# Gas boilers



## Saluki (15 Nov 2019)

Does everyone get their gas boilers checked/serviced regularly?

I ask because chap I have been seeing hasn’t has his done for around 10 years and is a little surprised that I choose not to sleep there if the boiler is on. I have just wandered home, in the cold as I don’t really want to risk carbon monoxide poisoning.
I am overreacting in his view. Not in mine. I have had headaches at his, quite often and I am wondering if it’s related.

He says that it’s very expensive. It’s not! Even expensive British Gas are about £84 so it’s not a vast amount.


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## classic33 (16 Nov 2019)

Get all five gas appliances checked using a local gas engineer. Just over £150 for the lot in one go.

Normally required for home/house insurance to be valid.


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## slowmotion (16 Nov 2019)

Errgh…...no. It's not a policy I would recommend to everybody, but it's our choice.


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## C R (16 Nov 2019)

Saluki said:


> Does everyone get their gas boilers checked/serviced regularly?
> 
> I ask because chap I have been seeing hasn’t has his done for around 10 years and is a little surprised that I choose not to sleep there if the boiler is on. I have just wandered home, in the cold as I don’t really want to risk carbon monoxide poisoning.
> I am overreacting in his view. Not in mine. I have had headaches at his, quite often and I am wondering if it’s related.
> ...


You can get a carbon monoxide detector for less than a tenner in the supermarket. It would be worth putting one in the house if you suspect there might be a problem. 

Definitely worth having the boiler checked yearly, the cost is minimal compared to the consequences of poisoning from low level carbon monoxide exposure.

Edited for clarity.


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## ColinJ (16 Nov 2019)

Buy him a CO detector?  [Beaten to it by 30 seconds!]

As for the headaches and the question of overreaction... I think you are wise to be cautious, and THIS is why!

Not sleeping there isn't the answer because you could both just end up dead during the day/evening.


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## slowmotion (16 Nov 2019)

C R said:


> You can get a carbon monoxide detector for less than a tenner in the supermarket. It would be worth putting one in the house if you suspect there might be a problem. Definitely worth having it checked yearly, the cost is minimal compared to the consequences of poisoning from low level carbon monoxide exposure.


Sorry, I'm not clear about that. Do you mean getting the detector checked annually, or the boiler?


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## C R (16 Nov 2019)

slowmotion said:


> Sorry, I'm not clear about that. Do you mean getting the detector checked annually, or the boiler?


Get the boiler checked every year, and make sure that the detector is in good working order. I'll clarify the post.


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## Levo-Lon (16 Nov 2019)

C R said:


> You can get a carbon monoxide detector for less than a tenner in the supermarket. It would be worth putting one in the house if you suspect there might be a problem.
> 
> Definitely worth having the boiler checked yearly, the cost is minimal compared to the consequences of poisoning from low level carbon monoxide exposure.
> 
> Edited for clarity.




This
Even if it's ok, you will at least get a audible warning. 

His boiler will be getting near end of life so he may know its going to be a condemned boiler. 

As far as i know i think you can get a free gas check if you think you can smell Gas but probably not for monoxide.. 
Worth a call, they can only say no.


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## Spiderweb (16 Nov 2019)

He really should get the boiler checked, 10 years without a service is madness. As said above get him a carbon monoxide detector, if your headaches continue then it could be just his conversation and I’d dump him!


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## screenman (16 Nov 2019)

If he is that tight with his money do not expect much for Xmas, boilers need servicing regularly for safety and efficiency reasons.


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## alicat (16 Nov 2019)

Fit a detector/take one with you when you visit if you're worried. I'm not sure the service engineer tests for C0 as part of a service anyway.


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## Levo-Lon (16 Nov 2019)

alicat said:


> Fit a detector/take one with you when you visit if you're worried. I'm not sure the service engineer tests for C0 as part of a service anyway.



A gas engineer will check all is as it should be. 
They specifically check venting and the flame - burner ect as this is the reason for monoxide leakages.
If they have any doubts they can do more detailed checks, smoke bombs to find a leak and take readings and pressures.. 
A yellow flame on a gas appliance is a big clue to it being dangerous. 

Fitting monoxide detection device is so easy and cheap. 
Regular servicing of a gas appliance is also cheap if you value your life and those around you


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## alicat (16 Nov 2019)

^^^^ that's good to know.


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## Beebo (16 Nov 2019)

Our combi boiler is in my daughter bedroom. Not a great place but that was were it was when we moved in. 

It gets checked every year and we have two CO detectors.


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## sleuthey (16 Nov 2019)

meta lon said:


> may know its going to be a condemned boiler.



Let's hope that isn't the case, if it is he is not worth "seeing" as he is neglecting his duty of care.


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## sleuthey (16 Nov 2019)

I have a modern combi in the bedroom with a £12 detector (sealed for 7 year life of battery) positioned 2-3m from boiler (as per the instructions) as you can see, not difficult.

The OP can always buy a cheepo one to carry in handbag and place it in a temporary location when there


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## Slick (16 Nov 2019)

sleuthey said:


> Let's hope that isn't the case, if it is he is not worth "seeing" as he is neglecting his duty of care.


There is no duty when dealing with the public, obviously there is a moral requirement but that's it.


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## raleighnut (16 Nov 2019)

10 years without a check. 

We have ours 'looked at' every 2-3 years.


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## Drago (16 Nov 2019)

Mine is the horizontal flue type, which means I can sensibly get away with every 2nd year for servicing. We've got CO2 detectors too.

British gas, who are normally sheet, have an excellent homecare type scheme. About £13 a month to cover your boiler and plumbing, and you can tear the arriss out of it (I have in the past) without complaint. They then chuck in an annual service too, so it's pretty good value all told.

As for your feller, i can understand your reluctance to stay there. It also raises other questions - if the guy is that tight then might that itself be a problem further on down the line, and what bloke uses "I haven't had my boiler serviced in a decade" as a chat up line?


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## Dave7 (16 Nov 2019)

False economy IMO. No idea what his financial situation is but at less than £2.00 a week its (to me) a no brainer, especially with the age of it (the boiler, not the guy you are seeing).
We got new boilers** a few years ago and they are so much more efficient.
**we have a seperate one in the granny flat.


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## Dave7 (16 Nov 2019)

Drago said:


> Mine is the horizontal flue type, which means I can sensibly get away with every 2nd year for servicing. We've got CO2 detectors too.
> 
> British gas, who are normally sheet, have an excellent homecare type scheme. About £13 a month to cover your boiler and plumbing, and you can tear the arriss out of it (I have in the past) without complaint. They then chuck in an annual service too, so it's pretty good value all told.
> 
> As for your feller, i can understand your reluctance to stay there. It also raises other questions - if the guy is that tight then might that itself be a problem further on down the line, what bloke uses "I haven't had my boiler serviced in a decade" as a chat up line?


But tbf she also uses the "I have a headache" reason not to sleep there


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## rogerzilla (16 Nov 2019)

Balanced flue boilers are unlikely to leak CO but you can sometimes get a burn hole or leaking seal in the casing, so it's not certain. A CO detector is a good idea. If it was a rented house, an annual check and certification would be mandatory.


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## crossfire (16 Nov 2019)

Ours is serviced every year on its anniversary, (condition of the Bosch Worcester guarantee) by the installer and cost about £90, and they are not the cheapest but we have used them for years - back when he was one man with a van.


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## cyberknight (16 Nov 2019)

Drago said:


> Mine is the horizontal flue type, which means I can sensibly get away with every 2nd year for servicing. We've got CO2 detectors too.
> 
> British gas, who are normally sheet, have an excellent homecare type scheme. About £13 a month to cover your boiler and plumbing, and you can tear the arriss out of it (I have in the past) without complaint. They then chuck in an annual service too, so it's pretty good value all told.
> 
> As for your feller, i can understand your reluctance to stay there. It also raises other questions - if the guy is that tight then might that itself be a problem further on down the line, and what bloke uses "I haven't had my boiler serviced in a decade" as a chat up line?


I use homecare, well worth it for me espcially with 2 young uns means apart from the safety if something goes wrong i get shunted up the priority for getting it fixed if somethign goes wrong , had a water leak from the boiler the other year and they were here within a couple of hours job done .


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## aferris2 (16 Nov 2019)

sleuthey said:


> View attachment 493028
> 
> 
> I have a modern combi in the bedroom with a £12 detector (sealed for 7 year life of battery) positioned 2-3m from boiler (as per the instructions) as you can see, not difficult.
> ...


I write the date on the detector too, so I don't have to work out when it should be replaced (because I'm never going to remember that far back)


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## Levo-Lon (16 Nov 2019)

Drago said:


> As for your feller, i can understand your reluctance to stay there. It also raises other questions - if the guy is that tight then might that itself be a problem further on down the line, and what bloke uses "I haven't had my boiler serviced in a decade" as a chat up line?





 smooth talking Boiler, I'll get my coat


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## Drago (16 Nov 2019)

Dirk - Hello darlin', I've not serviced my boiler in a decade.

Welshie - well, you should probably divorce her then.


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## Levo-Lon (16 Nov 2019)

Drago said:


> Dirk - Hello darlin', I've not serviced my boiler in a decade.
> 
> Welshie - well, you should probably divorce her then.




Well they do say dont mess with your boiler.. 

I cant find anyone to fiddle with mine


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## MichaelW2 (16 Nov 2019)

I get an annual check, cheapest in summertime.
My old back boiler was condemned so i got a modern one, then had to update my bathroom to fit it in.


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## sleuthey (16 Nov 2019)

Slick said:


> There is no duty when dealing with the public, obviously there is a moral requirement but that's it.


I shall inform the Oxford dictionary


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## Drago (16 Nov 2019)

MichaelW2 said:


> I get an annual check, cheapest in summertime.
> My old back boiler was condemned...


Due to rampant haemorrhoids?


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## Phaeton (16 Nov 2019)

If it is a modern sealed boiler then annual service is a con, there is no


rogerzilla said:


> Balanced flue boilers are unlikely to leak CO but you can sometimes get a burn hole or leaking seal in the casing, so it's not certain. A CO detector is a good idea. If it was a rented house, an annual check and certification would be mandatory.


Very sensible answer but nobody is going to listen to you, annual servicing a new style combi boiler is a con, it's a leftover from the old cast/open flue boiler days, but what plumber is going to give up £50-100 an hour for doing bugger all.


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## rogerzilla (16 Nov 2019)

Well, the early (about 10 years old now) Ideal Icos condensing boilers have a tendency to burn through the burner supports and then the casing. They also don't last long unless the burner is carefully brushed clean at service time. British Gas learnt this the hard way where they were covering them under HomeCare, having first decided they didn't need cleaning.

There's a lot of dust and stuff in mains gas, and carbon builds up eventually in any boiler.


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## Bazzer (16 Nov 2019)

If the boiler has not been serviced for so long, it may not just be the CO which is a problem. The boiler could be wasting energy because it has not been properly looked after. - For example a check of the heat exchange unit. - If he CBA to look after the boiler, what about all the crap in the radiators?
As to a CO detector, IME it would be mad not to have one. Some years ago my parents had an AGA type cooker, which also heated the house. My Dad was not one to spend money on prevention, (servicing would come under this heading) and one evening my sister and brother in law were staying over. If it was not for my brother in law waking up in the middle of the night with a banging headache, all four would have been dead by the morning. Dad had switched to burning wood and the fire exhaust had burnt through and was not venting properly, with the result carbon monoxide was leaking into the house.


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## swee'pea99 (16 Nov 2019)

Phaeton said:


> If it is a modern sealed boiler then annual service is a con, there is no
> 
> Very sensible answer but nobody is going to listen to you, annual servicing a new style combi boiler is a con, it's a leftover from the old cast/open flue boiler days, but what plumber is going to give up £50-100 an hour for doing bugger all.


Innit. We've never had our Worcestor Bosch 'serviced' in the 15 years we've had it. It's needed fixing three times, at which point it was checked out to make sure all was fine 'n dandy, but other than that we just leave it to get on with the job. Probably saved us the thick end of £2,000 over that period. No deaths yet.


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## ColinJ (16 Nov 2019)

You lot have jinxed my sister... She phoned me to say that a boiler in one of her rental properties has 'popped', spraying water all over its insides and blowing its circuit boards. She checked and it is 6 months out of warranty. She has been quoted £1,200 to have it fixed! 

And yes - she does have it gas safety checked and 'serviced' every year, the last time being a couple of months ago. (I'd be asking why the engineer didn't spot the impending failure, but maybe there _isn't_ any sign until (say) the pipe splits.)


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## pclay (16 Nov 2019)

When I moved into my house the bouler was already 10yrs old. I didn't get it serviced for 5 years and then it failed. Got a new combi boiler in Jan 2019, I'm going to get it serviced every year, otherwise the 10 year warranty is voided.


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## Phaeton (16 Nov 2019)

I know said the boiler manufacturer CEO to the COO as the boilers now don't need annual servicing we'll write into the guarantee that unless you do give them a non required service then the warranty is void, that'll keep the coffers rolling in.


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## gbb (16 Nov 2019)

I get mine checked over by my son every 2 or 3 years (hes a gas engineer) plus have a carbon monoxide detector. Good reminder this post, it's about time it was looked at, the pump is occasionally rumbly lately. It'll be a good chance to assess the boilers condition, it's around 20 years old, plus I think the immersion tank is due for renewal, it doesnt seen to hold the same amount of hot water, scale no doubt, it's over 50 years old.


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## Slick (16 Nov 2019)

sleuthey said:


> I shall inform the Oxford dictionary


I'm sure they already know.


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## gbb (16 Nov 2019)

How does everyone get on with combi boilers ?...Ive heard so many people rue the fact they'd changed to one, mum and a close friend included, they take an eternity to deliver sufficient hot water particually if you like a bath.


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## Phaeton (16 Nov 2019)

gbb said:


> How does everyone get on with combi boilers ?...Ive heard so many people rue the fact they'd changed to one, mum and a close friend included, they take an eternity to deliver sufficient hot water particually if you like a bath.


It all depends where the boiler is sited compared with where you are drawing water, but yes it does take a while to fill a bath


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## ColinJ (16 Nov 2019)

My combi-boiler is up in the bathroom.

The hot water comes out of the boiler at a pretty decent flow rate. I very rarely have baths now that I have the alternative of a fantastic walk-in shower, but on the rare occasions that I do fill the bath, I never find myself staring at it and thinking "_Fill, for God's sake - I haven't got all day!_" 

I do find the delay getting hot water down in the kitchen slightly irritating (I have to run the water for about 30 seconds before it warms up) but I can't blame the boiler for that, it is due to the length of hot water pipe. Hot water gets to the bathroom washbasin in less than 10 seconds.


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## sleuthey (16 Nov 2019)

gbb said:


> How does everyone get on with combi boilers ?...Ive heard so many people rue the fact they'd changed to one, mum and a close friend included, they take an eternity to deliver sufficient hot water particually if you like a bath.


Superbly. Before we had our son who require baths, my gas bill for the summer quarter used to be £5. How long they take to fill a bath depends on the boiler model you choose. IE if you want to fill it quickly then spend the extra and get a 42Kw not a 25Kw.


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## sleuthey (16 Nov 2019)

Phaeton said:


> It all depends where the boiler is sited compared with where you are drawing water, but yes it does take a while to fill a bath


Where the boiler is sited will make negligible difference to the flow rate and a marginal difference to how long it takes to fill a bath. Flow rate is dependent on the boiler wattage, mains water pressure and to a lesser degree the hight it has to travel from ground level. 

Where the boiler is sited in terms of pipe distance WILL have a significant impact on how long it takes for the water to become hot when emerging from the tap.


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## Bazzer (16 Nov 2019)

gbb said:


> How does everyone get on with combi boilers ?...Ive heard so many people rue the fact they'd changed to one, mum and a close friend included, they take an eternity to deliver sufficient hot water particually if you like a bath.


Filling the bath isn't a problem, although my wife and daughter are the ones having baths and the combi is bigger than strictly we need for the size of the house. As I understand it, there can be a problem if you want a bath while wanting the house warming, because the boiler has a given output, so it warms your house, or warms your water, or both house and water get warmed, but shared between the boiler output.


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## RoadRider400 (16 Nov 2019)

gbb said:


> How does everyone get on with combi boilers ?...Ive heard so many people rue the fact they'd changed to one, mum and a close friend included, they take an eternity to deliver sufficient hot water particually if you like a bath.



Takes about 20 seconds for the water to get hot in my case.
Not a massive inconvenience. Certainly prefer it to the prehistoric Thorn boiler that it replaced.


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## tony111 (16 Nov 2019)

Some combi's have the option of an economy setting for hot water. The boiler fires up when a hot tap is opened and after giving itself some safety checks over a few seconds, it will start delivering hot water. This slight delay uses up to a couple of litres before the gas ignites. If the economy setting is disabled, the hot water is pre heated and stored so starts delivering hot water as soon as the tap is turned on.


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## fossyant (16 Nov 2019)

Really happy with our Baxi Solo 30 - it's been in the house 24 years since the house was built. It's only ever had a small circuit board replaced. Only issues I've had was the ignition taking a few more clicks than it should, I sorted that with electrical cleaner on the ignition and 'ground' (also hoovered out the burners). The fan occasionally get's squeely - not a bearing issue but the electromagnet 'catching', so a dop of chain lube in just the right spot sorts it out. 

As for bleeding the system, it's been done a few times, usually when we've had a leak, bleed the lot, then refill wih added anti-corrosion and anti-kettling solutions.


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## Levo-Lon (16 Nov 2019)

ColinJ said:


> You lot have jinxed my sister... She phoned me to say that a boiler in one of her rental properties has 'popped', spraying water all over its insides and blowing its circuit boards. She checked and it is 6 months out of warranty. She has been quoted £1,200 to have it fixed!
> 
> And yes - she does have it gas safety checked and 'serviced' every year, the last time being a couple of months ago. (I'd be asking why the engineer didn't spot the impending failure, but maybe there _isn't_ any sign until (say) the pipe splits.)




Insurance claim i guess, could just be a seal on the plate heat exchanger failed or or simply an olive leaked. 
I used to constantly replace stuff on my old Halstead boiler, most things failed ever 2-4 years. 
The PRV failed every time i need to pressure down.. But that was only a fiver a time but pretty crap part.


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## ColinJ (16 Nov 2019)

meta lon said:


> Insurance claim i guess, could just be a seal on the plate heat exchanger failed or or simply an olive leaked.
> I used to constantly replace stuff on my old Halstead boiler, most things failed ever 2-4 years.
> The PRV failed every time i need to pressure down.. But that was only a fiver a time but pretty crap part.


I forgot to ask her about insurance... I assume that the boiler wasn't covered or she wouldn't have sounded so fed up about it!


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## Phaeton (17 Nov 2019)

sleuthey said:


> Where the boiler is sited will make negligible difference to the flow rate and a marginal difference to how long it takes to fill a bath. Flow rate is dependent on the boiler wattage, mains water pressure and to a lesser degree the hight it has to travel from ground level.
> 
> Where the boiler is sited in terms of pipe distance WILL have a significant impact on how long it takes for the water to become hot when emerging from the tap.


I was referring to the time it takes to get the first hot water


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## ColinJ (18 Nov 2019)

ColinJ said:


> You lot have jinxed my sister... She phoned me to say that a boiler in one of her rental properties has 'popped', spraying water all over its insides and blowing its circuit boards. She checked and it is 6 months out of warranty. She has been quoted £1,200 to have it fixed!





meta lon said:


> Insurance claim i guess, could just be a seal on the plate heat exchanger failed or or simply an olive leaked.





ColinJ said:


> I forgot to ask her about insurance... I assume that the boiler wasn't covered or she wouldn't have sounded so fed up about it!


I spoke to my sister again today. The total bill was £1,350! Apparently, there was "_an unexplained hole_" in the boiler... I can't quite see how her tenant could have '_accidentally_' put a hole through a combi-boiler unless somebody was using a gun, crossbow, chainsaw, grenade launcher (whatever) inside the property! 

She said she would look into an insurance claim, but unless the tenant comes up with an explanation for an '_accident_' causing the damage I can't see the insurance company coughing up.


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## Drago (18 Nov 2019)

Phaeton said:


> It all depends where the boiler is sited compared with where you are drawing water, but yes it does take a while to fill a bath


Just fine. It probably helps that mine is directly above the bathroom ceiling, so the pipework is minimised, but really it's fine. Delivers hot water in seconds.


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## Phaeton (18 Nov 2019)

ColinJ said:


> I spoke to my sister again today. The total bill was £1,350! Apparently, there was "_an unexplained hole_" in the boiler...up.


Pictures or we can't get the full CC investigation CSI team involved


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## classic33 (18 Nov 2019)

ColinJ said:


> I spoke to my sister again today. The total bill was £1,350! Apparently, there was "_an unexplained hole_" in the boiler... I can't quite see how her tenant could have '_accidentally_' put a hole through a combi-boiler unless somebody was using a gun, crossbow, chainsaw, grenade launcher (whatever) inside the property!


_Unexplained_ doesn't always mean _accidental_. 

Which way was it formed, inwards or outwards?


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## ColinJ (18 Nov 2019)

Phaeton said:


> Pictures or we can't get the full CC investigation CSI team involved





classic33 said:


> _Unexplained_ doesn't always mean _accidental_.
> 
> Which way was it formed, inwards or outwards?


I am certainly curious to know more. Sis had the boiler fitted when she bought the house and is '_somewhat peeved_'*** that it only lasted a few months beyond the warranty period. I'll see if I can find out more when she visits this weekend.

I imagine that boilerman has disposed of the evidence by now but there may be photos.




*** polite understatement!


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## shirokazan (20 Nov 2019)

ColinJ said:


> Sis...is '_somewhat peeved_'*** /QUOTE]
> 
> Pah! So, it's cost her the equivalent of about 1 or 2 month's rent. I never feel sorry for landlords - sell the property and I dare say there will be a handsome capital gain (which will have minimal CG tax given the obscene allowances they can wangle).
> 
> Disgusted of Bedfordshire.


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## ColinJ (21 Nov 2019)

shirokazan said:


> Pah! So, it's cost her the equivalent of about 1 or 2 month's rent. I never feel sorry for landlords - sell the property and I dare say there will be a handsome capital gain (which will have minimal CG tax given the obscene allowances they can wangle).
> 
> Disgusted of Bedfordshire.


It is about 3 month's rent up here. That is 3 month's _rent_, not 3 month's _profit_. (There is a significant mortgage to pay and she had to pay 25% deposit out of her savings, which had been earning interest up until that point.) If you factor in the thousands of pounds she spent doing the property up before the tenants moved in, I doubt that she is in profit yet.

The tax situation for landlords has been changing. I don't know exactly what has happened but she said that a lot of things that used to be deductible no longer are.

The couple who moved in had wanted to buy the property themselves but couldn't get a mortgage for it. This way, they get to live in the property of their dreams despite that. They have an understanding with my sister that when she eventually comes to sell the property they will be offered it first at a price below what she could get on the open market. Hopefully they will be able to get a mortgage then.

Any profit that _is eventually _made on these properties is going towards deposits on houses for her children, who (like her tenants) cannot afford to buy their own places.

I know several people who say that they would never buy their own property so they rely on private landlords since the government/councils started selling off social housing and didn't replace much of it.

Not every landlord is a money-grabbing capitalist pig!


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## Levo-Lon (21 Nov 2019)

ColinJ said:


> It is about 3 month's rent up here. That is 3 month's _rent_, not 3 month's _profit_. (There is a significant mortgage to pay and she had to pay 25% deposit out of her savings, which had been earning interest up until that point.) If you factor in the thousands of pounds she spent doing the property up before the tenants moved in, I doubt that she is in profit yet.
> 
> The tax situation for landlords has been changing. I don't know exactly what has happened but she said that a lot of things that used to be deductible no longer are.
> 
> ...






I'm surprised you replied to that @ColinJ


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## Bazzer (21 Nov 2019)

> ColinJ said:
> Sis...is '_somewhat peeved_'*** /QUOTE]
> 
> Pah! So, it's cost her the equivalent of about 1 or 2 month's rent. I never feel sorry for landlords - sell the property and I dare say there will be a handsome capital gain (which will have minimal CG tax given the *obscene allowances they can wangle*).
> ...



So which allowances are these then?


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## keithmac (21 Nov 2019)

We have our Worcester Bosch serviced every year and also have the carbon monoxide detector. 

Boiler is in the airing cupboard which opens into daughters bedroom, not ideal really.

You can't be too careful with gas imho.


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## Levo-Lon (21 Nov 2019)

keithmac said:


> We have our Worcester Bosch serviced every year and also have the carbon monoxide detector.
> 
> Boiler is in the airing cupboard which opens into daughters bedroom, not ideal really.
> 
> You can't be too careful with gas imho.




Maybe you should have got an Ideal Boiler solves everything . I know


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## gbb (4 Dec 2019)

Apologies for tagging onto a post but my 23 year old boiler, good as it has been and hopefully still will be, its maybe dawned on me today how inefficient it might be.
We dont use the heating much by preference although we do run a bath every night...our bill is £60 monthly, so £15 weekly...so bearing in mind we dont have the heating on much...how much are some people's bills !!!!
Talking to my mum today, shes 89 and I swear she has the heating on all year round, never below 25, often 28. Her bill is the same as mine but she has a modern combi boiler.
Hmmmm, I'm not averse to a new system anyway but maybe hadn't even thought of the weekly cost savings with a modern boiler.


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## C R (4 Dec 2019)

gbb said:


> Apologies for tagging onto a post but my 23 year old boiler, good as it has been and hopefully still will be, its maybe dawned on me today how inefficient it might be.
> We dont use the heating much by preference although we do run a bath every night...our bill is £60 monthly, so £15 weekly...so bearing in mind we dont have the heating on much...how much are some people's bills !!!!
> Talking to my mum today, shes 89 and I swear she has the heating on all year round, never below 25, often 28. Her bill is the same as mine but she has a modern combi boiler.
> Hmmmm, I'm not averse to a new system anyway but maybe hadn't even thought of the weekly cost savings with a modern boiler.


When we changed the old boiler with water tank for a new combi boiler our gas bill went down by a third, about six years ago.


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## Levo-Lon (4 Dec 2019)

gbb said:


> Apologies for tagging onto a post but my 23 year old boiler, good as it has been and hopefully still will be, its maybe dawned on me today how inefficient it might be.
> We dont use the heating much by preference although we do run a bath every night...our bill is £60 monthly, so £15 weekly...so bearing in mind we dont have the heating on much...how much are some people's bills !!!!
> Talking to my mum today, shes 89 and I swear she has the heating on all year round, never below 25, often 28. Her bill is the same as mine but she has a modern combi boiler.
> Hmmmm, I'm not averse to a new system anyway but maybe hadn't even thought of the weekly cost savings with a modern boiler.




Our new glow worm is fabulous, after the old inefficient Halstead.

The new boiler is Smart, it uses only what is called for, burner powers down if you turn on cold water etc, so it saves gas all the time.

Old boilers just run flat out when heating tap water.
Heating is miles better as this boiler also has far more btu's 30000 iirc
Old boiler was about 18000btu.

Cost me about £850 for the boiler "10y guarantee" mate fitted it and altered some plumbing, added a filter and lime fighter, all for £400.
He services it every yr for £50 so its stamped up with glow worm for warranty.

If you can you should invest in a new one, save you loads.


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## ColinJ (5 Dec 2019)

ColinJ said:


> I spoke to my sister again today. The total bill was £1,350! Apparently, there was "_an unexplained hole_" in the boiler... I can't quite see how her tenant could have '_accidentally_' put a hole through a combi-boiler unless somebody was using a gun, crossbow, chainsaw, grenade launcher (whatever) inside the property!


The engineer who replaced that boiler came round to do the annual gas safety check here a couple of days ago. I asked him about the mysterious hole in the other boiler. Apparently, corrosion had eaten through the heat exchanger from the inside. I'm wondering if the original engineer had neglected to add corrosion inhibitor to the system?


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## PaulB (17 Dec 2019)

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kind-plumber-fixes-boiler-elderly-20076274

Some on you may recall the story of this unsung total hero and his refusal to charge an elderly lady for repairing her boiler but this Sunday, we saw him in action and this man deserves an MBE or something.

My mother-in-law called early on Sunday to say she had no heating on a freezing day in this, the run-up to Christmas. She lives on her own so didn't know what to do and we planned bringing her to live with us while it was all sorted but no.....James Anderson found out about it and came to the rescue! He went round, discovered the fault meant she'd need a new boiler, replaced it, ensured everything was working perfectly and was asked what the cost would be. Nothing, nil, nada. My M-i-L is 84 and lives on her own so this was enough for this heart-of-gold plumber to decide no payment was needed, all he asked was for her to hand out his business cards to her friends and acquaintances in the area. He also told her to cancel her contract with the gas company and he'd personally look after all her heating and plumbing requirements from that moment on!

This is a man with eight kids and got into debt for a while when he started up his business and has a real conscience about the people of the local community and does all he can to help them. 

This man needs his reputation to spread far and wide.


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## Mark pallister (17 Dec 2019)

Yes ,ours needs a yearly service to keep the 10yr warranty going 
we pay £50 cash


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