Gas check

[ed209]

This is how the gas company left a back boiler/ firefront after gas check that the estate agents now use instead of me, it's been like that for nearly a year, tenants ( young couple with two small children) tried fire when they first moved in but switched it off as it smelt funny.
I was called there today as heating system making banging noise, needless to say as soon as I copped this ID and a call to the agents, I can tell you I was quite shook up to think if I haven't gone there today and they used the fire instead of the boiler.
Tenant couldn't find last LGSC, I am going to Riddor when I get relevant info

 

[JWLPlumbing]

That is scandalous mate.

How on earth can you leave something like that?

 

[ed209]

I'm afraid being GSR is no guarantee of someone being competent, I could understand some one say leaving a gas escape by forgetting to do up a test nipple when checking burner pressure I'm sure we've all gone away from a job and had that sudden feeling of dread "did I do that up" especially if someone been talking to you I explain to customers that I would rather not talk as there is a risk I could get distracted and not do something up or replace a cover etc. they normally understand and walk away ( don't say it until the tea & biscuits have been served of course)
But this is just incompetence by someone that should not be servicing or checking back boilers or any thing else lucky to not be in prison on a manslaughter charge.
Because I'm sure if that fire had been used they would have died

 

[gassafe]

It's still part of the flue hood from the back boiler & nobody died... It would depend upon the combustion of the fire & levels of carbon monoxide produced... difficult to say they'd have died... More reason to always recommend a carbon monoxide alarm, espically on these types of boiler!

 

[ed209]

Yes was probably being a bit over dramatic, although the POC would have been able to leave the back boiler as the flue is connected directly to it, the fire was not connected at all, freezing cold day, door closed; vent covered over all huddled up watching TV

 

[firemant]

My pet hate is RGI's that insist on saying to punters:
Luck you are alive; not blown up; to have woken up this morning etc.
This case is a little shocking, not least because it is surprising that it was not obvious, as how could the fire be sitting properly?

Anyway, although the spigot is not correctly positioned ,it is unlikely there would be a leak of POC's from the boiler. If it was going to spill, it would have done so anyway. The fire being used would present more danger.

 

[village idiot]

So why did they call you and not the Estate Agents? If they called the Estate Agents, then why did the Estate Agents call you and not the chap they are currently using? If the agents are clued up, they will ask you to check other works he has done.

 

[ed209]

The fire would more than likely have been used as I was called to investigate central heating banging noise and cutting out on overheat, probably seized pump. So they would have switched the immersion on for hot water and used the fire for heat.
I was under the impression that it was encouraged to make people aware of the dangers of CO poisoning what stronger message than possibility of death .
Immediately dangerous is likely to cause death, injury or destruction
The agents did call me not the tenants, I do sometimes do the odd job for them and some of there landlords like to use me.
A lot of agents don't like RGI.,s that find things wrong ...

 

[ed209]

Please don't think I'm bitter about the agents not using me as there main source of gas checks, it was a relief to break away from them I was becoming to reliant on them and it felt like I worked only for them then had to constantly chase for my money. My work life is so much more relaxed now and no noticeable drop in income

 

[firemant]

I was under the impression that it was encouraged to make people aware of the dangers of CO poisoning what stronger message than possibility of death .
Immediately dangerous is likely to cause death, injury or destruction

Was this a reference to my comments?
It is of course in order to explain the dangers of bad workmanship, but being a Drama Queen doesn't impress me. But over the years, I have got fed up with going to jobs where (probably) mainly Transco/NG have wound up tenants mercilessly. Then TOFO'd.

This job is cleary bad. But, having had another look at the pic, my earlier comment abut it not sitting right is reinforced. You can see a massive gap between the marble(?) and the fire, so how did it go un noticed?

 

[firemant]

I was under the impression that it was encouraged to make people aware of the dangers of CO poisoning what stronger message than possibility of death .
Immediately dangerous is likely to cause death, injury or destruction

Was this a reference to my comments?
It is of course in order to explain the dangers of bad workmanship, but being a Drama Queen doesn't impress me. But over the years, I have got fed up with going to jobs where (probably) mainly Transco/NG have wound up tenants mercilessly. Then TOFO'd.

This job is cleary bad. But, having had another look at the pic, my earlier comment abut it not sitting right is reinforced. You can see a massive gap between the marble(?) and the fire, so how did it go un noticed?

 

[ed209]

I'm afraid I can't answer how it went unnoticed the only info I have is from the tenants that said it was like that after the guy did the gas check and to the lay man all you see is a fire sticking out a bit and would not have a clue that it forms part of a flue system , and unless you look from the side and know what your looking at ...
And yes I was a bit upset at the time that this young family were at a very serious risk of CO poisoning. I could have put it right but I chose to ID so the company / person that did it was made aware so that they don't do it again .

 

[ed209]

That is all Transco/ NG can do is TOFO I know quite a few that would be willing to tighten up the loose nut causing the gas leak but they are not permitted to so and rightly so.

 

[village idiot]

Please don't think I'm bitter about the agents not using me as there main source of gas checks, it was a relief to break away from them I was becoming to reliant on them and it felt like I worked only for them then had to constantly chase for my money. My work life is so much more relaxed now and no noticeable drop in income

I'm not remotely suggesting that 'you are bitter about not being used by the agents'.
What I'm trying to get at is that if the agents considered that you were not good enough for them to use for their jobs, why now call you to come check it? Why not get the chap back to sort it? Personally, I'd not have attended, and if I did (as you have), I'd have sent them a hefty bill. I've never worked for estate agents and never will. They place themselves as the 'next middleman', then either want a %age off you or pay you less than what they will bill the landlord. So, they are always looking for the cheapest plumber, RGI, etc.

 

[firemant]

Yes I know that TOFOs only TOFO, but why do they have to wind up the householder.?

I also get bored with hearing that you have to "be safe when there are kids in the house". As if that actually makes any difference to the need for safety.

Or customers that say "you canlt be to careful", then balk at the cost pf CO alarm.

I'm getting old:smiley2:

 

[LPC]

Surely it would have been obvious that the fire wasn't seated fully back into the BB; not sure how the cover would have gone on properly. I wouldn't have ID'd it myself, would take 2 mins to seat the fire back properly in to the boiler and check everything out.

Never really understood the ID EVERYTHING mentality you see a fair bit. I'll always see if I can rectify the problem first to 1)save filling out the forms 2)drama isn't my thing 3)keep the heat/water on for the householder.

Estate agents, in my experience, are snakes. Loyal to no-one, always chasing the cheapest number for which they can then skim the most off the top. I'm owed money by half the estate agents in my town.

 

[Gas74]

Yeah I would have just rectified it. So householder could use. But poor

 

[ed209]

And let the RGI carry on leaving them like that?

 

[Millsy 82]

I would of just repaired as well. You would have to take the fire off anyway to cap the bbu and fire off so it would take less time to repair than cap.

It's not about letting the rgi leaving them like that, now if they get someone else in they will say why didn't you just connect it up etc.

Take photos, fill out a riddor if you like and forward to the necessary people. That way the letting agency will see and hse will know and you have kept the heating and hot water on.

 

[Gas74]

And let the RGI carry on leaving them like that?

erm no fix and report. Surely that best for all concerned and in my view a lot easier. Don't think that's unreasonable surely ? Or am I missing something here ?

 

[firemant]

The more i think about it, the more I suspect we (or yousrelf) are not getting th full story. The fire would have been wonky, and tenants are not known for their tendency to ignore thigs. Are you SURE the tenant has not interfered for some reason?
As has been said, if you ID'd you would have had to have removed the fire, so destroying any evience. So nothing was gained by inconveniencing tenants further. IMO.
Or did you disc meter, or otherwise disconnect?

 

[ed209]

Disc the meter as there was no over appliances, I'm allmost 100% sure tenants didn't do it he said it was like that after gas check, This is not the first time I have followed up problems by this company.
And I certainly didn't want to interfere with the evidence, I come across a new install last year (combi vertical flue running through loft) (not same company) and the flue extension wasen't conected, flueing in to the loft, phoned up the company that did install they checked installer they employed and some of his other work and found lots of serious defects with his work.