Plumbers trick to keep having to call back ??

[dbee]

it was a routine annual boiler service(or check up) whatever you call it, there was no problem reported to them, and there was no problem before they arrived(unless there was one hell of a coincidence and it all went wrong as they walked out of the door. No, I didn't check to see if there was hot water before they left, I didn't see any need to, I don't know anything about plumbing, but I just thought they were going to do the usual annual boiler service, and then they found something wrong and changed the thermostat, not stop the water heating up. I would have had to make them stop and wait for the water to get to the usual temperature then check with them the boiler was working properly, then check all the radiators etc., I asked him if any work had been done before I signed the form to say he had been, and he said he had changed the thermostat, which I though bit strange as it seemed to me to all be working fine, but I am not a plumber!! I would not of course touch the wiring for fear of blowing myself up, so don't worry, i'm hardly going to start messing about with stuff, I just want to watch exactly what happens when they turn up next week to repair it..i just wanted to know what to look for!!

 

[Dotty]

Which thermostat?

 

[warrington]

When they changed the thermostat probably did wrong wiring. Why they changed the thermostat when there was no need, you need to ask that to your landlord aswell if he/she asked them to do!

 

[dbee]

I can see your point, pure coincidence does happen sometimes, but I think I would be pretty unlucky for the new thermostat(the old one seemed to be working fine) not to be working, and also the boiler not heating the hot water too wouldn't I, surely he would have checked the new thermostat was working?

 

[dbee]

thermostat on the electric water heater in the airing cupboard

 

[jase158]

and the immersion is probably faulty, nothing to do with them, just that you only just noticed it because you needed it and havent used it for months/ years.

probably as said before, faulty wiring to be honest.

 

[Dotty]

Immersion stat.

You definitely don't use the oil to heat your water no?

 

[AWheating]

why is anybody even bothering with this thread? total waste of time and best answers have been given time and time again. This is a forum for plumbers and people who want to discuss plumbing issues mystic meg we are not.

 

[dbee]

I have got the water to heat up by doing this: switch off the central heating on the timer/settings box, (so I can hear the boiler turn off) then turning the hot water off too, make sure the central heating temperature dial is the set to hotter than it is so it will come on when I switch it on again, then put the button to"constant" on central heating, after the boiler has come on I also put the hot water switch to"constant", (the LED display dims a little when I do this..) then turn the central heating to auto and leave the hot water on constant, the hot water then heats up...

 

[dbee]

I usually do use the oil to heat the water, only use the electric every now and the, haven't used it for a few weeks, but last time I did it was fine.

 

[Dotty]

So you DON'T use the immersion heater then?

Contact your landlord.

 

[jase158]

thermostat on the electric water heater in the airing cupboard

i'm still confused is this the thermostat at the top? or the one near the bottom of the cylinder?

 

[dbee]

the immersion is only used when water is not hot and we want some without putting the boiler on, I am going to let the landlord know of course, but it is now Saturday night and I have had to keep mucking about with the timing/setting box to get it working just to get some hot water, they wont come out until Monday!

 

[jase158]

well they should do, it is classed as an emergency as you have no hot water, in your contract he has said he will provide, hot water i.e. and you are not responsible for this, so he has to pay for a plumber to come out. you cant go to work without washing can you?

 

[jase158]

which thermstat did they change?

 

[dbee]

well that I don't know, but there is an empty box in the airing cupboard, I gather that is what a new thermostat would have come in, usually when I change something old for new like that I would put the old one in the box to make sure all is left tidy, but the box was left along with a fuse, it is quite a long box with "must be fitted vertically" on it, so by looking, I would imagine it is the thermostat on the top that they say they have changed, wouldn't they have had to drain the tank to take one out of the bottom of the tank?

 

[dbee]

and then they will get an emergency callout for their troubles, even more money, no, i'd rather wait and do without then earn them more money. they have obviously caused inconvience already, another day isn't too long to wait, and I have got the hot water to work now anyway, by messing about with the setting box.

 

[SimonG]

It's 22 hours since you started this thread and you haven't phoned the landlord yet!

 

[Dotty]

Box is about 4" x 4" x 22(ish)"?

 

[jase158]

no, but by the sounds of it they have changed the immersion heater (or at least pretended to) they would of had to drain part of the cylinder to do that. is the box brown and as long as your arm? does it say 27" on it?

 

[jase158]

and then they will get an emergency callout for their troubles, even more money, no, i'd rather wait and do without then earn them more money. they have obviously caused inconvience already, another day isn't too long to wait, and I have got the hot water to work now anyway, by messing about with the setting box.

and on monday they will take there time, perhaps even make it worse (if they are cowboys as you pressume) mess about in the loft for a couple hours and earn a lot more.
On a sunday they will be miffed to be away from the family, want to get home and do a proper job. then when they leave you tell the landlord your worries and landlord wont pay until he finds out the truth. atleast you are sorted and your worries have been passed on.

 

[dbee]

the box has on it" 18" RDT combined thermostat and safety cut out" it is quite a long white box and quite thin. I would rather have a good chat with the landlord, get someone else out to check and see what they think they have done, then get the same plumbers to return and catch them out red handed, I think that's the best result, so their bosses know exactly what is happening and so they in turn get some inconvenience back...hopefully the inconvenience of having to find another job!! That is of course if they have done something wrong..there is always the very slight chance of it happening all on its own isn't there..not!

 

[Howsie]

You're really not a very trusting person are you. Have you been caught out before or did you get the Rough Traders DVD box set for Christmas?

 

[SimonG]

What do you honestly think about it then? all is fine before visit, do work that is not needed or asked for, all is not working when you leave!!good well trained honest workmen, I don't think

To be honest it doesn't matter what you think. The contract of works is between the landlord and the tradesman. Contact the landlord.

 

[dbee]

have you ever arrived at the same sort of job, and proceeded to announce that your mate just has to go into the loft and take a photo of the water tank? has any plumber on here? anyone? ever?i'll have a big wager on the result of that question..