Services provided include ...
Gas Safety Check
If you've just moved in congratulations !!. You might like to be reassured with a check of the whole gas installation - ie all appliances and the gas pipework (including gas meter and shut off valve - ECV), and (where relevant) flue/chimney and spillage tests, appliance ventilation and pressure tests. You can request a certificate recording the results of the safety check.
Landlords' Gas Safety Record (LGSR)
Landlords' various legal obligations include an annual Landlords' Gas Safety Record sometimes called a "landlord certificate" (or CP12). This check is effectively the above but requires issuance of a certificate which covers a landlord's legal gas safety requirements towards the tenant. If you are a Sevenoaks landlord or are letting out a room, you will need an LGSR - and Sevenoaks Gas can help ...
Heating/plumbing Emergency ...
If you have no hot water or your heating stops working, or your boiler won't fire up, look at the Hot Tips page. If you have some sort of plumbing emergency (like this leaking boiler), just call and we'll get it sorted out for you.... If you smell gas and cannot account for it, locate the gas meter and turn off your house gas supply using the lever on the left side of your gas meter (we call that 'lever' an ECV - emergency control valve). Call 0800 111999 if you cannot locate or turn it off - or in an emergency. It will be in line with the pipe, 'across it' when off.
Gas Boiler Service
HSE recommends an annual safety check of all gas appliances to keep them safe and efficient. In the case of the boiler, if it is reasonably new this is likely to be a straightforward procedure taking something around 45 minutes and will include cleaning out the condensate trap and magnetic filter (if fitted) - something that a lot of services ignore ... (ca £75)
Boiler Strip-down
For a modern gas boiler, this is the bigger version of the above and is required for older boilers. On a newer boiler, if after gas analysis, the ratio of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide is above a certain level, a full strip down is required. This is usually about an hour's work and requires some preparation as seals and possibly other parts will need to be pre-ordered specific to your boiler. (c£110 + parts).
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Oil boiler service: being dirtier beasties, these always need a boiler strip down. The service/clean can greatly increase their efficiency. Oil boilers sometimes have noticeably cleaner flue emissions after a proper service. Ask what your current oil boiler servicer includes in the price ... it should be a new nozzle and hose (latter not always), a strip of the fan and clean of the 'baffles' and cleaning out condensate trap ....
Boiler Repair
If your boiler doesn't fire up, or you have no heating or hot water, you've come to the right place. All practical oil boiler and gas boiler repairs undertaken if spares are available. This one was a failed air pressure switch (a safety device which checks the fan is working) on an old Potterton Prima - stopping the boiler starting up).
Heating Efficiency
The vast majority of heating systems encountered 'could run better' . Inefficiency results in higher bills, and can easily shorten the life of your boiler. In addition a poorly running system creates unnecessarily large amounts of carbon dioxide - adding to "climate change". Inefficiency can be caused by a number of factors - here are some favourites ...
Un-serviced boiler, no thermostat or house/zone set too high
Programmer set on 'once' or all day or at times no-one is in
System full of sludge - old systems without 'inhibitor' corrode from the inside of the radiators (water, oxygen and untreated steel in contact = rust). Sevenoaks Gas prides itself on getting the most out of your existing central heating system by efficiency improvements - better controls or a system clean-out (right up to a full power flush).
What to do: Get a boiler service (especially if your on oil); Fit a smart programmer (eg a Hive) - you don't need a modern boiler to have a modern programmer...
Powerflushing
Inside a water-filled central heating system we unwittingly create the "perfect storm" for corroding steel ... If you think what happens when you mix water, air and untreated steel, most people would say "rust". They'd be right - ferrous oxide also forms - FeO - and together the two make magnetite - black sludge that reduces the life of your boiler and pump, and makes radiators cold at the bottom (where the sludge builds up). Building regulations and British Standards demand that part of a new boiler installation is a clean-out of the system - but regardless, a power flush can achieve significant rewards in system efficiency - and even cure some total breakdowns ...
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Providing the system has been correctly filled - and crucially doesn't leak and therefore get topped up regularly with fresh tap water, this won't normally happen. A very good addition after a flush (either power flush or clean and drain) is a primary inline magnetic filter (often just called a Magnaclean - the most popular brand)
Boiler Installation
"Nothing lasts like it used to" as we hear oldies say... THEY'RE RIGHT !!! Sadly boilers (both oil and gas) fit this oft-heard comment. This is mainly because they are more highly efficiient and tuned and have lower volume heat exchangers with smaller waterways - this applies especially o combination boilers (Combi's) which contain a mini water filled radiator called a plate heat exchanger. Addtionally if they are aluminium alloy rather than steel/iron heat exchangers they are not as hardy...
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For advice on different types of heating set-up, or if you're considering a replacement boiler that won't tip the balance too much , drop us a line ... A Sevenoaks Gas installed boiler quote will usually be two thirds the price of some well advertised national companies (who have to pay for those adverts and pay dividends to shareholders !!!!)
Better hot water please !!
A lack of hot water is another issue that confronts the homeowner as the kids get bigger, or an additional bathroom is added. Also, some non-combi systems have an issue with low pressure hot water (slow filling baths or weak showers). Luckily help is at hand for both of these via an unvented cylinder . These hold mains pressure hot water and can easily be 250l plus (often double the capacity of an old cylinder).
Sevenoaks Gas can install one of these (or service one) - and you'll be the proud owner of a load of lovely tech-looking plumbing !!
Special qualifications (Building regulations G3) are required to service or install an unvented cylinder, and register it with the local authorities. Sevenoaks Gas are qualifide !! (Check the above Gas Safe Register or Oftec icons )