Glow worm gas boiler not igniting

Zebbedee

My boiler sometimes fails to ignite. I can get it to work by resetting it (turning the temp control off and on a few times).
It's about 5 years old and never been serviced.
What would cause this and would it be covered by a normal service?
Does anything actually get routinely replaced in a service?

JohnnieK

What model of Glow-worm is it? And no it wouldn't be covered in the price of a service.

Zebbedee

It's a glow worm micron and it has a sticker on with the following: 50ff.
Which part might be giving trouble to cause ignition failure?
Any any idea of the cost of the required replacement part and fitting?

Lister_Petter

as opposed to service of an oil boiler, the service on a gas boiler is basically to look at it. They only make sure the flue is not leaking and there are no gas leaks. Then they charge 150€. Pretty rip off if u ask me.
Gas boiler services include nothing really. There are no consumable parts as such, like filters or the like as on an oil boiler. They generally don't need to be cleaned out either. It's more of a safety check than a service really.

The ignitor is probable shot. Thats the part that arcs at startup to light the gas. Replacing this should do it. Its similar to the ignitor on a gas hob.

DGOBS

Lister_Petter, who charged you €150 for a boiler service, usually 80-100?

Secondly, there is more to servicing a gas boiler, ever RTFM?

The gas soundness of the installation is checked (or should be)
The correct function of the emergency control shut off valve is checked
The appliance is electrically checked for safety and operation
which includes, fuse check for rating, polarity, safe isolation etc.
The flue safety and integrity is checked, along with all other aspects, angle, length, termination etc.
The appliance is opened and the fan, heat-exchanger and burners are brushed through to remove and deposits of carbon etc.
All the combustion chamber wiring and connections are checked for support and physical condition
APS sensing tubes are checked, the venturi is checked and cleaned
The appliance is reassembled, and fired
The appliance working pressures (where applicable are measured and adjusted as required)
The appliance is gas rated
Once correct, the flue gases are sampled for correct combustion
All appliance safety controls including ignition devices and flame failure devices, control stats etc are checked for correct operation
The appliance gas pipework downstream of the gas valve is checked for soundness (usually with an electronic sniffer)
Where applicable the expansion vessel charge pressure is checked and topped up as required
All appliance combustion chamber seals are checked for flue gas leakage
A system check then is carried out of all controls external, stats, time clocks, motor valves etc
The heating circuit is checked if required for venting, sludge/scale build up
Some appliance manufacturers have other checks that may be required that I have not included here

Not 10-15 minutes, not a rip off, genuine appliance servicing to gas standards and manufacturers instructions

Please do not tar all service technicians with the same brush, servicing is required regardless if you believe so or not

What do you do for a living, and would you like me to make observations and comments about something I know little or nothing about??

GASMANN

Lister_Petter wrote: »

as opposed to service of an oil boiler, the service on a gas boiler is basically to look at it. They only make sure the flue is not leaking and there are no gas leaks. Then they charge 150€. Pretty rip off if u ask me.
Gas boiler services include nothing really. There are no consumable parts as such, like filters or the like as on an oil boiler. They generally don't need to be cleaned out either. It's more of a safety check than a service really.

The ignitor is probable shot. Thats the part that arcs at startup to light the gas. Replacing this should do it. Its similar to the ignitor on a gas hob.

you dont sound like you are competent enough to offer an answer to the OP, not a helpfull answer anyway

Joey the lips

DGOBS wrote: »

Secondly, there is more to servicing a gas boiler, ever RTFM?

??

I am sure you mean read the manual as apposed to read the ****ing manual because if you said read the ****ing manual it would amount to abuse and this is not taken lightly.

GASMANN wrote: »

you dont sound like you are competent enough to offer an answer to the OP, not a helpfull answer anyway

Its better to explain where its wrong rather than be critical

Tbh both this comments can lead to a dispute and an arguement which is unnecessary.

Can it just stop here.

DGOBS

Sure, RTFM, is as you think. Not meant as abuse, just a common phrase in the industry, will not be used in the future, a bit used to using it I am afraid.

Lister_Petter

Ok, its just some technicians I have heard of come in and are gone in like 10 minutes. So obviously they are cowboys if they finish the "job" in that time. I am not in a gas area so I am not too knowledgeable about gas boilers.

If you made ill-informed comments about my job? well personally i would not mind as I would get great satisfaction from cutting you down, just like you have done to me now :D

DGOBS

What I mean is, very unfair to tar us all with one brush

And I sympathise with the public out there with this type of idiotic servicing going on, and it should be stopped