Mindless stupidity with gas fires
Discussion
Today I attended a recently vacated rented property to do an annual gas safety check.
To those who aren't aware, any rented domestic property requires one.
The boiler was hot and as I had been asked to service it I turned it off and went to service and inspect a fuel effect gas fire in the dining room/lounge. It wouldn't light although gas was flowing so I stripped it down and found the pilot assembly full of brick dust.....
Out with the hoover and it's all clean and lights OK. A quick inspection of the chimney shows it to be OK as far as I can see, but I put a smoke pellet up it to check integrity and flow and went outside to observe the chimney.
Er....
What chimney?
Close inspection of the roofline shows that in converting the loft to a third bedroom the chimney has been terminated at roof joist level and the flue for the fire is now conveniently beneath the loft bedroom floor and carpet.
Letting agent called the landlord. She said that tenants are under strict instructions not to light the fire.....
Tough s
t. Too late. Ferg's reported it to the HSE.
To those who aren't aware, any rented domestic property requires one.
The boiler was hot and as I had been asked to service it I turned it off and went to service and inspect a fuel effect gas fire in the dining room/lounge. It wouldn't light although gas was flowing so I stripped it down and found the pilot assembly full of brick dust.....
Out with the hoover and it's all clean and lights OK. A quick inspection of the chimney shows it to be OK as far as I can see, but I put a smoke pellet up it to check integrity and flow and went outside to observe the chimney.
Er....
What chimney?
Close inspection of the roofline shows that in converting the loft to a third bedroom the chimney has been terminated at roof joist level and the flue for the fire is now conveniently beneath the loft bedroom floor and carpet.
Letting agent called the landlord. She said that tenants are under strict instructions not to light the fire.....
Tough s
t. Too late. Ferg's reported it to the HSE.Simpo Two said:
Presumably the work was done in the last year, not to have been spotted in the last annual check?
It has definitely been done longer than that. I climbed out onto the roof through a Velux to get pictures of the missing chimney and the mortar is a few years old I reckon. It's been rented too. I'd love to see a copy of last year's certificate...see who's name is on it, 'cos there's a shower of st heading their way.Edited by Ferg on Wednesday 19th May 18:55
Scary thing is Ferg, I know of a few Gas Engineers who are too lazy to do Flue Flow tests, the do the spillage test and leave it at that.
I've lost count of the amount of times a customer has said to me "No one has ever looked in the loft before" or " No-one has ever asked to see the gas meter before". Makes you wonder what these so called Gas Safe Engineers actually do on a Landlord Safety Check!
I went to a boiler service today and the Lady mentioned it makes a loud bang on start-up. Didn't it just! The burner was operating at 3 mbar for 5-10 seconds before the ignition sequence stared, the whole boiler was shaking!
She said she mentioned it to the guy who serviced it last year and he said it was fine! Not every Gas Safe Engineer is Gas Safe!
I've lost count of the amount of times a customer has said to me "No one has ever looked in the loft before" or " No-one has ever asked to see the gas meter before". Makes you wonder what these so called Gas Safe Engineers actually do on a Landlord Safety Check!
I went to a boiler service today and the Lady mentioned it makes a loud bang on start-up. Didn't it just! The burner was operating at 3 mbar for 5-10 seconds before the ignition sequence stared, the whole boiler was shaking!
She said she mentioned it to the guy who serviced it last year and he said it was fine! Not every Gas Safe Engineer is Gas Safe!
Fukkit, I just light a match and if I'm still there after five seconds it's OK 
Parachutist jumps from plane, chute fails, reserve fails.
As he's plummeting towards eath deciding which field he's going to hit, he sees a bloke coming up towards him.
As they pass he shouts across 'Oi mate, do you know anything about parachutes?'
'Nah mate, know anything about gas cookers?'
Parachutist jumps from plane, chute fails, reserve fails.
As he's plummeting towards eath deciding which field he's going to hit, he sees a bloke coming up towards him.
As they pass he shouts across 'Oi mate, do you know anything about parachutes?'
'Nah mate, know anything about gas cookers?'
Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 19th May 21:08
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