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Hi

I had an engineer who has been three times and replaces three items on a 1999 Gloworm ultimate boiler. Fan, PCB and gas valve has been changed.

Although the boiler works now, there is still problem when it is firing up. It takes a few attempts to fully fire up. I have messaged the engineer with a video of it looks and he has said they need to visit again.

I am just wondering if I have to pay them again - I have already spent £600 and would expect to have this working by now. Any advice please?
 
I know it’s a bit late now but gloworm offer a fixed price repair around £300 all parts and labour included
 
Hi

I had an engineer who has been three times and replaces three items on a 1999 Gloworm ultimate boiler. Fan, PCB and gas valve has been changed.

Although the boiler works now, there is still problem when it is firing up. It takes a few attempts to fully fire up. I have messaged the engineer with a video of it looks and he has said they need to visit again.

I am just wondering if I have to pay them again - I have already spent £600 and would expect to have this working by now. Any advice please?
How come he's replaced all 3? Did they actually need replacing or could he not work out the problem.

The issue you're talking of is a simple issue, an experienced installer should be able to resolve quite easily. You may require another part though, as when you dismantle what's required they usually snap off!
 
Parts are very expensive and you have a few hundred pounds worth there.
Its hard to know about your particular situation as there isnt enough info to go on.

Is it still the same problem or a new problem each time?
 
Parts are very expensive and you have a few hundred pounds worth there.
Its hard to know about your particular situation as there isnt enough info to go on.

Is it still the same problem or a new problem each time?
Thanks all

The problem first happened three weeks ago. The engineer as part of his checks found the PCB fuse for the fan kept blowing off. We replaced it with a reconditioned fan from a company called Adlink in London.

When he replaced the fan the he there was something wrong with the PCB itself the fan was working but noticed something on the PCB wasnt working. I cant remember what though now. So replaced it with a reconditioned PCB from Adlink also. At this point it was working again. Two days later the boiler pilot light was working but the main burner wasnt working.

The engineer came back again and noticed that although the PCB was feeding power to the second valve it wasnt working again. So replaced the gas valve with a brand new one. It looked fine when the job was complete. This was two days ago.

That night I noticed the it takes a few bangs for the main burner to fully comeon. The heating itself working but when I messaged the engineer with the video he says it doesnt look right and another visit due on Monday. He also thinks it's not dangerous.

Not really sure what to do now...I am based in west London and does glowworm do the entire work for £300 here?

The engineer seems reasonable and he has been in this industry for 30 years also. What concerns me after his visit on Monday how do I know it will be fine? Or is it time I should look to getting a new boiler? When I asked the engineer he said I dont need a new one and what I have is fine even though its 21 years old
 
Thanks all

The problem first happened three weeks ago. The engineer as part of his checks found the PCB fuse for the fan kept blowing off. We replaced it with a reconditioned fan from a company called Adlink in London.

When he replaced the fan the he there was something wrong with the PCB itself the fan was working but noticed something on the PCB wasnt working. I cant remember what though now. So replaced it with a reconditioned PCB from Adlink also. At this point it was working again. Two days later the boiler pilot light was working but the main burner wasnt working.

The engineer came back again and noticed that although the PCB was feeding power to the second valve it wasnt working again. So replaced the gas valve with a brand new one. It looked fine when the job was complete. This was two days ago.

That night I noticed the it takes a few bangs for the main burner to fully comeon. The heating itself working but when I messaged the engineer with the video he says it doesnt look right and another visit due on Monday. He also thinks it's not dangerous.

Not really sure what to do now...I am based in west London and does glowworm do the entire work for £300 here?

The engineer seems reasonable and he has been in this industry for 30 years also. What concerns me after his visit on Monday how do I know it will be fine? Or is it time I should look to getting a new boiler? When I asked the engineer he said I dont need a new one and what I have is fine even though its 21 years old
To be fair, I have one myself that's 20 years old and they're a cracking boiler (My PCB has just been playing up too!) Serviced correctly you'll have very little trouble with them tbh.

Your last issue, myself wouldn't have diagnosed it as the gas valve (especially now with the current issue). So I doubt you ever really needed that part - although it's hard to say without you inspecting it yourself.

You may as well stick with it now and get it fixed. The current issue is an easy fix, although as your aren't an engineer we can't say what it is.
 
To be fair, I have one myself that's 20 years old and they're a cracking boiler (My PCB has just been playing up too!) Serviced correctly you'll have very little trouble with them tbh.

Your last issue, myself wouldn't have diagnosed it as the gas valve (especially now with the current issue). So I doubt you ever really needed that part - although it's hard to say without you inspecting it yourself.

You may as well stick with it now and get it fixed. The current issue is an easy fix, although as your aren't an engineer we can't say what it is.
Thanks I will call the engineer on Monday for a visit.
 
Thanks all

The problem first happened three weeks ago. The engineer as part of his checks found the PCB fuse for the fan kept blowing off. We replaced it with a reconditioned fan from a company called Adlink in London.

When he replaced the fan the he there was something wrong with the PCB itself the fan was working but noticed something on the PCB wasnt working. I cant remember what though now. So replaced it with a reconditioned PCB from Adlink also. At this point it was working again. Two days later the boiler pilot light was working but the main burner wasnt working.

The engineer came back again and noticed that although the PCB was feeding power to the second valve it wasnt working again. So replaced the gas valve with a brand new one. It looked fine when the job was complete. This was two days ago.

That night I noticed the it takes a few bangs for the main burner to fully comeon. The heating itself working but when I messaged the engineer with the video he says it doesnt look right and another visit due on Monday. He also thinks it's not dangerous.

Not really sure what to do now...I am based in west London and does glowworm do the entire work for £300 here?

The engineer seems reasonable and he has been in this industry for 30 years also. What concerns me after his visit on Monday how do I know it will be fine? Or is it time I should look to getting a new boiler? When I asked the engineer he said I dont need a new one and what I have is fine even though its 21 years old

yep most manufacturers offer a fixed price repair
 
Do you think they'd go out at that age? Think Worcesters is 15 years max isn't it.

yep well they did a classic for me in 2019

also I had Worcester go out to an old cdi this year that was around 19 years old I think
 
yep most manufacturers offer a fixed price repair
aren’t we just taking the food out of our own mouths here? As a one man outfit I never mention this to my customers, I’d be just sat at home while the big companies make another Gazziliion pounds to pay their fat cat CEO.
On the only occasion I did, which was to a friend btw, it was a Worcester left block pinhole which sprayed water onto the gas valve and pcb destroying them both, Worcester fixed it for 250 all in, I couldn’t even buy all the parts for that money.
 
aren’t we just taking the food out of our own mouths here? As a one man outfit I never mention this to my customers, I’d be just sat at home while the big companies make another Gazziliion pounds to pay their fat cat CEO.
On the only occasion I did, which was to a friend btw, it was a Worcester left block pinhole which sprayed water onto the gas valve and pcb destroying them both, Worcester fixed it for 250 all in, I couldn’t even buy all the parts for that money.

its one of them I find customer relations is worth more you would be better off swapping the boiler if your planning on not going down a fixed price repair when it’s £500 plus on a 10 plus year old boiler

best thing you can do is be open give them the option
 
This is really useful to know. Is the fixed price of £300 minimum charge and have to pay everytime for each callout? In my case the issue was found 3 times in a space of 3 weeks and would that have been 300 x 3? The boiler appear to be working when the engineer leaves and new problem happens after they leave.

Or is the charge until the boiler is fully fixed - how do you determine this.

I suppose not all fix requires parts to be replaced and will the manufacturer still charge £300 for each call out? As a customer I also wouldn't know that there is problem with parts when the boiler breaks and if the manufacturer charges me £300 just to fix a one off simple issue then it's cheaper to call a local engineer
 
£300 to fix the issue and get the boiler back working as it was at day one, so one charge

I suspect the issue is with one of the parts he’s changed as there not that complex the old boilers

yes simple repair/ fault finding I would always recommend a local engy but the engineer should know / advise the customer look I can fix it but parts alone come to 325 plus labour but I would recommend going with a one off fixed price repair from the manufacturer as it’s 275-325 depending on manufacturer but the choice is yours

ive has some customers opt for my repair others have gone with manufacturers and thanked me for giving them the option
 
Thanks. I wish my engineer told me about this.

In my case I will call the engineer out to fix the repeated bangs and see what he says to have whatever the issue to be fixed here. Do you think this is the correct thing to do?

Just for future reference l, say if the boiler breaks again in 6 months will Glowworm still be able to look at this as it has a reconditioned fan and PCB installed including a new Gas valve?
 
He shouldn’t charge you for the repeat call out unless it’s something new as the pcb controls the start up and tbh I don’t fit recon parts

I would ask them but wouldn’t say there recon parts also by now your around the cost of parts for a new boiler around 1k

it’s down to engineers judgment when to advise / give the option for a new boiler,
 

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