Worst time of my life!

[doreengregory]

I had a new central heating system installed by a "well known" national company.
The film should be called, "carry on :nono: up!
I have many, many pictures of the full installation and a story you would not believe, but pictures do not lie. The Gas Safe Register engineer failed it on numerous points.
So, please look at the pictures of the flue (2nd attempt by the company) and they think its ok!
Anybody out there who is near the Atherton area who could make the flue installation look like my neighbours (who just happens to have the same Worcester Bosch boiler and flue) please contact me.
When I have time I will post the full story and all the pictures on here.
Have you ever seen a PRV pipe positioned over a front door?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

may i ask whats wrong with the flue as all i can see (from the pics) its clipped good, screwed together, terminate in a ok place

?????????

 

[doreengregory]

its the lead flashing outside

 

[doreengregory]

If you have a email that I could send you the pictures to, then using the zoom slider to zoom in you would see what I mean but the pictures uploaded on here are blurred

 

[ShaunCorbs]

cant tell 100% but doesnt look too bad (its not ontop and sealed on) whats the other faults and any pics of the install?

but sounds like you havent had a good time

 

[Howsie]

Looks OK.

 

[Howsie]

BTW, if this is the worst time of your life, be thankful you're not having your house rewired.

 

[doreengregory]

https://we.tl/DNBq1Jf6HS
download link

 

[Dotty]

Please don't swear, Doreen. I appreciate you're upset but it's something we don't allow.

 

[Howsie]

https://we.tl/DNBq1Jf6HS
download link

I've no idea why you posted that, same pictures. Am I missing something?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I've no idea why you posted that, same pictures. Am I missing something?

this



says its wrong not 100 but not too bad seen worse

 

[doreengregory]

compared to my neighbours in which the lead is over the tiles looks perfect and not like mine with big gaps and cut tiles on display and lead flashing under the tiles on the left side and over on the right side and big gaps. pictures don't do it justice you have to see it in the flesh so to speak

 

[ShaunCorbs]

compared to my neighbours in which the lead is over the tiles looks perfect and not like mine with big gaps and cut tiles on display and lead flashing under the tiles on the left side and over on the right side and big gaps. pictures don't do it justice you have to see it in the flesh so to speak

as you look at it left hand side is how i would of dont it, dont put it ontop of the tiles as water could seep its way under and in

 

[Best]

The lead slate looks like it will keep it watertight, but lead should really be all on show above the tiles apart from the upper part (at back of flue) which should be up below the tiles for a few inches. Seen a lot worse.

 

[doreengregory]

Pics and story tomorrow time for bed for me now

 

[Best]

If you put the lead below tiles, there is a danger of rain being blown in sideways.
Lead ideally should be over the tiles well beyond the flue and pushed up below the first layer of tiles that are immediately above the upper part of where flue exits roof.
In other words, - you want the rain water to never go below the tiles.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

If you put the lead below tiles, there is a danger of rain being blown in sideways.
Lead ideally should be over the tiles well beyond the flue and pushed up below the first layer of tiles that are immediately above the upper part of where flue exits roof.
In other words, - you want the rain water to never go below the tiles.

normally fillet the sides with cement

 

[Best]

as you look at it left hand side is how i would of dont it, dont put it ontop of the tiles as water could seep its way under and in

I know what you mean Shaun, but even on flat roof tiles like that, the lead slate only has to be plenty big each side of the flue to prevent water entering. Really no different than a tile or slate overlapping another.

 

[tamz]

Rosemary's are a pita.

What are you moaning about. You have a bit of both there and it won't leak lol.

Btw i would have done it all round like the left side (with one tile more cover) which is a better way imo than your neighbours but what do i know i'm only a plumber.

If your not happy get them back.
Btw big gas or whoever it was don't do roofwork. They won't go up more than 2 steps without a harness.
The subby will feel your pain when you complain as it will be kicked straight back to him at his expense.
Btw i agree with you. I'd complain not because it wasn't like next doors but because it wasn't even.

 

[Best]

normally fillet the sides with cement

I guess you could do that and make a decent looking job of it, but the lead will have no support on roofs that have only batons (no solid sarking).
A lot of plumbers seem to just smash the tiles any old place and leave the slate hanging and gradually sagging in the hole.

 

[tamz]

normally fillet the sides with cement

Never put cement on a flashing...............capilliary
Learn how to do it right and there is more than one way to skin a horse but no cement is ever involved.

 

[tamz]

hmmmmm. like hens teeth

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Never put cement on a flashing...............capilliary
Learn how to do it right and there is more than one way to skin a horse but no cement is ever involved.

new one on me never had an issue

 

[tamz]

Yet but you will.

The method of flashing should do the job on its own without having to shove cement silicon or whatever else in to "help" seal it.
One of my pet hates is seeing a cemented in valley. Screams idiot to me. No plumber or as we are now loosing leadwork to roofers, i've ever met would do that.
Miles worse than hacking the back out of a WC with a grinder lol

 

[tamz]

If you put the lead below tiles, there is a danger of rain being blown in sideways.
Lead ideally should be over the tiles well beyond the flue and pushed up below the first layer of tiles that are immediately above the upper part of where flue exits roof.
In other words, - you want the rain water to never go below the tiles.

Depends where you live in the country.The std way in Scotland is under the tiles with a fold on the edge of the flashing. Nothing will ever blow past it.
The std English way is over the tile which with our weather and winds would allow tracking.
Same as you won't ever see a step flashing down a skew up here unless it is soakers. Cos it doesn't work.

 

[Best]

Okay, fair enough guys. :smile:
Most of lead slates I do are thankfully on large tile roofs, and many of which have tiles with rolls on them - lead over the top and over a roll each side and no water could ever get past.
We sometimes get rain here as well. :grin:

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

Honestly cant see any problems whatsoever with that install so far, i think the op dosent know what they are talking about

 

[Riley]

Intrigued to hear "the story"

 

[Rickster123]

Intrigued to hear "the story"

I'm not! Secure flue, screwed and clipped would suggest there's nothing to see here.

I'd imagine there's a subcontractor who's now got to wait longer for his hard earnt money.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I'm not! Secure flue, screwed and clipped would suggest there's nothing to see here.

I'd imagine there's a subcontractor who's now got to wait longer for his hard earnt money.

Depends what the first attempt was like but yea

 

[Riley]

True enough

 

[PriestyUK]

Chanting - Story, Story, Story and Pictures of boiler

 

[lame plumber]

i have to agree with Tamz, wind and capillary effect will cause leaks, I would advize some peeps to have a read of the old leadwork manual again, used to be one at my college until it was acquired, shows you how to install a lead slate properly. but this is a good little article for those new to it Lead slates

 

[doreengregory]

Hi, not got time for the full story so I will just say the quick bits. I will detail the full horror story later. Also I have included a download link to a handful of photos and 2 short videos and the Gas Safe Register report.
The installers bashed through the tiled roof from the inside and my son went outside and saw them trying to bash down the lead flashing from a ladder with a long piece of 22 mm copper pipe because they did not want to go on the roof! Now the roof is in a funny position and should have had scaffolding erected. The contract for installation was for new copper, the old copper should have been removed. They connected plastic pipe to the old copper. The PRV was part copper and part plastic and exited over the front door! The radiator in the master bedroom was like the leaning tower of Pisa. Other radiators were not level as well. Two radiators, one in the master bedroom and the other below it in the front room failed to get warm, even when you turned all the other radiators off! Not forgetting when my husband who has Senile Dementia and who is very ill told me it was raining inside. "Yes ok just go back in the room", "no its raining inside", "yes but go back in the room" and as I escorted him back to the room... guess what? Yes it was raining inside because water was cascading down the walls and window from upstairs from a pipe that the plumber had forgot to cap as he refilled the boiler. My son saw one of the firms van pull up and the driver go inside the house. Guy comes out and says "the installers inform me that you are keeping the old copper hot water tank. My son informs him, no, what you on about? Guy goes back inside then comes out and says "I understand you have informed the installers that you are keeping the copper hot water tank and have already removed it from the premises despite them informing you that I come round on behalf of the company and collect all the old copper. My son informed him "go speak to them because I have not got it or had any conversation like what you are describing. When I complain about the quality of work they say no, you was quoted for plastic. I refute this. Then they say that the installers on the first day came to the house and asked my son did he want copper or plastic but copper will cause more mess so my son said use plastic. My son says rubbish and I thought you said we were quoted for plastic so why would the installers give me an option for copper? So many arguments later they say ok we will change the plastic from the radiators to copper tails. At this point I have had enough and tell them rip all the old copper out and rip all the plastic out and install new copper as per my contract with them, or go away and do what you have to do. So one guy comes back and bless him he has done his best to sort out the mess from the previous installers. he has really tried to sort it all out. So I have more pics of the remedial work to come yet. What I did not like was the field manager turning up unannounced when my son was not present thinking he was going bully me into submission. I am my sick husband are in our mid seventies, but I worked for the local council as a housing manager for 42 years and and have had druggies and all sorts threaten me to try and get council houses so I can hold my own, so he got sent away with a flea in his ear. So now its nearly all finished except for the roof. When I am happy with the roof only then will I pay. The issue with the roof is that the lead flashing has not been installed right, and there are broken tiles on display, and too many tiles are missing. Next door boiler and flue same but different quality of work. Funny thing is the older guy that came to do the remedial work informed that they were sending a younger bloke to go up on the roof. Young guy came and decided to stay on terra firma and so the older guy had to go up on the roof. Like I said the roof where the flue is, is in a dangerous position and that's why I am getting a bad job done on the roof because they can not work proper up on the roof because they do not feel safe. I have had credit control and field managers try to bully me. Rather than man up and bite the bullet and accept it was a crap install and it needs to be sorted, they chose to argue all the way. well, when I get to the point of no return I dig my heels in and its a case of its my way or the highway up to you.
https://we.tl/x9CejtDGOK

 

[SimonG]

Thats a hard read.