Boiler too high up in kitchen cabinet so unable to get serviced

FootballFanatic · 2 Dec 2017 at 16:08

hi, I am looking for some advice on the easiest and hopefully best solution to allow us to get the boiler serviced. The cover goes over the whole boiler so the gas engineer said would be unable to take this way it is but may be possible if we get some of the top frame cut away. I said I didn’t want to start getting parts cut away if it won’t make a difference.

The reason it’s like this though is because the boiler was fitted a few year ago and the kitchen was only done in the last month. We thought it would be a good idea to get it done while away. Is it reasonable to have thought the joiner doing this type of thing quite often should have mentioned there would be a problem or would the blame lie with us because we didn’t specify?

Not sure how much work would be involved to get the cabinet that houses the boiler down, get the engineer to lower the boiler and add a bit onto the flue? There is also little light under the cabinet to make things more complicated, pictures below. Thanks in advance

Downsy · 2 Dec 2017 at 16:32

I would do a bit of investigation first. If your lucky, the front cover is held in position at the top by a cross head / hex head screw so you may be able to remove it by getting a spanner in there. After that, it should be ok to get it serviced. Surprised the engineer didn't try it.

the_dead_parrot · 2 Dec 2017 at 17:07

From the look of that you will struggle even with it lowered. The white outer case needs to pull straight forward. So the boiler needs to be shorter than the internal cupboard opening. Judging from the pictures it isn't.

The top of the cupboard and top plinth need to be removed/removable. Don't even consider moving the boiler. It will cost a lot more than getting the kitchen fitter back.

TallPaul1878 · 2 Dec 2017 at 17:11

Pretty sure you unscrew 2 screws from the boiler and lift the top of the lid upwards. This will let the bottom section drop down and the lid can be lifted up and pulled away.

The top lid is held on by hooks at the top of the boiler so by lifting it up a couple of cm it will lift it away from the hooks and it can be pulled away.

If you can take the front cover off yourself, which is perfectly safe to do, then they have no excuse for their laziness.

TallPaul1878 · 2 Dec 2017 at 17:17

https://youtu.be/CeCK6xdnfSY

Here is how the boiler is opened up. Pretty sure you'll be able to pull it up and away even in that tight space

d_brennen · 2 Dec 2017 at 17:19

Downsy said:
Surprised the engineer didn't try it.

I really am not

TallPaul1878 · 2 Dec 2017 at 17:22

I'm an electrician by the way so I spend most of my days connecting boilers up and fixing heating faults

FootballFanatic · 2 Dec 2017 at 17:31

the_dead_parrot said:
From the look of that you will struggle even with it lowered. The white outer case needs to pull straight forward. So the boiler needs to be shorter than the internal cupboard opening. Judging from the pictures it isn't.

The top of the cupboard and top plinth need to be removed/removable. Don't even consider moving the boiler. It will cost a lot more than getting the kitchen fitter back.

Thanks for all the replies guys, this seems to be the solution, the white frame of the cupboard at the top will just have to come out, the grey facing along the top will have to be cut and be removable.

TallPaul1878 said:
https://youtu.be/CeCK6xdnfSY

Here is how the boiler is opened up. Pretty sure you'll be able to pull it up and away even in that tight space

This particular model, the casing/shell goes right over the boiler and needs to be pulled out straight. I wish I was lucky enough for it to just be the front of the thing to come off.

kitfit1 · 3 Dec 2017 at 04:50

FootballFanatic said:
Thanks for all the replies guys, this seems to be the solution, the white frame of the cupboard at the top will just have to come out, the grey facing along the top will have to be cut and be removable.

This particular model, the casing/shell goes right over the boiler and needs to be pulled out straight. I wish I was lucky enough for it to just be the front of the thing to come off.

We fit wall cupboards around boilers nearly every time we fit a kitchen now days and FootballFanatic is perfectly correct.
Whoever fitted the kitchen put very little if any thought into how the boiler would be serviced. The top rail and the cornice needs to be fitted with brackets so that it is completely removable. It's not clear from your pics but is there an infill between the top of the cupboard and the ceiling as well ?
If there is, that needs to be removable as well because the service engineer needs access to the CO2 port that will be on the bend of the flue as it exits the boiler.
The kitchen fitter needs to come back and deal with this because it's a problem of his creating in the first place.
When it is sorted, you need the fitter to explain and show you how to take it apart in readiness for when you have the boiler serviced. I say that because you will have to take it apart for the engineer in my experience, particularly if it's a British Gas engineer, they will not touch it because they expect complete access to the boiler.

FootballFanatic · 3 Dec 2017 at 20:56

kitfit1 said:
We fit wall cupboards around boilers nearly every time we fit a kitchen now days and FootballFanatic is perfectly correct.
Whoever fitted the kitchen put very little if any thought into how the boiler would be serviced. The top rail and the cornice needs to be fitted with brackets so that it is completely removable. It's not clear from your pics but is there an infill between the top of the cupboard and the ceiling as well ?
If there is, that needs to be removable as well because the service engineer needs access to the CO2 port that will be on the bend of the flue as it exits the boiler.
The kitchen fitter needs to come back and deal with this because it's a problem of his creating in the first place.
When it is sorted, you need the fitter to explain and show you how to take it apart in readiness for when you have the boiler serviced. I say that because you will have to take it apart for the engineer in my experience, particularly if it's a British Gas engineer, they will not touch it because they expect complete access to the boiler.

Thanks for your reply kit fit.

Will be contacting the kitchen fitter tomorrow. The infill is removable, I made sure about that as I remember when the engineer fitted the boiler, this had to be accessible.

Because I am not that handy around the house, can you explain a bit more what you mean re brackets so I can explain to the fitter when I call. Or even better, if any pics on the net? Cheers

FlyingFish · 4 Dec 2017 at 07:03

If you have the boiler manual, Worcester include a diagram in the early pages showing exactly how much clearance is required around your appliance for service and maintenance. Get this out and show it your kitchen fitter. If you don't have it, it's easy to download from Worcester's website. Make sure you get the right model, the one you have I believe has quite quite a sizeable cover that needs drawing off from the boiler. And as mentioned above, the flue test points need to be accessible also.

Mick

valve90210 · 4 Dec 2017 at 10:26

kitfit1 said:
The top rail and the cornice needs to be fitted with brackets so that it is completely removable.

What sort of brackets do you use for this, I'm wanting to build a cupboard round my boiler and was planning on removable cornice etc would be very useful to know what people normally use.

psd99 · 4 Dec 2017 at 10:45

That really is terrible workmanship on whoever installed that kitchen!

"Was that installed by someone from India" I'm sure that's what the queens husband would ask lol
'

kitfit1 · 5 Dec 2017 at 06:59

FootballFanatic said:
Thanks for your reply kit fit.

Will be contacting the kitchen fitter tomorrow. The infill is removable, I made sure about that as I remember when the engineer fitted the boiler, this had to be accessible.

Because I am not that handy around the house, can you explain a bit more what you mean re brackets so I can explain to the fitter when I call. Or even better, if any pics on the net? Cheers

We use what are known as "Table Stretcher Brackets". They are an L shaped bracket about 35mm x 35mm with 2 screw holes on one side of the L and 2 slotted screw holes on the other side of the L. Readily available in different thicknesses from the likes of screwfix.

LeeUK · 5 Dec 2017 at 11:55

Another reason why I hate most tradesmen. Always try to do stuff myself where possible.

TallPaul1878 · 5 Dec 2017 at 12:17

LeeUK said:
Another reason why I hate most tradesmen. Always try to do stuff myself where possible.

I'm a tradesman (electrician) and I hate most tradesmen too. I'm on a site now and I've been asked to revisit a central heating fault for the 3rd time. I connected up the heating on 16th October, I was asked to look at it again on 13th November and had it all electrically sound. Then again on 29th November and now again today.

It's the same issue with a 2 zone heating, whenever there is a problem they automatically pass it off on me and start criticising my work. On another site this happened and my name was getting dragged through the mud, it ended up with an engineer from Baxi coming out and PROVING that the boiler itself was faulty and the wiring was absolutely perfect.

Nobody is perfect and I will always hold my hands up if so make a mistake but when someone puts my professionalism into question it really gets my goat up. Especially when other trades are just winging it.

LeeUK · 5 Dec 2017 at 13:06

TallPaul1878 said:
I'm a tradesman (electrician) and I hate most tradesmen too. I'm on a site now and I've been asked to revisit a central heating fault for the 3rd time. I connected up the heating on 16th October, I was asked to look at it again on 13th November and had it all electrically sound. Then again on 29th November and now again today.

It's the same issue with a 2 zone heating, whenever there is a problem they automatically pass it off on me and start criticising my work. On another site this happened and my name was getting dragged through the mud, it ended up with an engineer from Baxi coming out and PROVING that the boiler itself was faulty and the wiring was absolutely perfect.

Nobody is perfect and I will always hold my hands up if so make a mistake but when someone puts my professionalism into question it really gets my goat up. Especially when other trades are just winging it.

For every decent electrician like yourself there will be 5 bodgers out there.

valve90210 · 5 Dec 2017 at 13:21

kitfit1 said:
We use what are known as "Table Stretcher Brackets". They are an L shaped bracket about 35mm x 35mm with 2 screw holes on one side of the L and 2 slotted screw holes on the other side of the L. Readily available in different thicknesses from the likes of screwfix.

Trying to get my head around how best to use these to make the top and bottom cornice removeable?

kitfit1 · 5 Dec 2017 at 19:18

valve90210 said:
Trying to get my head around how best to use these to make the top and bottom cornice removeable?

The top cornice and the bottom light pelmet need to be cut and the cut pieces are then screwed to the top and bottom rails which in turn are then bracketed to the sides of the cupboard. This then leaves the cornice and light pelmet with a dry joint which will come off with the top and bottom rails when the brackets are unscrewed.

koolpc · 6 Dec 2017 at 00:41

Same boiler as I got.

You don't need much room to get the cover off. Mine is in a cupboard with about the same space in front as you have. British Gas guy took it off easily.