New Combi Boiler but No Flush and No Filter?

[Stevekane]

Our friends have just had their old combi boiler replaced with a new Worcester Combi, Brit Gas did the job and despite their system being 15 or more years old they did not flush the system and the fitter told them that they didnt need a filter because the water looked clean!
They say they have a 5 years G/tee but whilst Im not certain I think its actually a B/Gas extended warranty that they are paying £160 per year for that extends the basic boiler g/tee from 2 to 5 yrs. my concerns are that the lack of a filter might even invalidate any warenty they have and that a flushed system and a filter fitted with a yearly service might have given them an 8 or 10yrs G/tee. I dont want to press the point with them as they are very “old school” and very taken with B/G but Ive suggested that they should just check the situation with B/G viz a viz their warranty.
Any thoughts?

 

[MARK.B.]

Could be be they just paid for a boiler to be changed and even though it would be best practice to flush through and use a corrosion inhibitor they may have been extras as would the fitting of a mag filter. Strange though BG and others usually offer these and often push try to persuade the customer to have them done,would be wise to check the warranty bit about having a mag filter fitted.

 

[Jameshow]

How old are they perhaps they aren't concerned as they feel it will outlast them??

We have a WB boiler and have yet to have it serviced it was fitted almost a decade ago by the previous owners and going by the work done I doubt it has a filter!

Worth getting a service agd flush?

 

[Jasper42]

Not sure if it is still the case but flushing the system was part of commissioning the boiler, without which the manufacturers warranty was void! Once completed the benchmark form should be completed.

Boiler Commissioning Checklist:​

Cleansing the system
Once the heating system has been installed, it is very important that it is cleansed as per manufacturer instructions. This involves flushing the new system. This will prevent Black Magnetite flowing through the heat exchanger of your new boiler.

Add a good corrosion inhibitor and refilling
Once the system has been cleansed a corrosion inhibitor will need to be added. This will protect radiators, and prevent hydrogen gas from forming within the system. This makes your boiler more efficient and helps prevent corrosion and future repairs. Engineers highly recommend that one of these is installed for the boiler’s long durability and to save future repairs and mone

Could be be they just paid for a boiler to be changed and even though it would be best practice to flush through and use a corrosion inhibitor they may have been extras as would the fitting of a mag filter. Strange though BG and others usually offer these and often push try to persuade the customer to have them done,would be wise to check the warranty bit about having a mag filter fitted.

 

[Jasper42]

Just looked on the BG website as I’m genuinely intrigued, I maybe wrong but do not see how you can compete the benchmark certificate without flushing the system. I’m not gas safe so not really my area but a level 2 plumber and I remember being told this on my course. Think the fitted was cutting corners. I’d be on the phone to complain

4. Getting the right documentation​

To comply with Building Regulations and Gas Safe rules, all Gas Safe businesses need to notify the local authorities whenever they install a new gas appliance. And they should give you a Building Regulations Certificate, as well as a completed Benchmark Certificate, to prove compliance. Be sure to query this if it doesn’t happen

 

[Jasper42]

Edit, according to the form on the link below it should be flushed

https://www.hhic.org.uk/uploads/5BE2B7AF1A9B0.pdf

 

[Fergie 307]

If you are going to fit a filter I would recommend a twin flow type, with a magnet and a particulates filter. We had a few issues with the hot water exchanger getting blocked, had a magnetic filter but the stuff causing the problem appeared to be scale. I suspect this may be coming from a couple of old rads and associated pipework. Fitting a twin flow filter cured the problem. Emptied it out after a few months and there was a spoon full of non metallic crud in the particulate filter, enough to have bunged up the HE. The system had been flushed before, and I have always put inhibitor in. Can't speak for how it was maintained before so can only assume this stuff is a legacy of past poor maintenance.

 

[Adam W.]

Snip/ Brit Gas did the job /snip

There's your problem, right there ☝︎

 

[user 35906]

I guess they gave it a quick flush using a cleaner 'which is still classed as a flush' if the system was reasonably clean to start with rather than a much more intensive and expensive power flush using a flushing machine. This can be done by running the system hot with a cleaner added for the minimum time stated on cleaners bottle then the system emptied and refilled with inhibitor added. Depending an the pipework around the boiler we used to fit a drain tap on the opposite side of the boiler to the filling loop so with one of the boiler valves turned off, water from the cold main could be sent around the system and back to this drain tap. Surprised they didn't fit a filter though.

 

[Stevekane]

Many thanks everyone, all variously saying much the same and confirming my thoughts. To add to the above I think they are in fact now on their third boiler, so the system is probably 30yrs old or ore and the chap maintains its never had any inhibiter because the original system had one of those “electrical gizmos” that wrap around the flow or return which was fitted by I believe Brit Gas which surprised me, its still fitted and “working”,, but given that they have always had their boiler serviced by BG I would think that one of the fitters would have added Fernox to the system at some point over the years. Anyway their is nothing I can do about it, I gently suggesseted to them that they check if they would have got a longer warranty with a filter fitted but they looked rather grumpy that I should somehow be sticking my nose in,,so its probably best to leave it and I keep my fingers crossed for them.
Btw I beleive that many boilers now come with there own branded filter which they insist is fitted.
Any thanks for everyones help.
Steve

 

[tsb]

It's a shame they went with BG and not had a shop around at boiler manufacturers who offer 10 warranties on their boilers. All you have to do to keep the warranty is to get it serviced once a year, which should be cheaper than £160

 

[Spectric]

Our friends have just had their old combi boiler replaced with a new Worcester Combi, Brit Gas did the job and despite their system being 15 or more years old they did not flush the system and the fitter told them that they didnt need a filter because the water looked clean!

Cowboys, as the knowledgeable person you are there to not only do the job but advise the customer in order to deliver a good job that will last. Modern boilers, especially combi's do not like any debris or such in the water and need a filter, if they had at least fitted a filter then the boiler would have been protected but it should have been flushed and refilled with clean water and inhibitor to reduce corrosion which leads to debris. What is annoying it that these guys get their "gas safe " certification to hopefully do a safe job but don't go all the way to deliver a great job, yes standards are in free fall.

 

[Stevekane]

It's a shame they went with BG and not had a shop around at boiler manufacturers who offer 10 warranties on their boilers. All you have to do to keep the warranty is to get it serviced once a year, which should be cheaper than £160

Exactly my thoughts esp as its a Worcester Greenstar which is I think one of the manufacturers that does just that,,it slightly concerns me that if the boiler breaks down and they put the problem down to a blocked heat exchanger that they might not have any warranty at all?
Steve.

 

[user 35906]

Look in the benchmark book that has to be filled in and left with the customer and if it hasn't changed since I retired there will be boxes to be filled in by the installer stating what brand of cleaner and inhibitor was used.

 

[Jameshow]

I'd get it serviced next year by WB explain the BG cowboys and get it flushed to the gold standard?

 

[baldkev]

Bg did a boiler service for me a few years ago, including a 'clean through'. The following year it broke down and I got w/b breakdown service. It cost me, but the service guy replaced lots of parts because he had them and when he took the jacket off he was suprised it had carried on that long. Apparently it most definitely could not have been cleaned.... weve now got a new wb 4000, with magnaclean. I wasnt here when i was done so hopefully he flushed it through properly