part L energy efficiency

[mike_s]

I have passed my ACS, ccn1, cookers, fires, boilers, water heaters, cpa1. I've been installing boilers with my dad for 6 years (he is gas safe registered) do I need this energy efficiency qualification too? He did it a few years ago, does everybody bother?

 

[stevetheplumber]

ive managed to never take it and no one has queried it yet

 

[mike_s]

probably leave it til next year then as it seems the case no ones really bothered. I'm doing a level 3 in gas anyway in a few months with part p defined scope at the end.

 

[street elbow]

Hi Mike,

Under Corgi I was told if I did not do the "part L, EE" I was not allowed to install new boilers, as I installed very few boilers it did not bother me, but it annoyed me I had to fork out more money to earn a crust. So I did not take the course.

After GSR came along I was asked to install some boilers, I phoned GSR and was told they did not keep a record of who had Part L and were not interested if I had done the course or not.

So I have not bothered,

David.

 

[Mbear]

Hi Mike,

Under Corgi I was told if I did not do the "part L, EE" I was not allowed to install new boilers, as I installed very few boilers it did not bother me, but it annoyed me I had to fork out more money to earn a crust. So I did not take the course.

After GSR came along I was asked to install some boilers, I phoned GSR and was told they did not keep a record of who had Part L and were not interested if I had done the course or not.

So I have not bothered,

David.

Slight tangent here...

Leading on from u saying GSR don't seem to care about anything.

I lost my GSR Identification card somewhere in my local area whilst working. My gaffers told I had to phone and inform gassafe and also report it to the police to get a crime ref no. (or some sort of ref no.).

The conversation with GSR went like this...

Me- hi my name is 'mbear', I'm phoning u to tell u I've lost my gsr Id card,

Gsr girl- ok so what do u want me to do?

Me- eh, eh, nothing, I got told to inform u.
Gsr- ok, well thanks for the update, bye
Me- bye

I felt like a right numpty

They don't seem to give a 'poo' about anything compared to corgi, IMO safety seems to have slackened off since GSR came into power.

 

[mike_s]

I'll probably leave the part L if Gas Safe arn't interested in it then.

Jesus, pretty bad that mbear, are your work not getting you a card sent?
I can't wait to get mine, I'm just waiting for my bpec card to arrive with my qualifications on it.
I'm going on under my dads business hopefully. I'm self employed but sub contract to him, it will be good for the business to bring in more of my own customers and to work on gas on my own once I've got my card so hope they don't take their time!

 

[tamz]

Mbear your gaffers are diks and you should tell him/them that. All they need to do is ring and get a replacement sent out. No wonder the GSR girl wasn't interested. It is not like someone can stick it in a cashline machine!

Mike, your card will come through in due course. It usually takes about 3 - 4 wks.
Remember, your dad is your best friend, even more than your best mate, whether you know it or not. You are in a good position where you always have someone for advice.

 

[mike_s]

cheers mate, yep I'm really greatful and lucky! Been working with him 6 years since I left school, I finished my plumbing apprentiship when I was 19 but only got round to getting on a gas course last year.
22 now and got my own van all stocked up, done bits of plumbing on my own but it's just me and him in the business, my dad wants to carry on but we're thinking of taking someone on to take some of the strain off him with him being 65 this year. Really hope I can carry on his business which has been going 18 years and is as strong as ever! Got the best possible start and just in the process of building a website and pushing on.

 

[tamz]

Mike
You have got a good start here. Your dads customers will become yours as people tend (if you do a decent job) to be quite loyal. As your dad is 65 he will be thinking of carrying on not just for himself but to look out for you. Best advice i can give is don't run before you can walk ie know your limits and get advice/help when you can.
My dad was a plumber too and i can remember when i was 17/18 taking on jobs i didn't have a clue how to do. Spent half the day running home asking what do i do now. Sometimes he would come to the job and do it for me other times he would just tell me. I didn't realise it at the time but he must have thought "this **** is an idiot" but he was always there.
He is 86 now and the plumbing heating game has changed a lot since he retired but it is still his life. I try to explain some things but it goes over his head. Stuck in a cast iron and lead era.
I get him to make a few thing up for me from time to time to keep his hand in, like make a swan neck (best wiped joints you would ever see but he keeps wiping his cloth on his "not" work trousers to the annoyance of my mam) or burning up some flashings. It makes him feel like he is still needed which is good.
Getting old is hard

 

[macplumb]

You are supposed to have it if you are putting in condensing boilers. But no one has ever asked to see my cert.

 

[street elbow]

Macplumb,

Iam not disputing what you are saying, but who said that you had to have part "L" before you could fit condensing boiloers?

Was it Corgi, The goverment, or some other organization?

And what regulations are we breaking by not having part "L"

David

 

[macplumb]

This was the reason the company gave who I used to work for. And the bloke who took us for the exam. We questiond it and said what's the point. That's when he told us if you want to install high efficient condensing boilers we need to have this qual. So I have always taken that as gospel.

 

[oldplumber]

how can you know and understand requirements of the part L regs etc unless someone has taught you what is required. You need to keep up with changing requirements and new technologies and that really does require some sort of training. Pride in whatyou do would get most people on a course and the other one is the fear of being sued when a customer finds out you havent complied with building regs due to lack of knowledge.

 

[Mbear]

Mbear your gaffers are diks and you should tell him/them that. All they need to do is ring and get a replacement sent out. No wonder the GSR girl wasn't interested. It is not like someone can stick it in a cashline machine!

Mike, your card will come through in due course. It usually takes about 3 - 4 wks.
Remember, your dad is your best friend, even more than your best mate, whether you know it or not. You are in a good position where you always have someone for advice.

Yes they are, I didn't wana phone anyone, but they insisted I do both. I really didn't think anything would happen by telling gsr, I was right. I got a new card quite quickly, to be fair my gaffers wanted me to inform the police incase some chancer used it to gain access to a poor old dears house.

 

[Rodreguez]

This was the reason the company gave who I used to work for. And the bloke who took us for the exam. We questiond it and said what's the point. That's when he told us if you want to install high efficient condensing boilers we need to have this qual. So I have always taken that as gospel.

I got told the exact same wen i took my ACS about a year ago

 

[GrahamM]

Part L1a relates to the conservation of fuel and power in dwellings came into effect on 6th April 2006.

From this date anyone installing new heating systems should be doing so following these guidelines so as to design and install as efficient a system as possible sized properly for the dwelling.
Any advice as to making the dwelling more efficient in conserving heat etc. should be given.

It's anyones guess when this will be enforced though.

 

[stevetheplumber]

when it first started we were told it was so we could work out using the points sytem if we had to fit condensing boilers now theres not realy any option as most new boilers are condensing weve all been told we have to fit stats and trvs to each install so why do i need another bit of paper to go to work ?
ah yes ive forgotten its my duty to keep the traing industry going not to mention the assesors and issuing bodies
all an industry needs is regular infomation to guide it not more regulations and certificates
the training industry is a parasite

 

[GrahamM]

I know it is a bit of a money making thing for the regulating bodies, but on the other hand I do see where 'Energy Efficiency' has it's place.
The boiler sizing system part of the module is supposed to be quite accurate and will be of benefit to the more recently qualified installers. Instead of going into a house and roughly estimating a 30kw boiler to heat this house, you may find that the new sizing tables will say a 20kw is more suitable bassed on house type, u-vales etc.
Better for the customer. Cheaper boiler that will run more efficiently. Not so good for Joe Blogs who has a load of 30kw boilers he is trying to punt.

 

[fuzzy]

its not needed now, it was a corgi thing, they dont run the safe register so no worries

i also have it, the C&G one