[John]

Sorry to start a new thread but I know that some news servers only have a
few days retention (mate of mine reckons it's gone from his) and also this
group is so busy that my original thread is now way down the list.

Anyway, you'll remember that the house was completely refurbished just two
years ago, including a complete new central heating system and two new gas
fires, done by a CORGI guy, and the same guy did the Landlords Gas Safety
Certificate check and inspection for us last year.

Couldn't get hold of him this year so a new CORGI (recommended by the
tenant) did the Safety Cert. and had to condemn the two fires. Both needed
flue liners installing, chimney stack needed half rebuilding, water pipes
from old back boiler had been cut off but not sealed so flue gases could
escape - but worst of all, one flue was blocked by a wooden board and a
builders bucket.

Some of you thought it sounded dodgy but I can confirm that the dates of the
jpeg photo files are the dates when he was at our house and yes, it
definitely *is* our house in the photos. You can see some of them he
http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

John

[Andy Hall]

On 2008-04-30 14:38:11 +0100, "John" replyingroup@notemail said:

Sorry to start a new thread but I know that some news servers only have a
few days retention (mate of mine reckons it's gone from his) and also this
group is so busy that my original thread is now way down the list.

Anyway, you'll remember that the house was completely refurbished just two
years ago, including a complete new central heating system and two new gas
fires, done by a CORGI guy, and the same guy did the Landlords Gas Safety
Certificate check and inspection for us last year.

Couldn't get hold of him this year so a new CORGI (recommended by the
tenant) did the Safety Cert. and had to condemn the two fires. Both needed
flue liners installing, chimney stack needed half rebuilding, water pipes
from old back boiler had been cut off but not sealed so flue gases could
escape - but worst of all, one flue was blocked by a wooden board and a
builders bucket.

Some of you thought it sounded dodgy but I can confirm that the dates of the
jpeg photo files are the dates when he was at our house and yes, it
definitely *is* our house in the photos. You can see some of them he
http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

John

The guy looks like a younger version of Fred Dibnah.

[Andy Burns[_4_]]

On 30/04/2008 17:31, Andy Hall wrote:

The guy looks like a younger version of Fred Dibnah.

At least a more alive version

[Ed Sirett]

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:38:11 +0100, John wrote:

Sorry to start a new thread but I know that some news servers only have
a few days retention (mate of mine reckons it's gone from his) and also
this group is so busy that my original thread is now way down the list.

Anyway, you'll remember that the house was completely refurbished just
two years ago, including a complete new central heating system and two
new gas fires, done by a CORGI guy, and the same guy did the Landlords
Gas Safety Certificate check and inspection for us last year.

Couldn't get hold of him this year so a new CORGI (recommended by the
tenant) did the Safety Cert. and had to condemn the two fires. Both
needed flue liners installing, chimney stack needed half rebuilding,
water pipes from old back boiler had been cut off but not sealed so flue
gases could escape - but worst of all, one flue was blocked by a wooden
board and a builders bucket.

Some of you thought it sounded dodgy but I can confirm that the dates of
the jpeg photo files are the dates when he was at our house and yes, it
definitely *is* our house in the photos. You can see some of them he
http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

John

Well at first sight it would seem that the first fitter must have been
really blind to have missed that sort of blockage in the flue.

Surely he would have checked the flue had been swept prior to installing
a new gas fire? That should have trivially found a bucket. What's more
why would he have even thought of bring the CORGI inspector anyway near
any installation that is not 100% perfect??


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html

[John]

Ed Sirett wrote:
On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:38:11 +0100, John wrote:

Sorry to start a new thread but I know that some news servers only
have a few days retention (mate of mine reckons it's gone from his)
and also this group is so busy that my original thread is now way
down the list.

Anyway, you'll remember that the house was completely refurbished
just two years ago, including a complete new central heating system
and two new gas fires, done by a CORGI guy, and the same guy did the
Landlords Gas Safety Certificate check and inspection for us last
year.

Couldn't get hold of him this year so a new CORGI (recommended by the
tenant) did the Safety Cert. and had to condemn the two fires. Both
needed flue liners installing, chimney stack needed half rebuilding,
water pipes from old back boiler had been cut off but not sealed so
flue gases could escape - but worst of all, one flue was blocked by
a wooden board and a builders bucket.

Some of you thought it sounded dodgy but I can confirm that the
dates of the jpeg photo files are the dates when he was at our house
and yes, it definitely *is* our house in the photos. You can see
some of them he http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

John

Well at first sight it would seem that the first fitter must have been
really blind to have missed that sort of blockage in the flue.

Surely he would have checked the flue had been swept prior to
installing a new gas fire? That should have trivially found a bucket.
What's more why would he have even thought of bring the CORGI
inspector anyway near any installation that is not 100% perfect??

Well, I haven't got a clue. The fitter who's just found the bucket has said
that he's going to put in a report to CORGI and suggests I also write a
letter to them as well, which we had already decided to do anyway, following
advice from this group.

John

[Colin Wilson]

Some of you thought it sounded dodgy but I can confirm that the dates of the
jpeg photo files are the dates when he was at our house and yes, it
definitely *is* our house in the photos. You can see some of them he
http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

Nice - thanks for the follow-up :-)

[John Stumbles]

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:38:11 +0100, John wrote:

http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

Not sure what the 4th one was showing us :-)

--
John Stumbles

What is a simile like?

[Tim Downie[_2_]]

John Stumbles wrote:
On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:38:11 +0100, John wrote:

http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

Not sure what the 4th one was showing us :-)

I think it's highlighting that it's not just a rusty bucket, but that the
hole is man-made (you can see mutiple drill holes round the periphery).

The big question, given that it seems to have been deliberate, is *why*.
Just to bypass a chimney blocked with an old bucket? One would have though
it would be easier to remove the bucket that drill through it.

Tim

[PM]

"John Stumbles" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:38:11 +0100, John wrote:

http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

Not sure what the 4th one was showing us :-)


It shows that the bucket had a human head in it, no wonder it was then
blocked up in the chimney.

[John]

Tim Downie wrote:
John Stumbles wrote:
On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:38:11 +0100, John wrote:

http://www.thehewitts.eu/gas.html

Not sure what the 4th one was showing us :-)

I think it's highlighting that it's not just a rusty bucket, but that
the hole is man-made (you can see mutiple drill holes round the
periphery).
The big question, given that it seems to have been deliberate, is
*why*. Just to bypass a chimney blocked with an old bucket? One
would have though it would be easier to remove the bucket that drill
through it.

Well I'm sort of thinking along the lines of 'did CORGI or a similar body
exist more than 40 years ago?'

I seem to sort of remember the original gas fires being fitted when I was
about 5 (I'm now 50) but at that time, would it necessarily have been a
specifically trained gas person or could any plumber (or even just any old
local handyman) have done the job?

To my untrained eye it seems that the wooden shelf thingy has been put there
to stop birds, soot or anything else from dropping down the chimney.
Specifically cutting a hole in the bucket is obviously to let something out,
and as it was found up a chimney it's not a great leap to make, to think
that it may have been to let flue gases out. My mam and dad are both dead
now (which is why we now own the house and rent it out) so I can't ask them,
but it seems quite plausible - to me anyway )

John

[George]

Anyone figured out why the bucket was up the chimney yet? I have. ;-)

MrDownie obviously didn't

[John Stumbles]

On Sat, 03 May 2008 08:58:39 +0000, George wrote:

Anyone figured out why the bucket was up the chimney yet? I have. ;-)

Go on then ...

--
John Stumbles

I used to be forgetful but now I ... um ....

[John]

John Stumbles wrote:
On Sat, 03 May 2008 08:58:39 +0000, George wrote:

Anyone figured out why the bucket was up the chimney yet? I have. ;-)

Go on then ...

Yeah, as the OP I'd *love* to know )

John

[George]

"John" replyingroup@notemail wrote in message
...
John Stumbles wrote:
On Sat, 03 May 2008 08:58:39 +0000, George wrote:

Anyone figured out why the bucket was up the chimney yet? I have. ;-)

Go on then ...

Yeah, as the OP I'd *love* to know )

John




In an hour or so...got to go out for some paint as the mixing place shuts at
12.

Its a plausible concept given to me by an OAP neighbour that used to do it?

[George]

"John" replyingroup@notemail wrote in message
...
John Stumbles wrote:
On Sat, 03 May 2008 08:58:39 +0000, George wrote:

Anyone figured out why the bucket was up the chimney yet? I have. ;-)

Go on then ...

Yeah, as the OP I'd *love* to know )

John



According to him in the 50's & 60's there were no strict rules as they have
today,there were some in the building trade but gas fires were a new thing
and only the well paid had them installed as coal fires were the norm at
them times.

Those buckets were around in the 60's cos I remember the women scrubbing the
stone steps using zanizal and and a scrubbing brush.

Basically the bucket was put over the center hole of wood/hardboard inside
the chimney to act as a cyclone chamber ie the suction would be far greater
as opposed to an open chimney above the board.

Any fumes between the gasfire and the board would have been pulled upwards
at a faster rate.

Well I Think it deserves merit even no one else does. ;-)

Eat your heart out MrDyson

[John]

George wrote:
"John" replyingroup@notemail wrote in message
...
John Stumbles wrote:
On Sat, 03 May 2008 08:58:39 +0000, George wrote:

Anyone figured out why the bucket was up the chimney yet? I have.
;-)

Go on then ...

Yeah, as the OP I'd *love* to know )

John



According to him in the 50's & 60's there were no strict rules as
they have today,there were some in the building trade but gas fires
were a new thing and only the well paid had them installed as coal
fires were the norm at them times.

Those buckets were around in the 60's cos I remember the women
scrubbing the stone steps using zanizal and and a scrubbing brush.

Basically the bucket was put over the center hole of wood/hardboard
inside the chimney to act as a cyclone chamber ie the suction would
be far greater as opposed to an open chimney above the board.

Any fumes between the gasfire and the board would have been pulled
upwards at a faster rate.

Well I Think it deserves merit even no one else does. ;-)

Eat your heart out MrDyson

Bloody 'ell George, that's brilliant mate. I never knew that. Well done )

Still doesn't explain why the original fitter didn't spot it or remove it,
mind.

John

[George]

"John" replyingroup@notemail wrote in message

Bloody 'ell George, that's brilliant mate. I never knew that. Well done
)

Still doesn't explain why the original fitter didn't spot it or remove it,
mind.

John



I suspect the guy never seen it because he didn't pull down the hardboard?
but on saying that the HB will have just rested on the ledge of the frame
affixed to the wall of the chimney so that if pushed up it will have
opened,sorta like a loft hatch.

Most landlords don't see a lot of things as they wish to leave the hassle to
agents to sort out problems with the property,more fool them.