Gas Installer

Also known as:

Engineer, Gas Service
Gas Service Engineer
Gas Fitter

Introduction

Gas installers fit gas appliances and piping in customers' homes and business premises. Appliances include gas heaters, cookers, meters, domestic central heating boilers and radiators, and industrial boilers. Installers also go out to customers' premises to service and repair gas appliances. They may carry out routine maintenance and repair boilers that have broken down.

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Work Activities

Gas installers usually go to their base early in the morning to collect details of the day's work, and to pick up any spare parts and materials they will need. In large organisations, installers may work from home and use a laptop computer to keep in touch with a service centre, receive a daily appointment list, and order spare parts.

Installers keep in regular contact with their base. Office or workshop based staff may call to tell them about emergency jobs, or spare parts that have come into stock.

Once they reach a customer's premises, gas installers test appliances thoroughly, paying strict attention to safety procedures. They diagnose and repair faults, often on complex appliances. Installers use laptop computers to help them diagnose faults. They may test a boiler flue to make sure there is proper ventilation and dangerous fumes cannot leak out into the room. Gas installers may dismantle the appliance, clean parts and repair or replace faulty parts. Sometimes they do routine service visits for customers who have a service contract with the company.

Gas installers answer their customers' questions and show them how best to use appliances. They may also write and give invoices to their customers, and accept payment for any work done.

Sometimes the installer cannot repair an appliance, for example, because it is old and replacement parts are no longer available for it so they will advise the customer to buy a new appliance. The installer may give advice about this, or pass the customer's details on to a sales representative of the company, who can then arrange a visit to give a quote.

Gas installers usually travel throughout the local area. They usually wear a uniform and they wear overalls for dirty tasks. They must work to strict safety standards at all times.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

To be a gas installer, you must have strong technical knowledge and skills. You will need a methodical, logical and patient approach to diagnosing and solving problems. You must be able to follow safety procedures at all times, working carefully and with great attention to detail.

Gas installers need to follow detailed plans and instructions. You will need computer skills as some installers use laptop computers to diagnose problems and communicate with their base.

You need good communication skills. You will be dealing with customers and therefore presenting an image of the company you work for. You must have good listening skills, and the ability to ask the right questions, to find out more about the customer's needs.

Sometimes customers may be anxious or angry, for example, when a central heating boiler breaks down in freezing weather. You must be able to reassure the customer in a calm and professional manner.

You must be physically fit. You may have to lift heavy appliances, climb up to check flue ventilation, or work in small awkward places. Your colour vision may be tested.

A full driving licence is normally required.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Gas installers earn in the range of £15,500 - £20,500 a year, rising to £25,000 - £31,000. Higher earners can make around £33,000 a year.

A large employer of gas installers is British Gas Services; it uses the title 'gas service engineer'.

Other employers are the makers of industrial and domestic gas appliances, domestic gas appliance retailers and specialist central heating installers.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Many people enter after gaining relevant skills and abilities, and perhaps qualifications, in a related area such as plumbing, heating and ventilation fitting or welding. They must then satisfy the requirements of the Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS), before going on to register with Gas Safe.

Modern Apprenticeships may be available in some areas.

If you want to become a gas service engineer for British Gas Services, you should ideally have received training in Domestic Natural Gas Installation and Maintenance up to SVQ level 3, or the equivalent City and Guilds qualification, as well as having passed the ACS.

However, if your experience is limited and you have no formal training, you may still be able to enter. British Gas Services can train you to raise your level of competence, including ACS accreditation, if you need this.

British Gas Services also runs traineeships. For entry, formal qualifications are desirable but not essential. You must have work experience in an area that involved contact with customers, eg plumbing or electrical installation.

You will be paid a salary while training, after which you will become a servicing fitter working in a local team. During the next year, you'll do gas appliance servicing work and be considered for further training to enable you to become a service engineer.

• 3% of people in occupations such as gas installer work part-time.
• 4% have flexible hours.

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New Developments

Some people working in this occupation may be involved in the green jobs sector in areas such as renewable energy.