Failed spillage test

almeria1

We had our central heating serviced recently and all fine however the gas fire in the lounge has failed a "spillage" test today. I was told that as we said we rarely use this fire it is quite possible that over time it has become clogged with cobwebs etc. To remedy this I have been informed that we should employ a Roofer to remove the ridge tile from the flue and he would clear the flue using a long rope with a sizeable weight on the end. My part in this is to go in the loft and remove the bolts which are used to secure this type of tile( that was news to me as I thought it was just bedded in with mortar but then you learn something every day). The house was built in the 1970s so the flue in the loft is asbestos which I gather was in use then. My question is really - is there an easier way to do this, perhaps seeing if a chimney sweep could use brushes and vacuum to clear the flue??

southcoastrgi

I have never heard such a load of crap in my life, what kind of fire is it ? did you check this guy was gas safe regd & able to work on fires ?

almeria1

Well I came back in the house when he told me it failed this test and there was smoke coming from the sides of the fire and entering the room and I guess that should not happen. Either way there is a "do not use" sticker on the fire.

almeria1

Forgot rest of reply it is a Baxi Bermuda fire I believe and we had it put in about 27 years ago so the boss tells me.

happybiker

Information not valid. Sounds like the flue liner has perished or secondary air is flowing into the flue don't understand the 'ridge terminal' reference as they were never recommended for central heating systems

almeria1

Well that last reply baffled me. We had a firm in to check/service our central heating boiler and the gas fire in the lounge- two separate items. So there are two flues, one for the boiler in the kitchen goes up through the airing cupboard and exits the roof-through a ridge tile I assure you. Now that is all fine. It is the gas fire in the lounge,in no way connected to central heating, I dont know where you got that from that is the problem ie blocked flue I am informed.

MX5huggy

The confusion is you say the fire is a Baxi Bermuda. To my knowledge these are always back boilers which do the central heating with a gas fire in the front. If this is the case either replace the fire with a standard gas fire or maybe a wood stove (the flue will be sorted when this is done), or just never use it.

happybiker

almeria1 wrote: »

Well that last reply baffled me. We had a firm in to check/service our central heating boiler and the gas fire in the lounge- two separate items. So there are two flues, one for the boiler in the kitchen goes up through the airing cupboard and exits the roof-through a ridge tile I assure you. Now that is all fine. It is the gas fire in the lounge,in no way connected to central heating, I dont know where you got that from that is the problem ie blocked flue I am informed.

I typed a long explanation about fault finding on 1970's pre cast flues for gas fires. When I posted, I discovered you had posted that the fire was a 'baxi Bermuda' . This is a model of central heating back boiler with an integrated fire.

You told everyone that the fire a central heating unit., that is where I got the idea from. My initial post would have been extremely valid but your misleading information made me decide it was not fitted in a pre cast flue.

almeria1

I called the firm to service the central heating boiler- I also asked them to check the gas fire in the lounge, I could also have asked them to check the gas hob in the kitchen-no where should anyone have assumed a lounge gas fire was part of a central heating system! I said it was a Baxi Bermuda from memory so I will dig out the paperwork on that as from what you say I must ave said the wrong model.

happybiker

almeria1 wrote: »

I called the firm to service the central heating boiler- I also asked them to check the gas fire in the lounge, I could also have asked them to check the gas hob in the kitchen-no where should anyone have assumed a lounge gas fire was part of a central heating system! I said it was a Baxi Bermuda from memory so I will dig out the paperwork on that as from what you say I must ave said the wrong model.

But a baxi bermuda is a central heating boiler. We did not assume anything, you told us it was so. Your `memory' has caused confusion and lost you good information. People can only give help if you provide FACTS.

Don't try to blame others for your mistakes please.

almeria1

You will note that I was asked late at night what type of gas fire it was. On digging out the paperwork today I got Baxi right but the bermuda bit wrong it would seem from everything it is called the baxi gas flame . I felt I made it clear in my OP I was speaking of two seperate items and wrongly identifying the gas fire really muddled the water however on looking on the internet I see that gas fires do fail spillage tests and the cause is sometimes traced to cobweb blocked flues so I think that an earlier post calling into question the gas fitter was off-beam. Which brings me back to - any tips on how to clear the blockage please ??