Boiler and central heating repair cons in south east London and Bromley
The most common cons to do with boiler and central heating repairs in south east London
and Bromley apply irrespective of whether you have a combi, or a
system boiler with a tank and a cylinder.
It also makes no difference whether it is a fairly new
high-efficiency model (also known as a condensing boiler, or
incorrectly: condenser) or a floor-standing open flue model.
Although these various boiler repairs have significant
differences, the scam stays the same because the "central heating engineer" just tries to baffle you with science. If you
live in south east London or Bromley and doubt whether if somebody is trying to con you, call
me for an alternative and keep your boiler.
Mon-Fri 08.30-20.30
0208 265 8822 Emergencies and out of hours 07852 736 626
The most common con these days is a very old one; you've heard
a variation of it.
Plumber: "Let's have a look at that boiler of yours."
When you show him the failing heating appliance, he has a look.
Turns a few screws, takes something off, and turns around. He has a
worried expression on his face.
Next is the sharp intake of breath followed by the dreaded:
"Ooooh, that's a bad one mate; lucky I'm here." Followed by "the
such and such is broken, and the whachamacallit is leaking. I'm
afraid you can't get them for this model. Obsolete now. You're
looking at replacement."
Although some boilers have indeed parts that are obsolete, it is
quite rare. If we leave out the very old ones, and old for a boiler
is 20 to 30 years or sometimes more, there are precious few with
spares problems.
More than 99% of the boilers that are currently in use, still
have all the parts available; in other words: the chances that you
really need a new boiler for that reason are less than 100 to 1.
It is possible that your boiler is old, suffers from various
problems, and rather than to keep repairing, it would be cheaper in the long run to replace it now.
The big difference is: you don't NEED a new boiler, and it is YOUR choice to replace it or have it repaired.
Another quite popular scam is to claim the existing boiler is too
old. Followed by a claim you need a new "approved high-efficiency
boiler" because these are not allowed any more due to CO2 output, carbon footprint, or gas use.
Total nonsense. Any boiler that was approved for use on mains gas (also called
sea-gas or natural gas) and properly installed at any point in the
past, can legally be repaired as long as the safe working can be
assured. No central heating gas appliance has to be replaced simply
because it is old or outdated.
Some basics about the use of combustion analysers for boiler repairs.
One method of creating work out of thin air, in Bromley as well as in south east London that is possibly
gaining in frequency more than any other, is to condemn the boiler, in stead of repairing it.
A condemned boiler is comparable to a car that failed the MOT. It
could be that the car is falling apart at the seams, and really
should be scrapped. Far more often it is something like a little
hole in the exhaust, a tyre with less than the minimum amount of
profile, or something as silly as a duff lamp or not enough water in
the wiper reservoir.
A condemned boiler is the same: in itself, it just means that the
boiler does not meet the required standard at that moment.
Sometimes all it needs is a good clean out. Sometimes it is no
more than a simple gas safety device that is prone to wear and tear,
and therefore has to be replaced periodically.
A very common boiler repair in Bromley is a replacement of the "thermo couple" also known as "flame
failure device" or "oxygen depletion device". The problem is found less in south east London, probably due to the fact that
the housing boom has lead more houses turned into flats and the old system was replaced.
As we all know, the exception proves the rule, and it is
something that is true for boilers and central heating too. The fact
remains however that is far more likely that you can repair the
boiler if you choose to do so, provided the boiler is:
1.) Supplied by a bona fide plumbers merchant.
2.) Designed for the U.K. Market.
3.) Installed by a qualified and registered gas-engineer.
4.) Maintained to a reasonable and safe standard.
What is a bona fide plumbers' merchant in this context?
A company that specialises in supplying central heating
equipment like boilers, cylinders and sometimes boiler spares to the
trade, or at least do this as a significant part of their business.
The majority of these will have a shop floor or trade counter where
you can go to and see what you get. They do NOT have to be
registered to work on gas.
There are companies these days that exclusively or mainly trade
by mailorder or internet, which in itself can be a perfectly
legitimate way of selling. The problem is that most of us can't
afford the time to go there, nor can we usually verify easily who
the company is really run by, where they get there stock, and other
essential factors. This can be an advantage for criminals to work
their scams without being actually seen.
Why does the boiler have to be designed/approved for use in the
U.K., are boilers not the same for all of Europe these days?
The primary reason that a boiler has to be approved for use in
the U.K. is that it is a legal requirement. There are also technical
reasons like the variation in gas composition in different
countries, as well as the pressure under which the gas is used.
What is the importance of the installation by a Registered
Gas Installer?
When a boiler is installed by a central heating engineer who was registered at
the time of installation, and signed off by him, the installer assumes responsibility
for the safety of the installation. This means that the chances that it is all installed
correctly are vastly greater than when it is done by "the chap who knows something about
it from the pub", or the "Polish plumber". They may be cheap, but very few of them are actually
officially registered. This is not something that happens specifically in Bromley or south east London;
it happens all over the country.
What does maintained to a reasonable standard mean?
Boilers operate in an environment of heat, water, electricity, and to complete
it, moving parts. They will need repairing more often if they are not adequately cleaned
internally, have the settings checked and corrected if needed, and worn, damaged or corroded parts
replaced. There is no set time for this, it all depends on the
circumstances. Some boiler manufacturers state every year. Some
prescribe a test, and if the readings are inside given tolerances,
no further action has to be taken. As long as all is done correctly,
boiler and central heating repair does
not have to be a headache if you live in south east London or Bromley
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