Fitting your own boiler

by **tsb** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:45 pm

Is it possible for a homeowner to register a new boiler that he has fitted himself, which will enable him to have the full guarantee with the manufacturer.

by **rosebery** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 7:05 pm

Yes you can fit your own boiler. DIY gaswork is NOT illegal.

Some boiler manufacturers insist that anyone who installs their boilers must have had a training course run by them or they will be NO guarantee.

How many forums do you intend to place this question on? Spread betting won't necessarily get you the answer you want to hear. LoL!

Cheers

by **DEEARR2** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 8:07 pm

Gas fired boilers must be installed by a competent person in accordance with Gas Safety (installation and use) regulations 1998. In that a competent person is recognised as one who is qualified and Gas safe Registered. The manufacturers registration documents will require the installers G.S.R. registration number before they will issue a warranty.

by **DEEARR2** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:54 pm

Rosebery says [quote] Yes you can fit your own boiler, DIY gas work is not illegal.
I do not agree and neither does the Government appointed Health and Safety executive. This is this body that oversees all gas installation work with the primary aim of stopping DIY gas installs hense the Gas Safe Register.
It is illegal to install gas appliances, DIY OR OTHERWISE, as stated in Regulation 3 1998.[/quote]

by **htg engineer** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 3:46 pm

DEEARR2 is Right.

DIY gas work IS illegal, you have to be deemed competent to work on gas appliances/pipework etc etc. The only way of doing that is to sit ACS assessments.

No a homeowner cannot register a new installation without RGI certification.

htg

by **rosebery** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:51 pm

DEEARR said

"I do not agree and neither does the Government appointed Health and Safety executive. "

Sorry but thats NOT what the HSE says at all. What they DO say is that you cannot do gaswork and be paid for it unless you are GasSafe (previously CORGI) Registered which as Htg correctly points out requires ACS accreditation.

However, HSE Directives are not enshrined in law. HSE also say that there is insufficient evidence to make DIY gaswork in your own home illegal. If it was illegal Joe Bloggs couldn't buy gas fittings in the sheds!

Is it sensible? - NO. Is it recommended? - NO. Is it illegal? - NO.

Cheers

by **rosebery** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:53 pm

htg engineer said

"DIY gas work IS illegal, you have to be deemed competent to work on gas appliances/pipework etc etc. The only way of doing that is to sit ACS assessments."

Yes if you are BEING PAID to do the work in which case it isn't DIY in your own home.

Cheers

by **DEEARR2** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:03 pm

The wrong message is being sent out to the public here. The accepted code of practice to work on gas DIY or not, is to be competent. The ability to carry out pipe sizing, calculate ventilation, gas rating appliances, testing combustion gases,maximum permitted drop at appliance etc to a standard that is not in the reach of your DIYer. To promote this practice is regretable and I hope that no prospective incompetent DIY gas installer is encouraged having read this.

Thanks Htg Engineer for your support in this.

by **rosebery** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 7:10 pm

"The ability to carry out pipe sizing, calculate ventilation, gas rating appliances, testing combustion gases,maximum permitted drop at appliance etc to a standard that is not in the reach of your DIYer."

Totally agree with you. 100%

"To promote this practice is regretable and I hope that no prospective incompetent DIY gas installer is encouraged having read this."

I'm not promoting anything. In an earlier post I said:

"Is it (ie DIY gaswork) sensible - NO
"Is it (ie DIY gaswork) recommended - NO

How is that promoting "the practice" please?

The discussion is not about safety or competance its about legality. It was suggested that HSE say that DIY gaswork in your own home is illegal. They do not. I repeat that they actually say that there is insufficient evidence to make it illegal. It is a myth to say that DIY gaswork in ones own home is illegal and quite quite misleading so to do. Whether it is safe is a totally different question

Cheers

by **htg engineer** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:07 pm

I agree - but all we can do is offer advice and hope tsb and others take our advice (which is right).

As I have said before I think it's about time insurance companies, asked for gas saftey certificates every 12 months - before you're considered for house insurance -

No house insurance, would = no mortgage

That's the only way of preventing DIY gas work - it wouldn't stop it, but having a annual gas service and a new certificate issued every 12 months - if the DIY gas work is wrong it'll be picked up.

There should be no difference between landlords and homeowners - when it comes to responisbility for having an annual gas services carried out - would you be happy losing your home and possibly your family because of a DIYer who lives next door ?

htg

by **rosebery** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:13 pm

[quote="htg engineer"]I agree - but all we can do is offer advice and hope tsb and others take our advice (which is right).

As I have said before I think it's about time insurance companies, asked for gas saftey certificates every 12 months - before you're considered for house insurance -

No house insurance, would = no mortgage

That's the only way of preventing DIY gas work - it wouldn't stop it, but having a annual gas service and a new certificate issued every 12 months - if the DIY gas work is wrong it'll be picked up.

There should be no difference between landlords and homeowners - when it comes to responisbility for having an annual gas services carried out - would you be happy losing your home and possibly your family because of a DIYer who lives next door ?"

You are not wrong but the question remains as to whether it is right to pretend that DIY gaswork is illegal when it isn't.

Cheers

htg[/quote]

by **johnsmith0774** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:48 am

DEEARR2
PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject:
The wrong message is being sent out to the public here. The accepted code of practice to work on gas DIY or not, is to be competent. The ability to carry out pipe sizing, calculate ventilation, gas rating appliances, testing combustion gases,maximum permitted drop at appliance etc to a standard that is not in the reach of your DIYer. To promote this practice is regretable and I hope that no prospective incompetent DIY gas installer is encouraged having read this.

Thanks Htg Engineer for your support in this.

by **htg engineer** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:53 pm

'You are not wrong but the question remains as to whether it is right to pretend that DIY gaswork is illegal when it isn't.'

It is only legal for a competent person to work on gas appliances and pipework - if you read Gas Installation and Use regulations you will find again and again relating to competent person. You cannot deem yourself as competent you have to complete ACS Assessments to be deemed competent -

not competent = illegal installation.

Simple as that.

htg

by **rosebery** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:19 pm

"It is only legal for a competent person to work on gas appliances and pipework - if you read Gas Installation and Use regulations you will find again and again relating to competent person. You cannot deem yourself as competent you have to complete ACS Assessments to be deemed competent -

not competent = illegal installation.

Simple as that."

Yep - if they are EMPLOYED to do the work and receive payment either in folding or in kind. Actually it goes further than you have said because you can't be GasSafe unless you have ACS. If you do gaswork for anyone and are EMPLOYED by them to do so then you must be GasSafe and its illegal to do the work if you are not. Regulation 3 is very clear regarding EMPLOYMENT.

You can't be EMPLOYED to work on your own system in your own home ergo (irrespective of safety etc issues) DIY Gaswork is NOT illegal per se.

It was stated earlier in the thread that HSE say that DIY gaswork in your own home is illegal. They do not. HSE actually say that there is insufficient evidence to make it illegal - if they had such evidence they would make it so. Nowhere on the GasSafe site does it say that DIY is illegal they only strongly advise against it. Yes I'm being pedantic but the point of this discussion revolves around the claim that HSE say its illegal.

The point of this is NOT to encourage DIY in your own home - thats very far from the truth in case anyone thinks they have reason to think to the contrary.

Cheers

PS Why can Joe Public buy Gas Fittings in the sheds if DIY gaswork is illegal?

by **hamish72** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 2:28 pm

So when you retire after years of fitting or indeed just don't renew reg you are suddenly incompetent I think under those circumstances any law court would accept that you were competent which i all the law requires