On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 21:25:41 +0000, Alan Butler Alan Butler wrote:

Should conventional floor standing gas boilers with outside flue be
serviced each year? They seem to come each year and just hoover the
inside and clean it, check things over etc, never anything wrong with
it. Is this necessary? Or is it just a long check list of tick boxes
to make it a look like they are doing a lot. Bit like these 112 point
car checks etc

To some extent it depends on who *they* is.

If it's BG, then you could almost certainly get the same level of
attention elsewhere at rather less cost.

A good benchmark is to check the manufacturer's recommendation for
servicing. They may recommend annual cleaning. There is a school
of thought that says that if it isn't broken, don't fix it. There is
no point in dismantling things for the sake of it, because especially
components with seals and gaskets are likely toi require new ones with
no good reason to have removed the part in the first place.

With an older boiler, especially a conventional flue, it is prudent to
at least have a combustion gas analysis test done. However, BG have
gained a reputation for doing this only and not doing a complete
"service" - hence customers feel cheated. Justifiably so because a
flue gas analyser can be bought for around £200. You could buy one
of those and pay for it in a couple of years.


Really the manufacturer should have an official service schedule and
whoever services should follow that.





..andy

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