Boiler servicing process.

[London Gas]

Evening boys and girls,


There have been posts like this before I'm sure but I am curious as to what others are doing when servicing boilers more so when working on ones with pre-mix gas valves as I feel I am either doing what we was taught in college or I'm missing a trick or two somewhere... I often when taking on new customers look over any previous paperwork they have just to see what has been done, check if boilers with common faults or safety issues have been repaired or not (such as flue collectors on vaillants/glow worm) and check previous readings etc. A few jobs I have been to recently have been in a really bad way, two were Worcesters with perfect readings but gunked up heat exchangers and poor fan pressure readings out of scope, this makes me assume that people are just straight away adjusting the ratios if their CO2 is out or any other readings which personally I find can be dangerous and a poor service, just wanted to see what others felt regarding this and if you adjust these valves before checking the burner/heat exchangers? (Granted manufactures instructions typically cover this)

Do you guys do basic services for low prices checking the appliance for safety and correct operation and then charge more for a full strip and clean with new seals?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

every 4 years a full strip and clean / replace burner gasket etc also the normal yearly (normally allow half a day)

every other eg 1,2 and 3 etc (yearly)

check expansion vessel,
tightness test gas system,
clean maggy and top up with fresh inhby,
bleed rads,
check system pressure and top up,
check system controls are working,
clean condense trap and refill,
clean condense pump if there is one and check operation
gas rate system,
fga boiler

(normally allow 1.5-2 hours)

 

[London Gas]

That's what we should all hopefully be doing, I wish I had half a day to be able to service a boiler that sounds like the life to be living!

The issue I have or question I have if you went out there a second year and your CO2 was .1%/.2% out but still with a good ratio would you adjust it in, or carry out further checks, from what I am seeing or hearing people just tweak these valves and I personally think unless there's an issue these values should stay within scope from when set (if done so correctly)

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Depends

If ratio, o2 and ppm were the same I wouldn't adjust

 

[London Gas]

Even if the CO2 was out of the scope? Would that not class as the boiler not operating to manufactures instructions and whilst servicing require further investigation?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

They normally give you a tolerance of a few percent

 

[RoryD]

To be honest this is a question you shouldn't need to ask. If you stick to MI's you can't go wrong

 

[London Gas]

Not asking a question, seeing what others opinions of this are as I feel I often come across boilers where people are just tweaking valves rather than carrying out a service.

 

[Chalked]

If ratio starts to go. It's time for a strip down. Adjusting air will just mask the problem.

 

[stratplus]

Evening boys and girls,


There have been posts like this before I'm sure but I am curious as to what others are doing when servicing boilers more so when working on ones with pre-mix gas valves as I feel I am either doing what we was taught in college or I'm missing a trick or two somewhere... I often when taking on new customers look over any previous paperwork they have just to see what has been done, check if boilers with common faults or safety issues have been repaired or not (such as flue collectors on vaillants/glow worm) and check previous readings etc. A few jobs I have been to recently have been in a really bad way, two were Worcesters with perfect readings but gunked up heat exchangers and poor fan pressure readings out of scope, this makes me assume that people are just straight away adjusting the ratios if their CO2 is out or any other readings which personally I find can be dangerous and a poor service, just wanted to see what others felt regarding this and if you adjust these valves before checking the burner/heat exchangers? (Granted manufactures instructions typically cover this)

Do you guys do basic services for low prices checking the appliance for safety and correct operation and then charge more for a full strip and clean with new seals?

How do you identify a gunked hx?

 

[stratplus]

every 4 years a full strip and clean / replace burner gasket etc also the normal yearly (normally allow half a day)

every other eg 1,2 and 3 etc (yearly)

check expansion vessel,
tightness test gas system,
clean maggy and top up with fresh inhby,
bleed rads,
check system pressure and top up,
check system controls are working,
clean condense trap and refill,
clean condense pump if there is one and check operation
gas rate system,
fga boiler

(normally allow 1.5-2 hours)

So when you check expansion vessel and identify it needs topping up, do you drain the vessel completely and re-charge with air?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

So when you check expansion vessel and identify it needs topping up, do you drain the vessel completely and re-charge with air?

Already drained down to check vessel pressure

As you can't check it with system pressure in

 

[stratplus]

Already drained down to check vessel pressure

As you can't check it with system pressure in

Ok, so you remove all of the vessel water when draining boiler via a regin pump tool or similar. Ex vessels are filled with nitrogen so just wondering about issues mixing air with nitrogen?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Ok, so you remove all of the vessel water when draining boiler via a regin pump tool or similar. Ex vessels are filled with nitrogen so just wondering about issues mixing air with nitrogen?

Unless it's commercial or filled with nitrogen it gets air put back in unless they want it

If they do all the air gets sucked out then refilled with nitrogen

 

[London Gas]

How do you identify a gunked hx?

You cant unless its a Worcester and you take your fan pressure, I just find more and more and hear about it happening with people doing these 20 minute services, new customers always tell me 'the last guy is here every year for 30 minutes max)

 

[stratplus]

You cant unless its a Worcester and you take your fan pressure, I just find more and more and hear about it happening with people doing these 20 minute services, new customers always tell me 'the last guy is here every year for 30 minutes max)

I haven’t found one yet with poor fan pressure but often have to alter the co2 especially on min.

 

[SavageW]

If fan pressure is within tolerance, Gas rate ok &WP (on Worcester’s)then adjusting the gas valve is ok..so I’m told to believe,taking the fan pressure an measuring the gas rate are checks you would do an confirm are correct before adjusting.Other manufacturers state you can’t adjust the gas valve & that a full strip down & gaskets replaced

 

[London Gas]

Every manufactures different, some baxis state if air intake is ok and all other checks are fine you should adjust, when going on Worcester’s courses or speaking to them they will say adjust if the fan pressure is correct although when I’m finding -2mbar I don’t think that’s happening in a year with perfect readings

 

[SavageW]

It’s probably not mate,as long as your doing the right thing then happy days.Always going to come across scenarios like this an a lot of the big companies provide an annual safety check,not a annual service..never going to be as in depth as it should unfortunately