Gas Fire Condemned - Broken Decorative Coal

rustyboy21

BG are still selling gas fires, the engineers are on a bonus if they send a lead through to the sales team, who then get the sale.


Ceramics on gas fires are fragile. If they were so broken up that they affected the combustion of the gas and also made the fire spill fumes, then yes it should have been marked as dangerous and capped.


The problem you have is that BG engineers are not used to servicing gas fires, they mostly service boilers. I have had customers come into me and ask my engineers go out and have a look at the fire. Most times there is nothing wrong with them, so get reconnected.


IMO, I would suggest getting an independent RGI who is acreddited for working on Gas Fires, to have a look. If the fire is made by a well known Co, you should be able to get the front coal bar for it.

C_Mababejive

GSR classifications are either ID (immediately dangerous, AR (At risk) or NCS (not to current standards). Id say in this circumstance it is AR so the guy acted correctly. It is your choice whether or not to continue to use the fire. No one can prevent you from doing so. So what are you going to do?

No GSR engineer has the legal right to disconnect an appliance or installation without the owners permission. The AR classification does not require disconnection anyway..

So yes,the guy acted correctly but carry on using the fire if you wish. You will however be committing an offence under the GSIUR.

See section 34

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2451/made/data.pdf

ollski

rustyboy21 wrote: »

BG are still selling gas fires, the engineers are on a bonus if they send a lead through to the sales team, who then get the sale.


Ceramics on gas fires are fragile. If they were so broken up that they affected the combustion of the gas and also made the fire spill fumes, then yes it should have been marked as dangerous and capped.


The problem you have is that BG engineers are not used to servicing gas fires, they mostly service boilers. I have had customers come into me and ask my engineers go out and have a look at the fire. Most times there is nothing wrong with them, so get reconnected.


IMO, I would suggest getting an independent RGI who is acreddited for working on Gas Fires, to have a look. If the fire is made by a well known Co, you should be able to get the front coal bar for it.

Sorry fella but I worked for them for 15 years until recently, they don't sell gas fires but will sometimes install a customers for a labour charge. In my time I never ever heard of a gas fire being sold independently from a boiler install.


All bg engineers have space heater qualifications, open and closed flue, ng and lpg and work on them all the time, most customers have boiler and fire on contract....in fact unless you work for a gas fire company I can't imagine who could have more experience on them.


Fires are number one for carbon monoxide incidents, why would you take a chance?

kirkbyinfurnesslad_2

C_Mababejive wrote: »

GSR classifications are either ID (immediately dangerous, AR (At risk) or NCS (not to current standards). Id say in this circumstance it is AR so the guy acted correctly. It is your choice whether or not to continue to use the fire. No one can prevent you from doing so. So what are you going to do?

No GSR engineer has the legal right to disconnect an appliance or installation without the owners permission. The AR classification does not require disconnection anyway..

So yes,the guy acted correctly but carry on using the fire if you wish. You will however be committing an offence under the GSIUR.

See section 34

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2451/made/data.pdf

But if the gsr is working for a housing association for example and the applicance is dangerous and the tennant refuses to let him disconnect all he has to do is ring transco and within two hours! Bingo gas is off

Wickedwitch67

Thanks everyone, some really useful info here!

It was my Mum who used the term 'condemned' and I'm not entirely sure what the exact term the engineer used was but he did put a red sticker on the fire. She has removed it because it looks unsightly but hasn't used the fire since.

The fire definitely passed the test and the only reason given for her not being able to use it was the broken coal - which incidentally is one strip of about 3 coals which has snapped in two but still fits snugly on it's mounts.

I think I will ask the independent company who service our gas appliances to call in and have a look at it.

Wickedwitch67

I forgot to say that the coals have been broken for about 5 years! She's had it serviced annually and this is the first time anyone has flagged it up as a problem.

Robbie_Ward

It sounds to me that the fire has been classed as "At Risk"and those coal effect gas fires are frankly awful things as I have seen a good few where coals are broken or missing,this can impede the flame and can cause incomplete combustion,and another thing these type of fires can and do often soot up,they are not really designed to be heavily used.The best thing you can do with that type of fire is get it ripped out and capped off,indeed I would suggest to anyone that they get rid of gas fires full stop,they are old fashioned at best,at worst a disaster waiting to happen.