to make a decision from. BTW You do not need a builder for this.

Cheers

pinkteapot

If you can't get a recommendation, go to http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/, search for a GasSafe registered person near you, and look for one that lists "Fires" under the bullet points of what they're registered to work on.

Also, have a carbon monoxide alarm in the room. We got a freestanding one from Argos for about £15 I think. The instructions said it needs to be placed high up and can be freestanding or wall mounted. Ours sits on top of a large dresser that we have.

I'd get a GasSafe guy round and if there is any wall-bashing to do he should arrange it or advise on how you can get in to do that part.

gas4you

Any fire of 7Kw and over input, must have suitably sized ventilation to gas regs.

rustyboy21

Wonderfire is a good company. If you go on their website and find your local stockist, speak to them and you will find they have an engineer who is used to dealing with this fire and will be able to service it for you and reset the coals properly for you.

You should have a fixed open airvent with this fire, as it has an input of 10kw. I don't see how the engineer hasn't fitted one, as it has it written large in the installer guide and the fire had a bloody big yellow sign on it, stating you have to have an airvent with it when it was fitted !.

Looks like previous owner may have cut corners, get them to check all the piping too.

Don't forget to get your chimney swept prior to service.

Wonderfire... best fire on the market IMO

Aylesbury_Duck

Thanks for all the replies. As you say, rustyboy, I have no idea how it was installed so negligently. I have been all over the house inside and out and there is no fresh air inlet. Worse still, in the very corners of the room, just visible is a very light sooting, so it's pretty clear the fire has been run, and dangerously to boot.
Wonderfire have been very helpful and have supplied me with an installation and user manual, so my next task is to find a specialist who can sweep the chimney, service the fire and install the necessary ventilation so I can use it safely.