Poor workmanship: Installation of water heater

Cheryl wrote on Mon Mar 9, 2020 5:39pm:

 Get a carbon monoxide detector and I would also send some pictures to Vaillant to get their take on it and call out an engineer from your gas supplier. The more ammunition you have the better it will be to take this further. I'm sure someone else will let you know how to do this but I think...

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... asking for their complaints book will be the first step
You do risk having the installation condemned and being without hot water for a while but if it is dangerous, it's dangerous.

Tmarshall57 wrote on Mon Mar 9, 2020 3:14pm:

Hi everyone,

I'm seeking some advice on whether there is any "Trading Standards" equivalent in Spain.

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I needed a new mains gas water heater installing and I'm aware of the new laws relating to the venting and supply of gases / incoming air respectively for new (estanco) heaters.

I asked a local plumbers merchant if they could recommend someone to supply and install such a heater. The guy at the counter said they could and recommended a Vaillant Turbo Mag pro heater. I sent him a written specification including all measurements, photos of the existing installation and a requirement to route the horizontal exhaust/intake  pipe in the ceiling void i.e. using the same route as the existing pipe. I also asked for a certificate of installation.

I received a reasonable quote for all of the work and prompt written responses to a few supplementary questions.

Last Thursday the heater was installed. I noted that all of the required materials were provided including the official Vaillant installation kit and exhaust pipes etc.

The problem is that they have connected only the 60mm exhaust pipe to the top of the boiler and somehow linked this to the existing 80mm pipe. They have not used the genuine Vaillant coaxial pipe supplied. They have taken away all the parts they decided not to use. It was going dark when they finished and I only noticed these issues in detail after they had left.

I have complained that I am not happy with the installation and I think that it may be illegal. They say it is OK because the utility (galeria) area where it is installed has gaps between the window panels and if I want to glaze those gaps in future I would only need to ensure that a 20cm square ventilator is provided.

I am pretty annoyed about this but my Spanish does not permit a technical discussion that could turn into an argument. I thought I was doing the right thing by trying to seek quotes from local tradespeople and I think I may have been ripped off.

The water heater works absolutely fine and has resolved all of the problems experienced with the previous heater. My concern however is that the installation will fail the 5 yearly inspection by the gas company - due in 2022.

I've attached photo of the top of the heater showing only the exhaust pipe attached - no intake pipe.

Rustyruss67 wrote on Tue Mar 10, 2020 7:29pm:

As long as the flue pipe is connected properly  and air tight there shouldn’t be a problem, the picture I think shows the extendible cowling cover which is more decorative than functional, but I would instal a carbon monoxide detector just in case. But yes it does look a bit shoddy.