Intergas Kombi Kompakt HR 36 / 30 - really a problem?

[TerryFalafel]

Hi,

An engineer came to do a service of the boiler in a house I bought last year. It's the first service I've done of a boiler that is about 8 years old I think. The boiler has had previous services as per manufacturer recommendation.

The bloke who came took about ten minutes to tell me there was a cut, or kind of long horizontal shaving inside in the area which I've indicated in the photo. Obviously he had the front off at the time when he was showing me. He said this was caused by contraction and expansion of the aluminium and it's a common problem on my type of boiler (Intergas Kombi Kompakt HR 36 / 30.)

When he put the front plate back on and started the boiler up, he used a little dental mirror to show where gas (carbon monoxide?!?!) was escaping.

He said I should turn it off immediately and then starting quoting large numbers for replacement parts.

I'm a bit sceptical about all this. For a start, there's a carbon monoxide detector 1.5m from the boiler which has never made a sound. It was also a bit strange how he literally took the front panel and jumped to the problem immediately.

Two questions :

1 - Is this a real problem? Can the expanding and contracting aluminium really cause a cut or crack in the side of this part of the boiler?

2 - If there is gas escaping, is it carbon monoxide? If my carbon monoxide alarm is not registering it, is it safe to use?

 

[TerryFalafel]

 

[TerryFalafel]

Not quite sure why I can't post images, but here is the link to the photo

boiler

 

[Harvest Fields]

Afternoon. I am not an Intergas man but I am sure one of the lads will be along soon to help you out.

 

[TerryFalafel]

Thanks - any and all help appreciated!

I found a much better picture on the internet, of the inside of the part with the problem.

On the photo in the link, you see the small red line I added... the line marks a kind of a straight cut or a gouge, maybe a mm or two wide and a mm deep (very rough estimate) which runs front to back of the part where the red line is. There's a similar, but lighter, gouge running along the outside of the same section too.

His story was that this appeared as the part continuously warmed and cooled, but I didn't think aluminium responded in this way when it expanded and contracted.

boiler gouge

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I would of thought that would of come under intergas lifetime warranty of the heat exchanger

I think your best bet is to phone intergas up and ask them

And tell them your gas safe engy has turned and capped your boiler off because the heat exchanger is leaking "carbon monoxide"

 

[Scott_D]

Was it turned off or left on?
Any warning notices or paperwork issued?

 

[TerryFalafel]

He told me that it should be turned off, and operating it was at my own risk. No paperwork or official notice.

I should have mentioned in the first post that I'm from the UK but based in NL, so it might be different here. That's partly why I'm a bit dubious though. Local contractors, tradesmen etc properly try to take the Sod with expats. Always makes me a bit concerned when someone turns up at the house and starts throwing big numbers around in the first ten minutes.

 

[king of pipes]

Call intergas before you do anything else bud and explain your problem . kop

 

[TerryFalafel]

Quick update on this for anyone who's interested...

I called Intergas in NL and the technician told me that based on how I'd described it :

A - the heat exchanger should still be under warranty if the boiler is 7 years old

and

B - there is no known issue or common fault like the one which has happened on my boiler

and

C - that of course it needs fixing if the chassis is damaged or if gas is escaping, but it's safe to use in the short term and will shut down automatically if it becomes dangerous.

So it looks like the engineer who came round tried to pull a fast one.

Thanks to all who offered an opinion.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I wouldn’t trust anyone telling me over the phone my boiler was safe. Leave it switched off and book an appointment for them to replace the heat exchanger.