Best value for annual boiler service

Southend1

MrCardigan wrote: »

As a registered gas engineer myself, I am always amazed to hear stories about so called 'services' taking half an hour or so. I have normally barely got going by then. For my standard service (1.25-1.5 hours), I will (for example):
- carry out a gas tightness test at the meter to ensure there are no leaks, before even touching the boiler
- check boiler combustion using gas analyser
- check all case seals and case integrity
- check condition of all electrical connections
- check no water leaks
- check flue integrity and seal, and that it was installed correctly
- check ventilation requirements (if any) are met
- check pipework is marked correctly and insulated if required
- check burner pressure of boiler meets manufacturer's specs
- check gas pressure loss between meter and boiler doesn't exceed allowable amount, ensuring gas pipework is correctly sized
- check operation and condition of fan
- remove and clean condensate trap if fitted, and check condensate pipework
- Following manufacturer instructions, if gas analysis deems it necessary, remove burner and clean heat exchanger - this is often not required with newer condensing boilers.
and many other checks that I cant think of at 10.30 on a saturday night!!!

It is NOT a case of sticking an analyser in and a quick hoover. Those that do are not doing their job properly. I have even been to properties where having taken the cover off, the customer has said that they've never seen anyone do that before!

I charge £65 for my services, which for Cheltenham is about average. I believe that I give good value for money, and will not sign a boiler off as safe unless I am completely happy that I have done my job thoroughly.

Never even had a boiler service that lasted half an hour!!! Most of the 15 mins or so the "service" lasts is taken up by the engineer telling me what a rubbish make my boiler is or how bad the traffic was on the way. Invariably it takes longer to write out the bill than actually do the service.

I wish there were more out there like you and Southcoastrgi. Sadly I think you're both very much in the minority.

MrCardigan

Then I would look at getting a different gas engineer!

Remember - FAGS
F lue
A ir
G as
S afety

The steps that I briefly mentioned should go some way to confirming that all the above are correct.

15 minutes - jesus christ! shocking!

I do not believe I am in the minority with gas engineers, but again a few bad eggs give us a bad name. There are a lot of very committed engineers out there. If in doubt, ask for a report stating what has been checked. If you are at all concerned, contact Gas Safe Register. They regularly do free inspections of dodgy work.

I believe there is no excuse in my industry for lazy potentially dangerous 'services'. We are not cheap, but should earn our money with every job.

Regarding the TV programs - sadly only one side is ever shown - i.e. the dodgy traders, thus potentially skewing public perceptions. It would make really rubbish entertainment watching one of us perform a thorough boiler service, doing everything we were supposed to, then not even ripping off the old lady for £400 or telling her her gutters needed cleaning

Southend1

MrCardigan wrote: »

Then I would look at getting a different gas engineer!

Thing is I try a different one every year and they're all as bad as each other. I've paid out £60 for this year's "service" now and I can't afford to just keep getting new engineers in each week until I find one who actually does what he's meant to. Which is why I'm thinking of not bothering anymore. As I said earlier, surely no service at all is safer than a dodgy "service"?

If only there was a way to find the needles in the haystack without losing £60 for each piece of straw you clutch at!

Ken68

At last years service my gas engineer STUCK on a new seal, which means a new one again this year. And paid a lot of attention to a piece of surface rust.... "this is going". Then offered to fit me a new boiler at offer price.

MrCardigan

Southend1 - all I can suggest is ask friends/neighbours for recommendations. That's how I get nearly all of my new customers.

When on the phone to a new engineer, ask them what they do during a service, and how long the service would take. If they come straight out with 'half an hour or so' without even asking a bit more about your boiler (make, model, age, service intervals etc) then you know they probably will not do a thorough one.

Please don't stop having it serviced. I would hope that even a poor service will as a minimum check that your boiler is running cleanly and not leaking, in effect doing a safety check.

Have a look at your boiler installation manual - it says what needs doing during a service. Do not pay unless you are happy that these steps have all been done.

Southend1

MrCardigan wrote: »

Southend1 - all I can suggest is ask friends/neighbours for recommendations. That's how I get nearly all of my new customers.

When on the phone to a new engineer, ask them what they do during a service, and how long the service would take. If they come straight out with 'half an hour or so' without even asking a bit more about your boiler (make, model, age, service intervals etc) then you know they probably will not do a thorough one.

Please don't stop having it serviced. I would hope that even a poor service will as a minimum check that your boiler is running cleanly and not leaking, in effect doing a safety check.

Have a look at your boiler installation manual - it says what needs doing during a service. Do not pay unless you are happy that these steps have all been done.

Thanks, will definitely ask more questions next time before booking someone.

Re: any service being better than none... if he's not doing any pressure tests or flue gas tests how is that a safety check? He didn't even turn the gas off at the meter let alone use any kind of testing equipment. Literally all that was used was a screwdriver to remove the cover and a Hoover. He never took anything apart or stripped anything down. And frankly I could have done that (I know I know I wouldn't as I'm not gas safe registered but you get my point!).

I don't feel comfortable challenging a gas safe engineer as I don't have the knowledge, even with the service manual to hand.

God I wish these things were less complicated!

MrCardigan

That is not a safety check!

A bit of dust in the burner does not mean it is working incorrectly, neither does a hoovered out boiler mean it is working correctly and safely.

Question them! I am proud of my registered status, and I do not mind if customers ask me what I am doing. In fact, I actively encourage it and try to explain what I am doing and why. In my view, it can only be a good thing if customers understand how their boiler works inside, and what is critical to look for. After all, I am only there one day a year, they are there for the remaining 364 days! If something starts to go wrong during the year, I would want my customers to know the warning signs and contact me rather than bury their heads in the sand

If on questionning, a gas engineer takes offence, then I personally would be questioning why they wanted it kept secret? After all, the reason for getting it serviced in the first place is to keep safe, not just to fill in a form

Southend1

MrCardigan wrote: »

That is not a safety check!

A bit of dust in the burner does not mean it is working incorrectly, neither does a hoovered out boiler mean it is working correctly and safely.

Question them! I am proud of my registered status, and I do not mind if customers ask me what I am doing. In fact, I actively encourage it and try to explain what I am doing and why. In my view, it can only be a good thing if customers understand how their boiler works inside, and what is critical to look for. After all, I am only there one day a year, they are there for the remaining 364 days! If something starts to go wrong during the year, I would want my customers to know the warning signs and contact me rather than bury their heads in the sand

If on questionning, a gas engineer takes offence, then I personally would be questioning why they wanted it kept secret? After all, the reason for getting it serviced in the first place is to keep safe, not just to fill in a form

You see my point? It worries me that the fact that they have removed the cover then replaced it without checking the seal is functioning (I presume this is done with some kind of gas analyser to check for leaks?) could leave my boiler in a dangerous state. That's how my thought process led me to think that no servicing at all must be better than dodgy servicing.

Thanks for all the good advice. Next year I will ask friends for recommendations as usual but also ask a lot of questions on the phone before booking anyone. I might even hand the guy the service manual when he arrives and say "here's the book so you can check exactly what needs doing" - do you think this is ok to do?

So you've persuaded me to try again next year but if I can't find someone to do the job properly I think I would worry less if I don't have it serviced again in future.

SailorSam

I got a new boiler with a 5yr guarantee but the guarantee only stands if i pay for an annual service, last Christmas was the first one and think it cost £75.

missprice

Southend1 wrote: »

Thanks for all the good advice. Next year I will ask friends for recommendations as usual but also ask a lot of questions on the phone before booking anyone. I might even hand the guy the service manual when he arrives and say "here's the book so you can check exactly what needs doing" - do you think this is ok to do?
.

Yes of course this is OK.
And if you have a read of it too so that you have a fair idea what should be needed then that can't be a bad thing.
My boiler is ancient and I don't have a manual for it but when I change to a new one I will for sure keep the manual and give it to any one who comes to fix it/service it.
Assuming the OH not still around to do it for me.:D