Help appreciated for back boiler ventilation problem

[MAG]

So until I have a report from the contractor saying "Safe" then it's still AR? Even if I've verbally been told it's safe to use?

 

[MAG]

Sorry, the only reason why I ask is because the LL is still refusing to give me any form of heating as he believes the verbal confirmation of the contractor means that there is no longer an AR by SG. I know legally we are entitled to heating from when the AR notice is received but his response is that he dealt with it quickly and the contractor has said its safe so we have no right to heating at all.

 

[REDSAW]

some of my earliest memories are when we lived in a mid-terrace.
3 of us in a bed, no heating, frost on the inside of the windows, cold ears etc.
one xmas my dad bought us an electric wall mounted element heater that we were allowed to turn on until we fell asleep. i think i was about 4, my sister 6 my brother 2 years old.

how times have changed now with the dependance of gas central heating but i still cant afford the gas to run it.lol.

sorry i said that out load didnt i,..?

 

[MAG]

I could afford gas until I moved into said house with a back boiler. I nearly had a fit when my first bill came through. The lovely SG engineer who turned off my heating explained how inefficient and expensive they are so maybe he thought he was doing me a favour. Lol.

 

[Mike Jackson]

As far as I'm concerned you need something in writing from the contractor to say that the AR problem has been rectified and the issue is now NCS. The fact that they seem unwilling to do so rings alarm bells for me. Every bit of gas work that I do is accompanied by a form stating what I have done. 2 weeks ago I turned a boiler off due to a flue problem, I issued a warning notice and labelled the boiler as AR. Last week I returned and ran a new flue for it, as well as turning it back on I issued a certificate stating what action I had taken to make it safe to use again.

It's all about covering your backside to me and if someone is not willing to put a statement in writing then there must be some doubt. If there is doubt the sensible thing is to err on the side of caution.

 

[MAG]

Agreed. I don't know if they are refusing to give a written report because they missed the NCS ventilation in September 2011 and in November 2011 and/or they've fitted the floor vent in September 2011 knowing it to be NCS.

In my mind, without this most recent report the situation is still AR regardless of the LL conveniently believing that their contractor is in the right.

Will need to phone Gas Safe tomorrow to check if the contractors are required under regulations to supply me with a report of their findings and if they can tell me categorically that without it we are still AR. Poor guys are going to be sick of me!

Also, a technical question here! When taking into account ventilation requirements is it only the floor vent and outdoor vents of the room concerned that is taken into consideration? Or can the engineer take every outdoor vent around the house into consideration.

 

[kirkgas]

Agreed. I don't know if they are refusing to give a written report because they missed the NCS ventilation in September 2011 and in November 2011 and/or they've fitted the floor vent in September 2011 knowing it to be NCS.

In my mind, without this most recent report the situation is still AR regardless of the LL conveniently believing that their contractor is in the right.

Will need to phone Gas Safe tomorrow to check if the contractors are required under regulations to supply me with a report of their findings and if they can tell me categorically that without it we are still AR. Poor guys are going to be sick of me!

Also, a technical question here! When taking into account ventilation requirements is it only the floor vent and outdoor vents of the room concerned that is taken into consideration? Or can the engineer take every outdoor vent around the house into consideration.

you can only use ventilation that has a path to the boiler, direct from the same room is best as its less likely to be compromised, however indirect ventilation through another room(s) can be used if properly fitted,
re the current situation, verbal advice means nothing, you r landlord is trying to be fly by using that as an excuse to save the money, you need to start playing hard ball and demand some immediate action, first with the letting agent then as i had said before pressure on the contractor who said it was safe, they will/should be jittery if they know you are going legal/GSR with it (but i can guarantee you the letting agent will drop the contractor who said it was safe right in the doo-doo with GSR by saying "oh sorry i didnt know it was AR cause my contractor told me it was safe") a point you shouldnt miss when you speak to the contractor, play them against each other, and if the contractor thinks he will take a hit from GSR for mis-classifying (and he will) then he might fix it for you
good luck

 

[missplumb]

another issue to take into consideration with the outside air bricks is that they are also there to ventilate the floor to prevent the timber joists from damp and rotting. If we started ducting the vents straight up to the floor vents then it could cause other problems. As has been said, the stadium vent is the quickest and easiest way to sort it. Hope you get something sorted out quickly.

 

[MAG]

Morning. Just to let you know I've spoken to Gas Safe this morning and they've confirmed the following.

Contractor should be giving me decision in writing to negate the AG by SG
Floor vent fitted in September 2011 should never have been fitted without ducting.
Contractor should have noted this to be NCS when doing their GSIR and in their November visit
Only 2 vents under the window can be relied upon as there is no proven direct pathway to the boiler from the other 3 vents.

He said I should put a complaint in and the local inspector will contact me. Think this is the only way forward as neither the letting agent or contractor are budging.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

good this is just what you need. hopefully things will start moving now and the contractors get a rocket up the you know what.

 

[MAG]

Hi. Just wanted to drop by and say thanks to everyone for their advice.

LL has finally agreed to a core vent through the wall so we had this fitted today. The plumber doing it was fantastic and whole heartedly agreed with SG and their "At Risk" notice. Said the work that had been carried out and subsequent inspections were a joke.

So all in all we're back to being happy living in a house with a sub-standard boiler and expensive gas bill 🙂

Thanks to everyone. You've made a stressed out and cold lady very happy.

Cheers.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

thanks for letting us know the outcome

 

[zzzjim]

I use somewhere with one of these "reliable antiques" , and treated my self to a battery Carbon Monoxide alarm .Now they are less than £20 .