Complaint against British Gas

[so-solar]

I installed a boiler for a family friend, She had a BG contract that she had tied herself into. They quoted 3 grand for a boiler replacement, i managed to shave a few quid off!

Anyway, she had a BG engineer come and inspect the install????

Is this something they do?

He said that the 1''1/2 waste pipe that was vertically piped to a limestone soakaway could freeze and needed to be lagged.................... it was minus 14 last week and it didnt miss a beat!

He then told my customer the flue was 1.5mm falling the wrong way and the condense would run down the wall!

He said that due to the what he had found remedial work would be priced at 327 quid

OK so the boiler has been in for 7 months and not a drop has ran down the wall, also if the condense is going to run down the wall and how on earth is the 1"1/2 condense waste pipe going to freeze with the condense running down the wall, there would be nothing to freeze surely

This has really put my back up, I called there complaints department today and filed a formal complaint, I have asked gas safe to go and to a thorough check of the installation.

I have the guys number and will be calling him tomorrow.

Surely they should not be able to make up such rubbish and get away with it!

I will be hunting for BG installs from now on

 

[P4ULT]

Sounds a bit drastic to me. You can always argue you need lagging but IMO the fact you used bigger pipe takes the need for lagging away.

Regards the flue most flue have a drop built in to them so as long as it is straight out the wall terminal only and the flue is level I see no problem.

 

[Mike Jackson]

What boiler is it? Worcester now recommend that external condense is 32mm and lagged but you need to check MIs to confirm. Does have sour grapes written all over it though.

 

[dancinplumba]

1" 1/2 should be insulated, i do it witharmaflex
imo

 

[CMairiD]

We're also lagging 32mm.

 

[dancinplumba]

I dont slit it, slide it over pipe and fittings, and push it thru wall round pipe, i core drill 2" hole

 

[so-solar]

Lag 1 1/2 vertical waste pipe????????

It changes to 1 1/2 internally. The incoming main from the local reservoir would freeze before this condense pipe

 

[so-solar]

There is about 300mm of waste pipe which drops straight into the ground and terminates into a soakaway!

If it made it through the last blast of minus 14 i am not losing any sleep over it !!!!!

 

[tamz]

He was on a commission and looking for a top up on his wages with a sale but at the end of the day as they are in effect guaranteeing to cover any future system faults they can ask for whatever they like.

 

[tamz]

Lag 1 1/2 vertical waste pipe????????

It changes to 1 1/2 internally. The incoming main from the local reservoir would freeze before this condense pipe

If it is cold enough even a 4" with a trickle of water will freeze. See a few of those over the years.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

He was on a commission and looking for a top up on his wages with a sale but at the end of the day as they are in effect guaranteeing to cover any future system faults they can ask for whatever they like.

he was also quite peeved to probably find a magnaclean already fitted

 

[so-solar]

If gas safe pull it i will go back and do the remedial work, i contacted my local gas safe inspector today, meeting him there tomorrow!

He is confident there is no problem!

 

[so-solar]

minus 14 is cold enough surely

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

If gas safe pull it i will go back and do the remedial work, i contacted my local gas safe inspector today, meeting him there tomorrow!

He is confident there is no problem!

he wont care about the condensate pipe thats down to building control

 

[so-solar]

Second thoughts............................... why do our customers need BG cover if the boiler has a 5 year warranty?

 

[tamz]

minus 14 is cold enough surely

Depends on how the wind blows.

 

[so-solar]

he wont care about the condensate pipe thats down to building control

I will contact them tomorrow as well

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Second thoughts............................... why do our customers need BG cover if the boiler has a 5 year warranty?

they dont,they are paying twice

 

[tamz]

Second thoughts............................... why do our customers need BG cover if the boiler has a 5 year warranty?

I though that one straight away. Tell her to save her £200 odd a year.

 

[so-solar]

I will tell her to cancel the direct debit, as the boiler is so poorly installed!!!!!!!!!!

 

[markfxy]

Lagging the pipe wont stop it freezing, BG have just done an install on a neighbours property boiler on first floor 1 1/4 waste down to gully not lagged.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

dont get stressed (I know I would be having a red face full of anger ) ignore it ! just explain to your family friends that he out of his mind and is after the $

 

[dancinplumba]

Lagging the pipe wont stop it freezing, BG have just done an install on a neighbours property boiler on first floor 1 1/4 waste down to gully not lagged.

have installs on a few farms, -20 last winter for days, condensate is 1" 1/2 from boiler thru wall and into soakaway 2ft below ground, pipe insulated from boiler to soakaway connection underground. never froze.
its a bg job???
imo

 

[tamz]

If i'm doing a soakaway i drill from floor level at an angle so that the pipe lands under the ground. That is where a 900mm long sds max comes in handy :smile:

 

[dancinplumba]

i do that with my diamond core and extensions but to 2ft. colder up where you are