Where has common sense gone?

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Where has common sense gone?

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mitchellcook

I had to shut down a kingfisher mk 2 o/f boiler on Wednesday because the flue was cracked in two pieces just above the flue spigot (5'' asbestos). You could literally pull the flue to the side and see the heat exchanger. Cant believe they were still standing as there were major signs of incomplete combustion.

The retired gent seemed fine at the time and agreed that I could shut it down and understood how dangerous it was.

Just got an angry phone call from said gentleman. He said he got one of these big fast response firms out who 'temporarily patched' the flue together and left the boiler on for them. He said his wife and son are fuming at me thinking im just trying to sell a new boiler. He then went on to say 'fair enough you saved us from co poisoning but we could die from hypothermia'. Couldn't believe what I was hearing especially as he's a retired doctor and should know the dangers of co.

The cherry on the cake for me is that his wife is writing a stern letter to gas safe to 'report me'. In the words of Gary Neville himself, UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Wonder if this fast response company are gs registered, cause I can't imagine anyone stupid enough to leave that boiler on and risk lives and their career.
 
Get the gas supplier to go round tell them you I'd it and someone else has put it back on. If its ok then you have not lost any sleep, but could be great just to hear its cut off!
 
report them to gas safe and look out for absolutely no response as the customer wont complain as their boiler is back working again with a patched up flue!!!!!!!!!! Or as above ID through the door and tell transco to cut it off
 
Anyone who patch repairs an open flue is a complete idiot. I'd wish them good luck and move on.
 
Yeah could do. I'm not worried about gs because I know that I was completely in the right.

Didn't think that you could/or was allowed to patch up an asbestos flue that was in two pieces
 
Split collar and band it but not really recommended and i can guarantee you he never had one in the van.
More likely slapped a bit foil tape around it.
 
I didn't actually take the phone call, my dad did. I wish I did take the call then i could have asked a few questions about the repair and company used. Also i dont want to rock the boat too much just yet because they still owe me half a grand for changing their cylinder on said day.
 
Advise they call gas safe to report it because as you told them it is ID. When they don't do it they won't be able to mess you around for your dosh.
 
I agree with Tamz.
Repair it with a split collar and job is done, n need for unnecessary dramatics.
 
I think my dad said that the customer will pay for the cylinder swap, but he probably wont be taking me up on the boiler swap estimate. I've got a feeling that 'temporary repair wont be so temporary.
 
You won't get an asbestos one unless you know someone with one lying around in their yard but you can get metal ones.
 
What is a split collar BTW? I think I would be having a word with them and putting them straight. You've done all you can, if someone else goes there and creates an ID situation, then the home owner chose to listen to them over you and therefore they are the ones to blame.
 
A split collar consists of two halves of slightly oversized flue pipe which are clamped to the existing flue to make a seal.
A little like a slip coupling that is opens up.
 
OK. Available for asbestos? I'm just interested tbh, I've never worked on any, I once saw some installed in an old house that was empty & the boiler had been ID'd already. I wasn't there doing work either.
 
It was good practice to come off an open flued boiler then have a split collar fitted. This enabled the flue to be separated from the boiler if any work needed to be done.
Basically a section of split oversized flue about 6" long and a big jubilee clip.
 
Don't know what it is about Kingfisher owners! I ID'd one once because it was heavily sooted and flames were coming out the front of the burner! The guy was on holiday at the time, I phoned him to explain and he had a right go at me! Moaning that he'd be cold when he got home!

Yes you'll be cold, but you have the luxury of still being alive. I used to take it personally when some kicked off about their boiler being shut down, I've heard every sob story under the sun, I'm ill, my Son/ Mother/ Dog is disabled, I've got a baby etc...... As soon as they start to kick off, I tell them to either let me shut it down or the gas board will shut the entire supply off from outside!

If you are so dependent on heat you should have a back up source!
 
lame plumber said:
report them to gas safe and look out for absolutely no response as the customer wont complain as their boiler is back working again with a patched up flue!!!!!!!!!! Or as above ID through the door and tell transco to cut it off
Click to expand...

i have done all the going down the gas safe route and got nowere the customer is always the winner there not intrested unless we fail to pay our fees they say there about safety but ive just found out there not as theve done the same to me and let someone else switch on a boiler thats been id,d us installers have no rights we have to be acs,d up to the hilt and get done if your not but still have no rights when it comes to dangerous customers
 
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Haha, Ricky I like the bit when you say a customer moans because of their disabled dog, just imagine it now
 
wait till a tenant says hes going to get his gun and shoot you, then runs upstairs, for turning off an appliance. I have never run so fast in my life.
 
if the custard gets at all uptight, just do the paperwork, get them to sign it, off to van and call transco to cut off, simples. then customer has a bill to reconnect as well
 
once, and then he reported me to trading standards!!!!!!!!!!
 
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