British Gas HomeCare - Corrosion

[ChillyBilly]

My 8 year-old boiler was condemned 2 weeks ago due to corrosion. The BG engineer says that the corrosion at the rear of the boiler means the unit is no longer sealed/safe for use.

We have had British Gas HomeCare 200 since before our Potterton Suprima 60 was installed, BG have been servicing it and taking care of it since then. We have had 8 breakdown calls since it was new as well as annual services. At no point have we been advised of any corrosion. The corrosion has clearly been going on for years (I have photos if it helps) – and I believe that BG should have spotted it and dealt with it within the 7 year time frame.

The boiler was leaking water so we called out BG, they came and diagnosed a problem with the heat exchanger. New one ordered, then engineer came to fit it. He condemned boiler as there was a huge amount of corrosion at the rear of the boiler where the water pipe attached. He told me that this couldn’t be seen until the heat exchanger was removed.

Now we have no boiler and apparently no leg to stand on. If the boiler was less than 7 years-old they would have to replace it under the terms of the policy.

There is a second area of corrosion also on the heat exchanger – at the front. Incredibly visible once the outer cover is removed. Not just a bit of rust, but the metal has been eaten away to the point where the hole to attach the heat exchanger is not secure.

I have phoned and emailed but at this stage, no joy – last I was told it was ‘just one of those things’ and basically it is my tough luck that I am without heat and water and that I now need to purchase a new boiler... ANY advice or help will be so gratefully appreciated, it is very cold here!

[watchinginvestigation2010]

Would it be worth asking them if they would except the judgement on the corossion by an idependant engineer. As in if you can get it on paper that the corossion was obvious, then british gas should pay any fees to get the boiler replaced elsewhere etc.....See what they think, I mean they shouldnt worry that the advice would differ from their own staff should they?

 

As long as engineer is gas safe and from reputable company they shouldnt argue.

[ihateyes]

I would be asking an independant if the water pipe was fitted correctly, as it may not have been installed correctly, saying that 8yrs on, hard to prove, that no one tampered with it.

 

Unfortunately i dont think you have a leg to stand on..... When was the heat exchanger originally replaced????

[ChillyBilly]

#2 & #3 thank you so much for your advice. Am currently waiting on a call back from BG, so will see what they have to say. Boiler was mended and serviced in October last year - I can't imagine that it has corroded since then.

 

The heat exchanger hasn't been replaced as yet, it was when the repair man came to fit it that he mentioned the corrosion.

 

The corrosion is not on the heat exchanger but the metal casing for the boiler and the plate/arm at the side that holds the heat exchanger in place. Just seems odd that a piece of metal plate inside the boiler (that you could see as soon as you remove the outer cover) can be rusted away so that a bit about 5cm x 4cm is completely missing and no-one mentioned it.

 

If you have any more information that would be great, or if you would like to see the photos of the boiler they are on flickr, I can't post the link here, but you are welcome to PM me for the link. Thanks again for your replies.

[MrHandyman]

Was your boiler fitted by BG or by an independant engineer?

 

If you could see the corrosion as soon as the boiler casing was removed, then I would have thought it should have been identified by any service or repair engineer whilst carrying out work.

 

Detail your complaint to BG in writing, and make sure the complaint details that the BG engineers have either previously missed this fault, causing it to become irrepairable, or the most recent engineer has incorrectly condemned your boiler.

[traffer]

So,

A piece of sheet metal that can be fairly easily be fabricated and securely attached the the sound boiler casing will fix the problem? I take it that the corrosion is not in an area that is under water or gas pressure.

[maxgas]

This boiler is a room sealed boiler, the safety of this boiler will be compromised if there is a hole in the casing as the products

of combustion will be able to escape into the room, which will have dangerous consequences.

I have come across so many customers now who have been paying for this cover for years and years and then they have a problem like this and find that they have no come back to British Gas. When will consumers learn. British Gas has a clause, or should I say a few clauses to cover them, if the boiler is beyond economical repair then they are not responsible. If you have to many call outs

from them. they will then say that the problem is due to Sludge and you need a Powerflush, which you have to pay for.

At the end of the day they are a large business and are only interested in the bottom line, and that is profit, not the customer.

 

Take my advice get another boiler fitted by a independent gas installer and if it goes wrong just pay for the repairs as and when required. You can try edited if you are in the Greater London Area.

Edited July 12, 2011 by cerberusalert

[ihateyes]

This boiler is a room sealed boiler, the safety of this boiler will be compromised if there is a hole in the casing as the products

of combustion will be able to escape into the room, which will have dangerous consequences.

I have come across so many customers now who have been paying for this cover for years and years and then they have a problem like this and find that they have no come back to British Gas. When will consumers learn. British Gas has a clause, or should I say a few clauses to cover them, if the boiler is beyond economical repair then they are not responsible. If you have to many call outs

from them. they will then say that the problem is due to Sludge and you need a Powerflush, which you have to pay for.

At the end of the day they are a large business and are only interested in the bottom line, and that is profit, not the customer.

 

Take my advice get another boiler fitted by a independent gas installer and if it goes wrong just pay for the repairs as and when required. You can try edited if you are in the Greater London Area.

 

im afraid the RULES of this forum is you CANT ADVERTISE your own business.

Anyway i wouldnt trust a local guy anyhow.

Agreements has t&c's, you pay what you get for. The unfortunate thing is people dont read them to see what is or what isnt covered, then are unhappy when told.

 

Il ask you a question....... would you replace a heat exchanger for £204?

Ive read peoples posts on various forums whereby they like these agreements as for say £250, they have pcbs/heat exchangers, and a pump fitted?? doubt anyone would get all that for £250 of you??

 

i rest my case.

thank you

Edited July 12, 2011 by cerberusalert

[maxgas]

No you are quite right I would not put a heat exchanger in for that price, more like £450.00. However if one of my customers had a problem like that I would advise that they replace the boiler and not waste their money, if it has got to that stage. It is all very well having pcbs, pumps changed for £200 per year, but if you add that up over 10 years it is £2000.00 or more and then their is a chance that they will not repair it due to sludge, so you will still have to pay for the repair on top. If you paid for each repair as it happens it would not come to that amount, one of my customers was being charged £400 per year for their British Gas cover because they had multiple claims, and then they

said that they would not cover it unless they paid £800 for a powerflush , and then they said they need a new boiler. Sounds like a bargain !

 

I thank you.

[MrHandyman]

I disagree, maxgas.

 

I accept that the BG agreement may not be for everyone, but a vast majority of people make good use of it and get their money's worth.

 

A £400 per year agreement with British Gas is likely a plan which includes much more than just the boiler and central heating. If the customer did not have a powerflush then it would only be repairs relating to hot water parts which are not included and the rest of the agreement would still be honoured.

 

Also, a standard Central Heating agreement includes a yearly service which has a value in itself - it is incorrect to advise the full charge from BG is only for the repair cover.

[maxgas]

I am not saying everyone is unhappy with the cover, if they were then no one would sign up for the product. What I am saying is that in over 25 years of

doing this work, I would say that 8 out of 10 customers that I have come across have repeated the same story over and over, and that they are not happy.

I have been paying for 10 years, I need a powerflush, cannot get the parts, 6 different engineers cannot fix it, I have been waiting weeks in the cold etc.etc blar blar blar.

 

As regard the fact that a service is included, if you think sticking a probe in the flue and testing the co/co2 is a service the you are mistaken.

A service should include, stripping the boiler, cleaning the heat exchanger, burners, checking ignition gaps, checking burner pressure, gas rate, checking safety devices,

expansion vessel pressure , water pressure if sealed system, cleaning condensate trap, co/co2 etc.

 

What British Gas do is a Safety Check not a service.

 

 

But it is a free country and everyone has a choice.

[seen this before]

i have a potterton suprima 40 boiler now eleven years old there is not a lot to go wrong in these except the infamous circuit board solder contacts but this is repairable diy.

 

open the case is illegal for for non corgi gas members,the dangers in combustion refereed to is carbon monoxide gas this can occur in a an appliance that is poorly vented and is fatal,its an easy boiler to work on and corrosion on the heat exchanger is normal as it is on any cast iron.

 

http://www.partsarena.co.uk/baxi/System/DATA/Dx/DS1/installation/2221/I04-2221/I04-2221.htm#z7faultfindingguide

 

here is a diagram of the boiler once studied it falls in to place,theres no pump inside the boiler its in the airing cupboard.the heat exchanger has an input output pipe which is attached,a system should have a corrosion inhibitor installed in the system.