Blocking air vent for OF App

[Koogatubac]

Hey,
Been having a argument with another gas plumber whos now my boss.

If the user of a Open Flued gas boiler totally blocks up the air vent in that room (and is the only air vent), are they starving the oxygen which means that the gas mixture is going to be lethal and start spilling CO2?

I said that the user shouldnt of blocked the air vent as it will be starved of oxygen

Any views?

 

[BLOD]

I said that the user shouldnt of blocked the air vent as it will be starved of oxygen

Any views?

I agree with you - o2 is needed for correct combustion, Starve it of o2 and it won't burn correctly & could cause CO build up in the room

 

[buckley plumb]

most air vent issues are classed at AR i now am with you on this . just pulled a bag of cotton wool out of customers last week air vent for back boiler.i can bet you it will be full again next year

 

[AWheating]

lack of oxygen will cause poor combustion, block an appliances air supply and thats what could happen.

 

[Koogatubac]

Thnx guys,

awheating - u think im being over cautious? Custard asked me what will happen if the air vent was blocked and i said could create the dreaded gas. I got told i should of ignored it since we only got involved in changing 2 rads.

 

[Dotty]

And if you go back and find the custard blue and stiff? How would your boss have reacted if you publicly informed him you could've prevented it but not allowed to?

I'm sure that could be manslaughter by negligence!

 

[mfgs]

Hey,
Been having a argument with another gas plumber whos now my boss.

If the user of a Open Flued gas boiler totally blocks up the air vent in that room (and is the only air vent), are they starving the oxygen which means that the gas mixture is going to be lethal and start spilling CO2?

I said that the user shouldnt of blocked the air vent as it will be starved of oxygen

Any views?

Its actually quite worrying that your boss doesnt know how important ventillation is for an open flued appliance.

 

[AWheating]

Thnx guys,

awheating - u think im being over cautious? Custard asked me what will happen if the air vent was blocked and i said could create the dreaded gas. I got told i should of ignored it since we only got involved in changing 2 rads.

all you can do is offer sound advice, tell your gaffa about it and tell him to put it in an email or letter with a quote to move or fit a better vent and a co alarm. The best way to cover yourself is to have proof that you informed the customer about the dangers, so anything that written down would be best.

 

[Millsy 82]

If I find a blocked vent I fill out a warning notice stating that I have advised not blocking the vent otherwise it is an AR appliance and get them to sign it if they then choose to block it up and kill them selves I have it in writing that I have unblocked it so I am covered.

If you spot the problem you have to react to it does not matter if you have not worked on the appliance.

 

[buckley plumb]

can remember getting a telling off from my boss a few years ago - went to service a powermax and there was no ventilation on the airing cupboard door - nobody home they left key with neighbour .i removed the door so i could leave the boiler in operation - the customer was not happy when they got home lol

 

[Koogatubac]

Yeah i went into work this morning and the gaffer said "you need to stop scaring customers, your driving them away" i said i didnt scare, she asked me what would happen and i told them.

He said that i was wrong! And a OF appliance would only spill if the flue was blocked.

I know this ant right but just said "ok" just to avoid a arguement

 

[Koogatubac]

And if you go back and find the custard blue and stiff? How would your boss have reacted if you publicly informed him you could've prevented it but not allowed to?

I'm sure that could be manslaughter by negligence!

And that wat i was thinking!! I advised her to always leave a window open at least! And advised her for co2 alarm. She said "the other plumbers havnt mentioned it, and the boiler has just been serviced."

I was thinking how poor the knowledge for that engineer must have then! Thats the first point i would check!!

 

[CES]

Yeah i went into work this morning and the gaffer said "you need to stop scaring customers, your driving them away" i said i didnt scare, she asked me what would happen and i told them.

He said that i was wrong! And a OF appliance would only spill if the flue was blocked.

I know this ant right but just said "ok" just to avoid a arguement

and this guy is your boss?.. did he get his gas qualifications out of a Lucky bag or summat?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

not forgetting that with a open flued appliance it needs air for 2 reasons combustion and for the flue to work correctly

 

[Koogatubac]

Correct! Hes also bought me a rothenberger rocutter, doesnt want me using pipe slices. Say they burr the pipe too much and cause too much restriction.
If u cut with either its the same as long as u debur the pipe.
O well, just gunna take longer doing jobs. Least we're absolute booming with work!

 

[LPC]

Really, this is ultra basic first-week-at-college stuff. And everybody blocks the vent off. It is absolutely par for the course now that if there is a back-boiler (BB the worst, but generally any OF appliance requiring a vent), they have blocked the vents.

My own parents blocked the vent for our backboiler for 20 years until I became a gas engineer and told them to unblock it.

 

[kirkgas]

Get a new job, your boss is an incompetent idiot and will drag you down, until you leave make sure you have EVERYTHING in writing to ensure the investigation into a death cannot incriminate you

 

[Pssst]

GSIUR places legal obligations on an occupier/appliance owner to not use an appliance which they know to be dangerous. If a GSR services a BBU/fire and notes that the vent has been sealed/obstructed by the customer, then in my view and in my practice, i would remove the blockage if it was just tape or similar and advise,or issue a warning notice advising them not to block air vent. You have then made them aware and thats all you need to do. they then have a duty to comply with GSIUR

 

[mountainman]

There is also the obligation of best care for the custard.
In this situation I unblock the vent, advise the customer of the dangers and document everything on the CP12.

 

[RGII79]

thnx guys,

awheating - u think im being over cautious? Custard asked me what will happen if the air vent was blocked and i said could create the dreaded gas. I got told i should of ignored it since we only got involved in changing 2 rads.

its our job to be over cautious blocked vent == shutdown