Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

The reason I ask is that my boiler fails to light most of the time during the winter months. Research indicates this is due to a build-up of ally (aluminium?) oxide on the heat exchanger.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15986

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to carry out, assuming one is competent with a screwdriver etc, which I am. Obvious precautions like turning off the electricity supply and presumably the gas supply too would apply.

Thanks and regards to all.
Jon

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:
Hello folks,



How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

On 10/20/2013 07:56 PM, Onetap wrote:
On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:
Hello folks,



How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.


Which could equally apply to overhauling the brakes on a car, which
people have done for decades, either by seeking advice or reading the
manual. Cleaning things is not rocket-science!

Andy C

On 20/10/2013 19:56, Onetap wrote:
On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:
Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

Servicing a boiler is not rocket science.

I can't think of a better forum, where many on here will have
professional qualifications.

On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 11:56:02 -0700, Onetap wrote:

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas
boiler?

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

Seems to me that the question was about the legal, rather than technical,
ability to do the work - so there's no inferences about competence to be
drawn.

On 20/10/2013 20:29, Adrian wrote:
On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 11:56:02 -0700, Onetap wrote:

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas
boiler?

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

Seems to me that the question was about the legal, rather than technical,
ability to do the work - so there's no inferences about competence to be
drawn.


Exactly. And I would say that seeking guidance demonstrates some
competence.

Last time I installed a gas boiler there was a smell of gas. I remember
it well as I was listening to the news on the BBC radio which was about
the Guildford IRA bomb.

I evenually found the gas leek on the new Ideal Standard boiler that I
had bought.


--
Michael Chare

Michael Chare mUNDERSCOREnews@chareDOTorgDOTuk wrote:
On 20/10/2013 20:29, Adrian wrote:
On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 11:56:02 -0700, Onetap wrote:

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas
boiler?

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

Seems to me that the question was about the legal, rather than technical,
ability to do the work - so there's no inferences about competence to be
drawn.


Exactly. And I would say that seeking guidance demonstrates some competence.

Last time I installed a gas boiler there was a smell of gas. I remember
it well as I was listening to the news on the BBC radio which was about
the Guildford IRA bomb.

I evenually found the gas leek on the new Ideal Standard boiler that I had bought.



Last time I smelled a gas leak was after we'd had the meter moved by
Scottish gas. Presumably, their crews are "competent", but that didn't stop
them buggering off leaving a big gas leak.

Tim

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 8:29:01 PM UTC+1, Adrian wrote:

Seems to me that the question was about the legal, rather than technical,

ability to do the work - so there's no inferences about competence to be

drawn.

And the answer was about the legal requirements; the Gas Safety Regulations (can't be arsed to look up the exact wording) requires only that
you must be competent to do the work.
If he has to ask about the legal issues, it suggests it's not something he has done before.

On 20/10/2013 23:58, Onetap wrote:
On Sunday, October 20, 2013 8:29:01 PM UTC+1, Adrian wrote:

Seems to me that the question was about the legal, rather than technical,

ability to do the work - so there's no inferences about competence to be

drawn.

And the answer was about the legal requirements; the Gas Safety Regulations (can't be arsed to look up the exact wording) requires only that
you must be competent to do the work.
If he has to ask about the legal issues, it suggests it's not something he has done before.

The legislation:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1.../contents/made

The relevant section:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1...ulation/3/made

Notes:

Where the phrase "class of persons approved for the time being by the
Health and Safety Executive" means GasSafe member.

"Competent" is not defined in the legislation.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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On 21/10/2013 09:37, John Rumm wrote:
On 20/10/2013 23:58, Onetap wrote:
On Sunday, October 20, 2013 8:29:01 PM UTC+1, Adrian wrote:

Seems to me that the question was about the legal, rather than
technical,

ability to do the work - so there's no inferences about competence to be

drawn.

And the answer was about the legal requirements; the Gas Safety
Regulations (can't be arsed to look up the exact wording) requires
only that
you must be competent to do the work.
If he has to ask about the legal issues, it suggests it's not
something he has done before.

The legislation:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1.../contents/made

The relevant section:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1...ulation/3/made

Notes:

Where the phrase "class of persons approved for the time being by the
Health and Safety Executive" means GasSafe member.

"Competent" is not defined in the legislation.

Are you reading the same place as me??

PART BGAS FITTINGS – GENERAL PROVISIONS
Qualification and supervision

3. (1) No person shall carry out any work in relation to a gas fitting
or gas storage vessel unless he is competent to do so.

On 20/10/2013 19:56, Onetap wrote:
On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:
Hello folks,



How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

This kind of answer tends to get on my tits a bit...

Even if we ignore the basic point that one of the ways we gain
competence to do anything is by asking sensible questions. The question
was not "am I competent". but "am I allowed"...


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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On Monday, October 21, 2013 9:32:23 AM UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 20/10/2013 19:56, Onetap wrote:

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:

Hello folks,







How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?



You must be competent to do the work.

Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.



This kind of answer tends to get on my tits a bit...



Even if we ignore the basic point that one of the ways we gain

competence to do anything is by asking sensible questions. The question

was not "am I competent". but "am I allowed"...

There's no point in having a paddy at me about it, I just told him what the law says, and for which you've kindly posted the relevant statutes.

Was I wrong?

The law only requires one to be competent.
So, the question is, is he competent if he has never done the job before?

It is akin to doing a car repair equipped with a Haynes book; you only know if it was within your abilities if you complete it without cocking it up.

If there is a subsequent gas leak or explosion that can be traced to defective workmanship, then he wasn't competent.

Onetap wrote:

If there is a subsequent gas leak or explosion that can be traced to defective workmanship, then he wasn't competent.

But that is the same even if one holds a certificate of competence.

Just from memory, I've had a registered gas man...

....leave a gas fire with gas leaking from the control

....burn the hair off his arm through not understanding the flow valve

....break a radiant through standing it on end then knocking it over

....'mend' the TRVs by hitting them with a hammer (it didn't)

....measure the air-flow to a back boiler by holding the smoke candle
at the hot air outlet of the attached gas fire, the boiler air inlet
was at floor level. It passed because we lived on a hill and the
updraught was impressive.

....perform a pressure test by attaching the manometer at the feed from
the meter, turning the gas on then off and removing the manometer,
all in five seconds. It was late Friday evening and he had a hot date.

Competent? It's why I DIY.

--
Terry Fields

On 21/10/2013 14:05, Onetap wrote:
On Monday, October 21, 2013 9:32:23 AM UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 20/10/2013 19:56, Onetap wrote:

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

This kind of answer tends to get on my tits a bit...
Even if we ignore the basic point that one of the ways we gain
competence to do anything is by asking sensible questions. The
question

was not "am I competent". but "am I allowed"...

There's no point in having a paddy at me about it, I just told him
what the law says, and for which you've kindly posted the relevant
statutes.

Was I wrong?

The law only requires one to be competent. So, the question is, is he
competent if he has never done the job before?

What about a professional gas fitter turning up to do the same job never
having worked on that particular boiler before?

If he observes the manufacturers service instructions, uses common
sense, and tests correctly for gas soundness, and flame picture when
done, then the chances are he will do a decent job.

To be fair I have not read through all the descriptions of the work
involved for this particular boiler - but on many boilers, work such as
cleaning heat exchangers can be done without even touching any gas
carrying parts. Its a different category of question from say "can
anyone tell me how to tweak the internals of this premix gas valve?".

It is akin to doing a car repair equipped with a Haynes book; you
only know if it was within your abilities if you complete it without
cocking it up.

If there is a subsequent gas leak or explosion that can be traced to
defective workmanship, then he wasn't competent.

Not leaving gas leaks is a pretty basic and fundamental requirement...
but the techniques required are well documented, and the equipment
needed readily available.



--
Cheers,

John.

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Onetap wrote:
On Monday, October 21, 2013 9:32:23 AM UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 20/10/2013 19:56, Onetap wrote:

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:

Hello folks,







How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?



You must be competent to do the work.

Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.



This kind of answer tends to get on my tits a bit...



Even if we ignore the basic point that one of the ways we gain

competence to do anything is by asking sensible questions. The question

was not "am I competent". but "am I allowed"...

There's no point in having a paddy at me about it, I just told him what the law says, and for which you've kindly posted the relevant statutes.

Was I wrong?

The law only requires one to be competent.
So, the question is, is he competent if he has never done the job before?

Every single competant person started out not having done this job before.
I work on the principal that if someone else can do it I can.

A recent instance ,I am not a mechanic, I am not an air con technition,
but I just replaced the condensor in a 316i BMW including the vacuum and
then regas which is not for the faint hearted.
Just look at this mess.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9clefzv645t4g8z/bmw%20007.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1aep9eima1qbp34/bmw%20055.jpg

It is all back together and working now, but working on your outlook on
DIY I should not have attempted it.


It is akin to doing a car repair equipped with a Haynes book; you only know if it was within your abilities if you complete it without cocking it up.

If there is a subsequent gas leak or explosion that can be traced to defective workmanship, then he wasn't competent.

On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 3:38:29 AM UTC+1, F Murtz wrote:
Onetap wrote:

On Monday, October 21, 2013 9:32:23 AM UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:

On 20/10/2013 19:56, Onetap wrote:



On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:



Hello folks,















How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?







You must be competent to do the work.



Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.







This kind of answer tends to get on my tits a bit...







Even if we ignore the basic point that one of the ways we gain



competence to do anything is by asking sensible questions. The question



was not "am I competent". but "am I allowed"...



There's no point in having a paddy at me about it, I just told him what the law says, and for which you've kindly posted the relevant statutes.



Was I wrong?



The law only requires one to be competent.

So, the question is, is he competent if he has never done the job before?



Every single competant person started out not having done this job before.

I work on the principal that if someone else can do it I can.



A recent instance ,I am not a mechanic, I am not an air con technition,

but I just replaced the condensor in a 316i BMW including the vacuum and

then regas which is not for the faint hearted.

Just look at this mess.



https://www.dropbox.com/s/9clefzv645t4g8z/bmw%20007.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1aep9eima1qbp34/bmw%20055.jpg



It is all back together and working now, but working on your outlook on

DIY I should not have attempted it.

Nope.
I've just reported what the legal requirements are.
They are solely that you should be competent.

I've serviced my own gas appliances, I think the work was completed competently.
I don't have a flue gas analyser, I'm not CORGI.
I have a deeply ingrained distrust of those that are and, for that matter, of all car mechanics. IMHO there is a tradition of institutional dishonesty in both trades.

F Murtz wrote:
Every single competant person started out not having done this job before.
I work on the principal that if someone else can do it I can.

Everyone with a certificate was taught by an experienced person and has
done the job, or a very similar one, many times during training. This is
(in theory) why gas fitters take on apprentices, purely to ensure that
they get "hands on" training. I watched it work when a gas fitter was
servicing my boiler recently. The apprentice did the work, while the gas
fitter watched him *very* carefully, and made mostly polite
recommendations while he was doing it.

A recent instance ,I am not a mechanic, I am not an air con technition,
but I just replaced the condensor in a 316i BMW including the vacuum and
then regas which is not for the faint hearted.
Just look at this mess.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9clefzv645t4g8z/bmw%20007.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1aep9eima1qbp34/bmw%20055.jpg

It is all back together and working now, but working on your outlook on
DIY I should not have attempted it.

The difference between that and what you are proposing is that if you
get the aircon repair wrong, then you end up being a bit too warm in
your car in the Summer. If you get a gas boiler repair even slightly
wrong, you and your family can end up dead or homeless many months later
as a result of the explosion and subsequent fire.

Also take note that even qualified people get it wrong on occasion, but,
as they are "professionally qualified", they should have adequate
insurance cover against any problems, as insisted on by their
professional bodies.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On 22/10/2013 03:38, F Murtz wrote:
Onetap wrote:
On Monday, October 21, 2013 9:32:23 AM UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 20/10/2013 19:56, Onetap wrote:

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:

Hello folks,







How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own
gas boiler?



You must be competent to do the work.

Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.



This kind of answer tends to get on my tits a bit...



Even if we ignore the basic point that one of the ways we gain

competence to do anything is by asking sensible questions. The question

was not "am I competent". but "am I allowed"...

There's no point in having a paddy at me about it, I just told him
what the law says, and for which you've kindly posted the relevant
statutes.

Was I wrong?

The law only requires one to be competent.
So, the question is, is he competent if he has never done the job
before?

Every single competant person started out not having done this job before.
I work on the principal that if someone else can do it I can.

A recent instance ,I am not a mechanic, I am not an air con technition,
but I just replaced the condensor in a 316i BMW including the vacuum and
then regas which is not for the faint hearted.
Just look at this mess.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9clefzv645t4g8z/bmw%20007.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1aep9eima1qbp34/bmw%20055.jpg

It is all back together and working now, but working on your outlook on
DIY I should not have attempted it.

Which is an entirely specious argument. The difference is that meddling
with a gas appliance without adequate knowledge is potentially life
threatening. To say that just because someone else can do it means that
you can is sheer arrogance that is the attitude which leads to people
making fatal mistakes.

By your logic you are competent to perform brain surgery that you are
clearly not.


--
Peter Crosland

On 21/10/2013 09:32, John Rumm wrote:
On 20/10/2013 19:56, Onetap wrote:
On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:
Hello folks,



How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own
gas boiler?

You must be competent to do the work.
Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

This kind of answer tends to get on my tits a bit...

Even if we ignore the basic point that one of the ways we gain
competence to do anything is by asking sensible questions. The question
was not "am I competent". but "am I allowed"...



And the answer is that if you do it properly you are allowed.

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

On Sunday, 20 October 2013 19:56:02 UTC+1, Onetap wrote:
On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:42:47 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:

Hello folks,







How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?



You must be competent to do the work.

Asking on a DIY forum would suggest that you're not.

But that would imply that people that don;t ask know everything.....

Jon Parker scribbled...


Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

The reason I ask is that my boiler fails to light most of the time during the winter months. Research indicates this is due to a build-up of ally (aluminium?) oxide on the heat exchanger.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15986

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to carry out, assuming one is competent with a screwdriver etc, which I am. Obvious precautions like turning off the electricity supply and presumably the gas supply too would apply.

Thanks and regards to all.
Jon



http://www.serviceteam.co.uk/diy_art...ler_video.html

Other videos are avaiable...

On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 20:03:16 +0100, Artic wrote:

Jon Parker scribbled...


Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

The reason I ask is that my boiler fails to light most of the time during the winter months. Research indicates this is due to a build-up of ally (aluminium?) oxide on the heat exchanger.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15986

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to carry out, assuming one is competent with a screwdriver etc, which I am. Obvious precautions like turning off the electricity supply and presumably the gas supply too would apply.

Thanks and regards to all.
Jon

http://www.serviceteam.co.uk/diy_art...ler_video.html

Other videos are avaiable...

In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented) property?
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

On Monday 21 October 2013 09:32 PeterC wrote in uk.d-i-y:


In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented)
property?

Er no...

Rented properties need a gas safty cert every year - not sure that implies
they need servicing, but it's easier to book it in as one job unless you
want to be woken at 6am by a narked tenant with a cold shower!

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://squiddy.blog.dionic.net/

http://www.sensorly.com/ Crowd mapping of 2G/3G/4G mobile signal coverage

On 21/10/2013 10:05, Tim Watts wrote:
On Monday 21 October 2013 09:32 PeterC wrote in uk.d-i-y:


In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented)
property?

Er no...

Rented properties need a gas safty cert every year - not sure that implies
they need servicing, but it's easier to book it in as one job unless you
want to be woken at 6am by a narked tenant with a cold shower!

Much would depend on what she looked like ;-)



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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On Mon, 21 Oct 2013 10:05:37 +0100, Tim Watts
wrote:

On Monday 21 October 2013 09:32 PeterC wrote in uk.d-i-y:


In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented)
property?

Er no...

Rented properties need a gas safty cert every year - not sure that implies
they need servicing, but it's easier to book it in as one job unless you
want to be woken at 6am by a narked tenant with a cold shower!

IRTA naked tenant.
http://www.nakedtenant.co.uk/

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On 21/10/2013 21:28, Graham. wrote:
On Mon, 21 Oct 2013 10:05:37 +0100, Tim Watts
wrote:

On Monday 21 October 2013 09:32 PeterC wrote in uk.d-i-y:


In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented)
property?

Er no...

Rented properties need a gas safty cert every year - not sure that implies
they need servicing, but it's easier to book it in as one job unless you
want to be woken at 6am by a narked tenant with a cold shower!

IRTA naked tenant.

oops, so did I ;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article ,
PeterC wrote:
In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented)
property?

'Servicing' suggests work has to be done every 12 months - like say on a
car where you'd change oil and filters etc after a degree of use. Modern
boilers have no such requirement - so that service is more of an
inspection.

--
*That's it! I‘m calling grandma!

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
"Dave Plowman (News)" writes:
In article ,
PeterC wrote:
In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented)
property?

'Servicing' suggests work has to be done every 12 months - like say on a
car where you'd change oil and filters etc after a degree of use. Modern
boilers have no such requirement - so that service is more of an
inspection.

Some observations from having maintained various boilers around the
family for years...

I would say that any open flued boiler should be serviced every 12 months
because the risks from poor combustion and fume leakage are significant
and easily lethal. (We don't have any of these for some years now.)

This would be followed by boilers which are room sealed but not fanned
flues and still rely on flue gas convection for correct burning.

IME, fanned flue boilers do a much better job of staying clean and
burning well (whether condensing or older). If you have a flue gas
analyser, you can easily check their combustion without opening them
up.

Potterton Profile (light use) and Potterton Suprima (heavy use) showed
no deterioration in CO/CO2 ratio, although I decided to open and service
after 7 years. In both cases, nothing actually needed doing except
vacuuming out a layer of dried flies/spiders which wasn't impacting
the operation, although I did blow any dust out of jets/burners too.
Heat exchangers have remained clean.

Keston condensing - initially did this annually, but Keston told me
that tends to do more harm than good. Top burner gasket lasts about
4 years, so it now gets done that often, plus an annual flue gas check.
Also flushing debris out of the bottom of the combustion chamber once
or twice a year, after experience showed it could block the condensate
drain otherwise (this can be done without opening it up). Regularly
check for condensate leaks, which are well-known for writing off these
boilers if not caught quickly.

Main multipoint water heater - needs dust blowing out of jets and
mixing tubes every few years. Older ones need descaling - newer one
with teflon coated heat exchanger tubes has never needed descaling.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 21/10/2013 09:32, PeterC wrote:
On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 20:03:16 +0100, Artic wrote:

Jon Parker scribbled...


Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

The reason I ask is that my boiler fails to light most of the time during the winter months. Research indicates this is due to a build-up of ally (aluminium?) oxide on the heat exchanger.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15986

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to carry out, assuming one is competent with a screwdriver etc, which I am. Obvious precautions like turning off the electricity supply and presumably the gas supply too would apply.

Thanks and regards to all.
Jon

http://www.serviceteam.co.uk/diy_art...ler_video.html

Other videos are avaiable...

In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented) property?

A annual gas safety check is required for rental properties. However
that does not mandate a service.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 21/10/2013 09:32, PeterC wrote:
On Sun, 20 Oct 2013 20:03:16 +0100, Artic wrote:

Jon Parker scribbled...


http://www.serviceteam.co.uk/diy_art...ler_video.html

Other videos are avaiable...

In the first few seconds he says that having a boiler serviced every 12
months is a legal requirement. Is this so for private (not rented) property?

I don't know about that particular boiler, but the servicing
instructions for most boilers I've looked at have a bit more to then
than simply sticking a probe in the flue gas!

Even then, what he said didn't make sense. I think it was the second
number on his display which he said was significant, and needed to be
below '4' -but the only non-zero digit displayed was a 7!
--
Cheers,
Roger
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In article , Jon
Parker scribeth thus
Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

The reason I ask is that my boiler fails to light most of the time during the
winter months. Research indicates this is due to a build-up of ally (aluminium?)
oxide on the heat exchanger.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15986

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to carry out, assuming
one is competent with a screwdriver etc, which I am. Obvious precautions like
turning off the electricity supply and presumably the gas supply too would
apply.

Thanks and regards to all.
Jon


As far as I understand it if you deem yourself "competent" then no
problem..

--
Tony Sayer

On Sunday, October 20, 2013 7:57:46 PM UTC+1, tony sayer wrote:
In article , Jon
Parker scribeth thus
How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to
do to one's own gas boiler?

You must (by law) be "competent" to work on gas systems.

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to
carry out, assuming one is competent with a screwdriver etc,
which I am. Obvious precautions like turning off the
electricity supply and presumably the gas supply too would
apply.

Turning off the gas worries me. If you are turning off the
gas, that suggests you may be planning to open the gas pipes.
If you do that, I know you have to a) flush any air out of
the pipes; b) make sure the system is entirely gas tight
(which usually involves pressurizing the system, turning off
the gas, and checking that - with a manometer - that the
pressure doesn't drop).

If you aren't going to open the pipes, all of this is
unnecessary.

As far as I understand it if you deem yourself "competent"
then no problem.

Not quite. It is not merely necessary for you to deem yourself
competent; you actually have to *be* competent. The difference
is that if the house blows up, it is not enough to say you
thought you were competent. You have to show that did everything
according to the regulations (which, given the house has blown
up, will probably be impossible).

On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 2:17:57 PM UTC+1, Martin Bonner wrote:
The difference
is that if the house blows up, it is not enough to say you
thought you were competent. You have to show that did everything
according to the regulations (which, given the house has blown
up, will probably be impossible).

Unless you've uploaded your pipe size calcs, benchmark certificate and manometer and flue gas analyser readings to off-site backups.

Owain

On 22/10/2013 14:17, Martin Bonner wrote:
You have to show that did everything
according to the regulations (which, given the house has blown
up, will probably be impossible).


But also quite difficult for anyone else to prove that you *didn't*!
--
Cheers,
Roger
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On 22/10/13 15:40, Roger Mills wrote:
On 22/10/2013 14:17, Martin Bonner wrote:
You have to show that did everything
according to the regulations (which, given the house has blown
up, will probably be impossible).


But also quite difficult for anyone else to prove that you *didn't*!

actualy post explosion forensics areremarkably good.


--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc-ra-cy) €“ a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 3:40:49 PM UTC+1, Roger Mills wrote:
On 22/10/2013 14:17, Martin Bonner wrote:

You have to show that did everything
according to the regulations (which, given the house has blown
up, will probably be impossible).


But also quite difficult for anyone else to prove that you *didn't*!

The fact it blew up will be evidence that you didn't. (Not
irrefutable evidence, but evidence none-the-less.)

On 25/10/2013 13:07, Martin Bonner wrote:
On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 3:40:49 PM UTC+1, Roger Mills wrote:
On 22/10/2013 14:17, Martin Bonner wrote:

You have to show that did everything
according to the regulations (which, given the house has blown
up, will probably be impossible).


But also quite difficult for anyone else to prove that you *didn't*!

The fact it blew up will be evidence that you didn't. (Not
irrefutable evidence, but evidence none-the-less.)

Not necessarily even evidence. The house might have blown up for reasons
which had nothing to do with the boiler.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

On 20/10/2013 19:42, Jon Parker wrote:
Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas boiler?

The reason I ask is that my boiler fails to light most of the time during the winter months. Research indicates this is due to a build-up of ally (aluminium?) oxide on the heat exchanger.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15986

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to carry out, assuming one is competent with a screwdriver etc, which I am. Obvious precautions like turning off the electricity supply and presumably the gas supply too would apply.

The fact that you have to ask suggest that you so not have the required
level of expertise. Also the boiler should not be failing regularly like
this. Get it professionally serviced and repaired as necessary.



--
Peter Crosland

In article , Peter
Crosland wrote:
On 20/10/2013 19:42, Jon Parker wrote:
Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas
boiler?

The reason I ask is that my boiler fails to light most of the time
during the winter months. Research indicates this is due to a build-up
of ally (aluminium?) oxide on the heat exchanger.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15986

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to carry out,
assuming one is competent with a screwdriver etc, which I am. Obvious
precautions like turning off the electricity supply and presumably the
gas supply too would apply.

The fact that you have to ask suggest that you so not have the required
level of expertise. Also the boiler should not be failing regularly like
this. Get it professionally serviced and repaired as necessary.

I wouldn't agree with that diagnosis. I had a local "Gas Safe" fitter round
to change the thermocouple in my boiler which he did. However, he couldn't
get the piezo igniter to light the pilot. It was lit with match instead.
it's been running happily for the last month.

Sometimes expertise comes with having th right spares in the van.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

charles wrote:
In article , Peter
Crosland wrote:
On 20/10/2013 19:42, Jon Parker wrote:
Hello folks,

How much (if any) buggering about is one allowed to do to one's own gas
boiler?

The reason I ask is that my boiler fails to light most of the time
during the winter months. Research indicates this is due to a build-up
of ally (aluminium?) oxide on the heat exchanger.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=15986

Further reading suggests it's not a difficult procedure to carry out,
assuming one is competent with a screwdriver etc, which I am. Obvious
precautions like turning off the electricity supply and presumably the
gas supply too would apply.

The fact that you have to ask suggest that you so not have the required
level of expertise. Also the boiler should not be failing regularly like
this. Get it professionally serviced and repaired as necessary.

I wouldn't agree with that diagnosis. I had a local "Gas Safe" fitter round
to change the thermocouple in my boiler which he did. However, he couldn't
get the piezo igniter to light the pilot. It was lit with match instead.
it's been running happily for the last month.

Sometimes expertise comes with having th right spares in the van.


Yeah but, your boiler is positively dark ages design so I'm not sure you're
in a position to offer useful advice about a more modern boiler.

To the OP, if you think you're competent, go for it. You may need new seals
if you're opening the combustion chamber.

Tim