Airlocks

[cr0ft]

Hi all,

Quick one, do you guys charge extra for dealing with airlocks after you drain a CH system down for rad removal etc. Some of them can be fairly labour intensive like the one one of my staff is sorting out now. We do charge for any work to remove airlocks on top of the original quote but make this clear in our T&Cs. Would be interested to know what you do.

 

[mfgs]

I don't. I just class it as you win some, you lose some. I very rarely struggle with an airlock on a heating system, so the odd one I get I will just deal with.

 

[Whyme]

Our firm just usually charge an hourly plus parts anyway, so there covered really

 

[JCSPLUMBING]

No mate. Never have, comes with the territory is the way I see it. I can't remember the last bad one I had though

 

[hammers4spanner]

I just mention it to them on price , on occasions airlocks can happen which is 30 quid extra .

 

[hammers4spanner]

Or factor it in in first place

 

[Millsy 82]

I usually give a price before hand that allows for if I have a bit of a pig to remove air, if I have a total nightmare filling a system I just take the hit.

It's not very often I come across one that takes over an hour to shift, if after half hour I am really struggling I have a look at cold feed and vent and see if I can alter it to make filling better and give them a price for that.

 

[REDSAW]

had one last year on a pumped c/h and gravity h/w. could get heating but no h/w.

took two friggin days to sort.

fortunatly i got paid lol.

 

[village idiot]

Or factor it in in first place

Best option I would say. That way, if no air locks, your bill will be cheaper and customer happy. As the plumber, it's your responsibility to sort out any air locks. I don't see how you can get a ''call back'' then charge the customer? Should be sorted before yiou leave the premises

 

[JCplumb]

Similar to Hammers post above.
I give a price but tell them that 'occasionally systems will airlock due to bad design and you generally only find out when you're filling back up again so if that happens I will charge an hourly rate to resolve it', a bit like the proviso I always give before touching a gate valve.

 

[Leo21]

Similar to Hammers post above.
I give a price but tell them that 'occasionally systems will airlock due to bad design and you generally only find out when you're filling back up again so if that happens I will charge an hourly rate to resolve it', a bit like the proviso I always give before touching a gate valve.

Proviso! Get you.

 

[WaterTight]

bit like the proviso I always give before touching a gate valve.

only proviso i can think of that you'd need to give before touching a gate valve is...'this probably won't work.' then when you turn it off and it doesn't work you can say, 'it didn't work.'

 

[plumben]

i always give customers a price between x and y incase its a nightmare job, most of them are happy with that as i explain everyone wins that way

 

[village idiot]

I was in Plumbase the other day when three different tradesmen in a row requested for gate valves. I was so peeeed off I asked the last one why they felt the need to fit these Rubbish valves? He just shrugged his shoulders, but the manager, who was the one serving him gave me this look. If looks could kill!!!! He sure was upset that I was trying to loose him business. Sometimes, I really need to keep my mouth shut.

 

[JCSPLUMBING]

I was in Plumbase the other day when three different tradesmen in a row requested for gate valves. I was so peeeed off I asked the last one why they felt the need to fit these Rubbish valves? He just shrugged his shoulders, but the manager, who was the one serving him gave me this look. If looks could kill!!!! He sure was upset that I was trying to loose him business. Sometimes, I really need to keep my mouth shut.

I tend to not fit gate valves these days as I find full bore lever valves much better.

 

[mfgs]

I fit gate valves for balancing on multi zoned heating etc and on the hot water return from the cylinder but not for any form of hot or cold isolation. As with lever valves people are more likely to play around if they seem them half open etc.