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[Bigron]

Not an Omega issue, but my elderly gas firefront scares me more than the underbonnet of an Omega! The problem is that the radiants are not glowing half as well as they used do and therefore not keeping "Er indoors as warm as she wants to be, even on full welly. I have cleaned the holes in the top of the burner and blown the dust off the lint arrester and that's it - I don't know what else to do. Is there any possibility of a fall in pressure? I don't know what I'm talking about.....could you guess?

Ron.

[STEMO]

Are the flames burning blue or orange Ron?

[Bigron]

Blue at the base, but as the radiants glow it's hard to tell. No soot/carbon deposits, anyway.

Ron.

[Andy H]

This really is a job for a registered gas fitter. Get it wrong and we might be reading about another two deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Gas fitters used to rely on the colour of the flame and a smoke test to check that the flue was drawing but nowadays they carry a gas analyser that detects carbon monoxide directly.

It is quite possible that the pressure has dropped. Checking / setting  the gas pressure is one of the things that they will do as part of a service.

Just don't go to British Gas, use a small local business.

[Bigron]

Thanks Andy. I rather expected that answer and it's fair enough as it hasn't been serviced for a few years, so well overdue!

Ron.

[redelitev6]

  Just might be time for a new one ? it's efficiency must be well below par compared to modern ones

[Bigron]

A new one? On MY pension? Er, no! It is the firefront to a back boiler, so not cheap; a service will have to do for now, but thanks for the input. I know you are right, but....

Ron.

[redelitev6]

A new one? On MY pension? Er, no! It is the firefront to a back boiler, so not cheap; a service will have to do for now, but thanks for the input. I know you are right, but....

Ron.

Might be worth asking around for a energy efficient deal ? once boilers get below 74% efficiency you can get some decent discounts , could be worth asking your supplier.

[Kevin Wood]

Problem is, a Baxi Bermuda is pretty unique in its' location in the fireplace and, now the powers that be have mandated that gas boilers all need to be condensing, swapping it for a new boiler would be a complex and expensive job in most cases.

74% might sound terrible but condensing boilers only achieve their claimed efficiency under certain conditions and I think the payback period for a boiler change on financial grounds would be very long indeed. I remember "helping" my Dad install a baxi bermuda when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I wonder how many current condensing boilers will still be going strong in 40 years time?

[Bigron]

Thanks Kevin - I'll get this one mended! The back boiler itself is faultless, even if it is less efficient than current models.   

Ron.