Aga DIY Service - Customer Comments

Customer Comments

FAO David Badham

A friend of mine had an AGA which had stopped working and as he didn't have any confidence in the engineer who had carried out the servicing previously, contacted me and we bought the service kit in February 2018. We found the instructions to be very comprehensive and carried out the service with great success. The AGA fired up and worked better than it had done for years. Many thanks for your excellent kit.
Many thanks.
Kind regards
Ken D.

Ken D., Flint

26 May 2018

Hello David,
Good morning. Just a quick email to say many thanks for the 5 meters of replacement wick. Arrived within 24 hours of posting, as usual. Much appreciated. Just looked at my 'service card' and see that I have had the benefit of your excellent service for almost seven years. Won't even try to work out how much this has saved me!
All the very best. Kind regards,
Bob F.

Bob F., Crewe, Cheshire

29 Mar 2018

Hi David,
Just to thank you for your patience recently in not only resurrecting my instructions, but for talking me through the control box and its' internal workings, which needed a clean out after 23 years of grunge had stopped our Aga .
The final apparent complexity was resolved by re-reading your clear instructions and pushing much more more firmly on the fire control valve button until it clicked. This to resume the fuel flow. How stupid I felt after everything else had been cleaned and checked! Many thanks again,
Godfrey
PS. Please feel free to add my feedback if desired.

Godfrey D., Keith, Aberdeenshire

07 Mar 2018

Dear David,
One again you have so very professionally, without fuss, and in such a courteous manner, provided the various parts required for our Aga, continued thanks. Over the years I have very much grown to depend on your always being there, especially when things don’t always go to plan and your knowledge has saved the day. Long may this continue to be the case.
Andrew T.

Andrew T., Perthshire

05 Jan 2018

Dear David
The fault was the oil reservoir and the feed pipe built up with carbon With your very clear instruction the Aga is now back to full heat Personally I believe its running better now than when the factory engineer last serviced
Very easy to follow your instruction and the satisfaction of doing it yourself is very pleasing
Philip H.

Philip H., Cheshire

18 Dec 2017

Dear David,
Thank you very much indeed for the exceptionally helpful instructions you sent me. I did not have the confidence to service the Oil Control Valve until I read your detailed and highly accurate directions, and I am delighted to report that my Aga is once again functioning as intended. The oil tank filter was almost completely obstructed by sludge, some of which had migrated to the OCV filter. The OCV jet was partially obstructed, and needed cleaning. I then tested the flow rate, and found that at high fire, the flow was only 4cc/min; it was a good job I checked! With the OCV cover removed, the max flow achievable was c12cc/min, so I proved that the correct flow rate was achievable. Ultimately, I removed the cover plate to give access to the flow rate adjustment screws, but rather than change these, used a screwdriver to lift and correctly seat the control slide mechanism; this delivered a flow of c7.5c /min. Following reassembly and a relight, the burner glows red with c10 mm of blue flame above with the OCV set at 5/6.
Many thanks again, and please feel free to add this testimony to the other hugely positive feedback you have received.
Yours Jeremy

Jeremy S., Gillingham, Dorset

28 Nov 2017

Hi,
Thank you for such a speedy delivery of my Aderco order. I placed it yesterday late morning and it arrived here, on the West Coast of Scotland, by lunchtime today. It is a great product and since I started using it I only have to clean the carbon buildup in my very old Rayburn twice a year now.
Best regards
Joanne

Joanne F., Lochgilphead

10 Nov 2017

I have just carried out my first service on my Aga. The last service was done by a professional but seemed to me to be infective, but I'm new to Agas so accepted it as it was. Your instruction to get down to bare metal was particularly helpful as what I first thought was metal was in fact very hard carbon, about 1mm to 2mm thick coating the crucible walls and filing the pipe joints, leaving no more than a pin hole for the oil to pass. I had to use a drill to brake into it so that I could scrape it off. The burner assembly is now level, I checked it before taking it out and it was sloping up from back to front. The bottom of the crucible was preventing proper adjustment so I slid a 2 pence coin under the back foot which had the effect of lifting the crucible off the floor enough to allow the adjustable front feet to work. It has been off for the summer so, on past experience, I expected it to be difficult to light and take until the next day to heat up. In fact it lit up strait away and within a few minutes was burning clean, the shells turning red, and a couple of hours later is well on the way to operating temperature. I have the thermostat set lower than before, just under 3, and will adjust as needed. It is obviously working much more efficiently.
You clearly understand the mistakes a novice can make on this job and have written the instructions accordingly. Their clarity gave me the confidence to tackle it and get it right. Having the benefit of your experience to hand was definitely worth paying for.
With thanks, Malcolm

Malcolm D., Llandysul

03 Nov 2017

Hi my name is david C., from cork, you might remember me from last year I bought a draught limiter from you as we were having lots of trouble with our aga on windy days, and i said i would let you know how we got on.
Well to fit the limiter was a nightmare because our flu (chimney pipe) was inside the chimney which was a foot inside a 200 year old stone wall, so we had to hammer and chisel out the wall to try and find the flu and when we found it we had to cut the chimney pipe (with a knife!!) so we could attach a T- joint we got specially made from stainless steel piping to reach the chimney flu. Then we were able to attach the draught limiter. So we put our full faith in you that it was going to work and it paid off cause it is fantastic now!! the aga works better then ever, even on very windy days, it is nearly as hot as normal days, and we are not burning as much fuel either. If you have any questions for your own info dont hesitate to contact me.
I would like to thank you sincerely for your help, because we have tried every corner of this country for a solution to this problem and finally after 10 years we finally found it thanks to you. Keep up the good work and if we have any more issues with our aga you'll be our man to solve them!
Thanks again,
David and all the family from Cork, Ireland.

David C., Co. Cork

26 Oct 2017

Hi David,
just had to write and let you know that I have serviced our Aga for the first time and I am absolutely blown away by how easy it was using your detailed instructions. I even replaced the elbow beneath the burner! Great and thanks.
Regards,
Mike

Mike G., Newark

15 Oct 2017

Dear David,
It's nearly six months since I serviced my aga following your instructions and I apologise for not replying sooner to thank you. I found your instructions very clear and gave me the confidence to take the burner out and successfully service it. The service record card was also very helpful. I was surprised at how coked up the burner was despite being regularly serviced before. Also I spent a lot more time scrapping out the carbon deposits than the person who serviced the aga for the last 15 years. I found using a small screwdriver in addition to a normal one useful to get into the tight spots and I also used an air aerosol to blast out the debris. I tried using a carburettor cleaner and a gun cleaner solvent but both were useless. I concluded that the only answer to cleaning the burners is wrist action!
I've just ordered another wick and will service again in a couple of weeks and am interested to see how coked up the burner has become.
Many thanks again.
Keith A.

Keith A. Reading, Berkshire

11 Jul 2017

I have just reordered some Aderco additive. We were most impressed with the effect the first lot had when added to our last fuel delivery. After 18 months of frequently recurring problems whilst using Glomax fuel, within a week of using a double dose of Aderco added to straight kerosene, the temperature started to recover and it enabled us to continue through the colder weather without having to turn everything off for maintenance. With the milder weather we shall shortly try our first diy maintenance – in the meantime, thank you for the Aderco recommendation. Robert C.

Robert C., Wimborne

16 May 2017

Hi David,
It worked! Not a whiff of fumes. Thank you - this has been the best on-line service we have ever had, and is enormously appreciated.
Best regards,
Angus

Angus M., Lairg

16 Mar 2017

I’m a girl. I’m no DIY expert. Yesterday I came to light the Aga but it wouldn’t light (needed servicing). My husband is out today and unable to help and I need the Aga as guests are coming for the weekend. So I follow the instructions for servicing on your fantastic website… I can’t believe how easy it is!!!
I’ve just finished and the Aga is now roaring away nicely. I’m very proud of myself and just wanted to give feedback as it is something ANYONE can do. Seriously.
All I will say is really clean hard – particularly using the coat hanger to get into the tubes that link the two burner loops. There was loads of carbon there which I missed at first. The hoover is also a must. I won’t think twice again about doing it.
Thanks again.
Hilary

Hilary K. Whitby

27 Feb 2017

Doug / David,
Aga serviced and lit - all going well I think I have been able to turn down the thermostat and feel a sense of achievement rarely experienced in the field of diy.
Can I ask you to take a look at the photos attached of the surround for the hot plate- is that normal I have no idea what this material even is? (It is rockwool - David)
Many thanks.
regards,
Clive C.

Clive C., Saffron Walden

11 Feb 2017

David,
Did a service yesterday. Great - very clear instructions and easy to follow. Don't know why I never did this before. The first burner service took a bit longer than anticipated as on burner removal I found my oil delivery pipe at the crucible end well and truly rusted and siezed in. My conclusion from the state of it was this has been like this a long, long time - which to me indicates the service engineer on the last few visits had probably left this in the 'too difficult to fix' box. A couple of hours soak with some penetrating oil and careful spanner work meant I finally got the thing apart to clean the crucible inlet properly - it was well crudded up and partially blocked.
Aga back on, working fine and have had to turn the thermostat down a bit as definitely burning hotter from a more efficient burner after proper cleaning.
Only one downside - Aga now brilliantly shiny (enamel etc cleaned like new while waiting for the penetrating oil etc above to work!) so missus has decided I now have a job for life.............
Regards
Colin

Colin B., Dunbar

07 Feb 2017

Very many thanks for these instructions and for sending the wicks so quickly. I checked the flow rate as suggested and whilst flow up to the control valve (from the filter) was fine, flow to the burner at high-fire was at most 2 - 3 cc per minute. (<100 cc over 30 mins) Following your instructions, I cleaned the slit in the stem valve and, although I could not see any blockage, high-fire flow increased to 8 cc per min (240 cc over 30 mins).
A thorough clean of the burner; a re-grind of the 'hat', and the top oven temperature has gone from 160 deg to 250 deg even with the thermostat set low !
So, many thanks, we're cooking again!
Regards,
Rob H.

Rob H. Rugeley

25 Jan 2017

Dear David,
I just wanted to let you know that after months of problems the aga is now going great guns. At first, like many people I suspect, I was unsure whether your service would work or was even genuine. However you have been a wonderful help and the service you supply goes way beyond just an online guide. Please feel free to publish this letter or part of it on your site as I can honestly highly recommend you to anyone having problems with their aga or who wants to save money on servicing. Time and time again you have replied to my questions with great efficiency and I am really grateful. In the end it turned out we had a large amount of water and debris in our oil tank as well as some very poor servicing by so called professionals, but now thanks to you it is working brilliantly and we understand it a great deal better. I hope in future we will not have to bother you with so many questions but it is great to know you are there just in case. If anyone reads this please be assured that this is an absolute bargain and I would highly recommend it as you not only get instructions but also David answers all sorts of questions personally as well, which is invaluable. With very many thanks
Carol H.

Carol H. Hook Norton

07 Dec 2016

Dear David
I invested in your AGA service instructions on Monday and whilst on the phone I told you about the problem I had with our 15 year old 4 oven AGA reaching cooking temperature. After some discussion you concluded that it was extremely likely to be an oil flow problem and said you would email me the various points to check. A detailed email along with pictures duly arrived within an hour and so I turned off the AGA and left it to cool overnight. On Tuesday I set about checking the various possible causes of the problem after testing the oil flow to the burner on high fire which was approximately 3cc per minute! After checking the filters by the tank and components within the Oil Control Valve and some minor adjustments to the flow and high fire screws on the OCV I eventually got the rates to 4cc and 8cc respectively. Having put everything back together I lit the AGA and it came up to cooking temperature in 4 hours just above the black line but it continued to rise to about 3 or 4mm above the line with the thermostat set at 4. After testing a couple of settings I found that the AGA operates within 1mm or so either side of the black line with the thermostat at 3.5 and the temperature hardly fluctuated with the roasting and baking ovens and both the hot and simmering plates in operation. This is the best it has been for years probably since new. Thank you so much for your help and all included in the price of the service instructions.
With warmest regards
David S

David S., Shrewesbury

05 Dec 2016

Dear David
I telephoned a couple of days after we serviced our Aga but would like again to say thank you for your excellent service manual and your helpful advice. I was more than a bit concerned about tackling the job and wondered like some of your customers if it was too good to be true but I can honestly say that from now on I will be doing the service myself. I have no qualms in recommending your service to anyone else, despite having it regularly professionally serviced our Aga hasn’t worked so well for a long, long time.
Regards
John R.

John R. Camborne

28 Nov 2016

Hi David,
Another success story.
9 Years ago we bought our 2 oven AGA second hand on EBAY, the seller lived in a lovely Sussex Cottage in the country and cried as we left with the dismantled stove, she decided to upgrade to a Gas range even though she had been brought up with this Aga and it was like a friend/sister/brother. I don't know whether she was happy with the change , we are.
After fitting ( by specialist AGA fitters ), we had the Aga serviced annually, for about three years, but it was getting harder & harder to get the service guy to us, he was not local . I tried to get a local Co to service but every time I phoned they always said , " too busy ". Eventually I had to resort to DIY servicing based on my careful overseeing of the service guy's final visit. At that point I began to buy a wick annually from agaDIYservice via EBAY. All good planning, and saving lots of money.....but however much I scraped and cleaned off the carbon the darned AGA never seemed to get upto heat, causing much consternation in the household and many a raised eyebrow with respect to my competence at all matters DIY Finally I accepted my shortcomings ( last week) and paid the £39 for the Service manual from agaDIYservice, I now write this e mail from the roasty toasty kitchen as my top oven remains consistently at 220 degrees at 3 on the thermostat.
I followed all the procedures , including checking the oil filter ( some rubbish , and needed cleaning) , the oil flow through the feed pipe ( very murky for a while), and finally discovered by calibrating the fuel flow that the max volume of oil was less than the required consumption at low fire. The process took me a few hours but well worth it . Methods all easy to follow.
Now all sorted. I totally recommend the service sheets. I am now the DIY king again.....for a while.
Jon C

Jon C Lymington

21 Oct 2016

Hi David
Wonders never cease! Big thank you for helping me out here. You were absolutely correct in that the flow rates were both too low. I spent many hours running the tests to get the rates spot on. Now I understand the AGA has never worked properly since we inherited it. There was zero flow in the low fire position hence switching off during power cuts. I had to turn the low fire screw 2 ½ full turns to get the flow going! Someone must have screwed it right in a few years ago. Your tech handouts and level of support has been supreme. Big thanks again for curing the problems (AGA hotter than ever been) and educating me along the way. Will be buying all my parts from you.
Peter

Peter B. Aberdeenshire

06 May 2016

David,
Have just completed my first DIY service on my oil fired AGA. Your website instructions along with the photographs are excellent. I had previously watched an AGA specialist service my appliance and thought to myself..'doesn't seem too difficult or specialised to carry that out myself'....but was not confident enough until I read your web site. Thanks for the prompt delivery of the new wicks and sharing your knowledge with us.
Regards,
Alan T

Alan T., Monkland, Herefordshire

22 Feb 2016

Hi David
Just some feedback.
I used the Aderco additive in with a new load of oil this week. The difference is remarkable, smell is gone and burning is better and quieter. How much is down to the new oil or the additive I’m unsure but it certainly seems worth continuing with.
Kind regards…..Dave

Dave D. Radstock

15 Feb 2016

Hi David
Well i thought i would give you feedback:
Thank you very much for your patience on the phone, i know you thought you were dealing with an idiot, well you were not wrong! however after your advice and getting "to understand the aga" and identifying all the various parts etc under your guidance, i did take the whole lot apart !! wow my heart was in my mouth in case i couldn't put it together again!! I had oil over flowing my container as it seemed to be whooshing out faster than i expected and i didn't have enough hands! or a big enough container!!
However once all put back, cleaned etc I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!!! my Aga is working perfectly, i really can not remember a time in 14 years that it has kept on the black line but also the dial is about 3 so i can actually adjust it up and down! i seriously have spent hundreds on service engineers usually visiting about every 3 months as it so rarely got to temperature and stayed there. I feel confident now to do it myself thanks to you! in fact i feel like shouting it from the roof top so other people could benefit and save a lot of money. Thanks again
Pippa

Pippa J., Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

27 Feb 2015

Hi David,
Just an update to save you replying to my previous message...everything seems to be working OK...the shells are now glowing orange, although the mercury is still only halfway to the normal operating point. I'm leaving it on tonight and assume that it will have reached operating temperature in the morning.
Can I thank you again for your amazing technical support? You have certainly lived up to the promise of providing back-up advice and support following the original one-off payment for the diy instructions, providing an increasingly rare service these days. In addition to giving me the confidence to tackle my own Aga (with the knowledge that if it goes wrong you are avilable to help) I have saved a fortune by no longer having to call out an engineer every six months! I have tried to encourage my Aga-owning brother-in-law to buy into your service, but he reckons he's too ham-fisted to do any diy (which is possibly true). I'd have no hestitation in recommending you to any other Aga owners I come across, however.
Thanks once again, and best wishes for Christmas and the New year.
Stuart

Stuart O.,Belford, Northumberland

22 Dec 2014

To David
Many thanks for your patience and assistance, Aga now chugging contentedly at a far less hazardous temperature.
Seasons greetings and all the best.
Chris

Chris B., Middlesbrough Cleveland

22 Dec 2014

Dear Sir,
I just wanted to say how Bloody annoying your recent Aga instructions have been. Last year we moved into our new house which had an Aga and asked the Farmer who was selling the house if he could get the Aga serviced for us and everything switched on as we had a new Baby and the house had been empty for a while and is very big' I know absolutely nothing about Agas and really needed to just get it sorted out so the Man came and then a month later presented us with a bill for £481.My wife rang and asked if he could reduce it a bit for cash to no avail and so I presumed that it was going to cost about that every year. Now I've been involved with the Building trade for many years and am reasonably handy so I thought I would look into doing it myself this year. The whole process took less than one hour and that was doing it really well, I discovered that the service done before was not done properly and also the deck was out of level by some margin. So due to the spare time I found that I had I cleaned all the old congealed food of it with a Razor scraper and cleaned the whole thing which now looks brand new, So the reason I'm annoyed is due to finding out just how much I was ripped off last year and how easy it is to service yourself with your clear instructions. The kit was well worth the money as well although I have many tools there are just those little bits you don't have lying around, e.g. Bulls eye level. As a matter of interest my Wife followed what I was doing and reckoned she could easily service the Aga herself if she had to. Thank you for making this information available to the masses I cant recommend it enough
Kind Regards Neil F.

Neil F., Stockton-on-Teme, Worcs

20 Aug 2014

Hello David
Many thanks for coming back to me so quickly and for sending the wick on Monday. I have logged into your site which is easy to follow and the instructions very clear. Thank you for the advice you have given in the email below. You have put my mind at rest that I now have the instructions to put our Rayburn back into working order. Look forward to being in touch again.
Kind Regards
Jim

Jim N. Ulverston, Cumbria

17 Aug 2014

Clear, helpful instructions. Very straightforward. All works fine with exactly the right time for the cup of coffee.
Peter H.

Peter H., Longhope, Gloucestershire

16 Jun 2014

David
Thanks for that I really appreciate your assistance, have sorted the problem out and it did appear to be sludge in the pipes. Superb service as ever.
Fee free to use my name and quote as you see fit Regards
Andrew

Andrew H. Loughborough, Leics.

12 May 2014

Hello
Just to say thank you for great service again. I ordered some Aga wicks and they arrived the very next day. Also, no hidden charges. If all customer service was like yours the world would be a happier place!
Regards
David

David L., Evesham, Gloucestershire

31 Mar 2014

Thank you for your prompt reply to my request for DIY instructions to service our oil fired Aga. .We had arrived home from holiday to find the house full of semi burnt oil smell and the Aga thermometer showing half temperature. The following day enquiries revealled our service engineer had retired. It was during a trawl on the internet that I found your DIY site and clicked on it.The instructions were clear, concise and easy to follow. After downloading them I followed them step by step and found an hour and a half later the mission was completed. Now the cakes are in the oven her indoors is over the moon that her beloved Aga is restored to full working order and we are both confident that paying for servicing is history.
Roy H.

Roy H., Lancaster, Lancashire

22 Jan 2014

Dear David,
I've just ordered another couple of wick sets (One for my new neighbour who I will put in touch with your web site as he is keen to DIY) and thought I'd let you know how well the procedure of replacing my thermostat last year went. Thanks to your instructions and reassurances it was easy and straightforward. This was done last April together with a service/wick replacement and it's been running faultlessly since.
Bob S.

Bob S., Stowmarket, Suffolk

13 Jan 2014

Thank you for your assistance .I followed your very easy to follow instructions and it worked out perfect .The wicks are ok but I will order backup and additive later.
Regards and best wishes for a happy Christmas and New Year.
John D.

John D., Ennis, Co. Clare

25 Dec 2013

Hi David
I just wanted to let you know that I serviced the Aga myself yesterday! I know I have been using your service for the past couple of years but Husband always takes over saying its a man's job. Well no! I ordered the wicks and as always they turned up the very next day (Amazon, Sports Direct, Ebay - please take note - next day means next day with David) and I slowly and methodically worked my way through the manual. The first time of lighting it didn't work so I re-took the Aga apart and spent even longer on the 90 degree bend bit under the crucible and it lit first time and is now coming up to proper heat. Thank you so much for your wonderful service.
Venetia W.

Venetia W., Winchester, Hampshire

28 Nov 2013

Hi David
Thanks very much for the excellent service instructions were easy to follow and the Aga is working fine
Regards Tim

Tim J., Newmarket, Suffolk

19 Nov 2013

Hello David,
I have followed your clear easy to read and understand instructions and am delighted with the outcome. I find the cost very reasonable especially when one considers the savings made by not having outsiders to do the work.The follow up e mails are also very much appreciated and re assuring. I am very pleased with the overall business and have no hesitation in recommending you to others. I find it to be such a rarity these days.Your letter arrived this morning. My aga is operating at full power and in use.
Many thanks Mike

Mike L., Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

02 Nov 2013

Thank you for your email re the service instructions. Aga is now running perfectly thanks to the advice provided. It turned out that the problem was the elbow joint under the burner was still clogged and this was cleared when I drilled it out. Prior to this the fuel had been getting through when on full setting but was so restricted that as soon as the regulator was turned down the fuel couldn't get through and the Aga went out.
My situation had been complicated because we hadn't set up the Aga properly when we refitted the kitchen and the fuel reservoir was too high. The instructions on your site and the telephone and email advice you provided allowed me to set up the Aga properly, service it fully and now it is working more efficiently than it ever has. I am now totally confident that the next service will be very straight forward.
Thanks again, we will certainly recommend the Aga DIY Service to friends.
Steve S.

Steve S., Exeter, Devon

18 Jun 2013

Hi David and Edward,
Many thanks for the quick response for supplying the guide. I’d had a problem with sooting up in the AGA, to a point where it tripped the fire valve.
Thanks to the guide and email, I worked out that when I last removed the OCV to remove water and residue from our old tank, I failed to check its position relative to the burner, and I assume it was too high. I’m not certain as I’d already pulled the AGA apart in an attempt to rectify the poor burn. Anyway, with the help of the guide and the email I set the OCV up as it should be, hoovered out the inside of the AGA, and all has been well since, with a lovely blue flame and quite AGA. Many thanks, Regards,
Rees

Rees K., Over, Gloucestershire

08 Mar 2013

Dear David Thank you for sending the Aga Wick roll prornptly. Last night I became an Aga Engineer! I would like to think that I am a practical person and I was going to try and service the Aga without the manual. I am sure that I could have done it, but what the Manual tells you in very clear concise terms is why certain things are important and what to look out for. I followed the simple steps and boy was it charcoaled up! The drill did its bit and the wick cutting was straight forward as I followed the pattern in the book. (The old wick only had 4 notches but I put 5 as per your photograph). By the way does it rnatter or rather must the wick ends overlap or should the cut edges be together ie. perfect size? The old ones overlapped so this is how I did it this time but I thought that I need to ask the question. I did try to remove the double male connector to the crucible (underside) but it appeared to be seized tight, so hope that I do not need to remove it in the future! You can tell by the nut fitting that there have been problems in the past and maybe it is best left alone. I think that I put the rings lid on the right way (did not make a note of it before I removed it - maybe a photo on your instructions may help as the one there is not clear) and lit her up after about 20 minutes. I did worry about the yellow flame coming from the top of the pot after about 2 hours but your notes said that this can happen to start with. (Maybe worth putting in your instructions that to start with rneans a couple of hours or so), but this morning - perfect blue flarne, red top and no yellow flames at all to be seen. Even had to turn the thermostat down. I also appreciate that before I made the purchase I sent you an email and within 2 hours you actually telephoned me to discuss the matter. Good old fashioned personal service. Thank you. Feel free to publicise rny comments or parts of it as you see fit.
Kind regards Mark L.

Mark L,, Andover, Hampshire.

26 Feb 2013

Dear David Thank you very much for your advice and assistance with servicing the Aga ... the instructions and parts arrived very quickly. We checked the oil tank filter and found it corroded so will be replacing it. We followed your very clear, easy-to-follow instructions and found heavy carbon build up so cleaned it all out and we've now got all the ovens operating at normal temperature again, probably for the first time in several years! Having the photos with the instructions was very helpful. Do you supply the filters for the oil tanks or, if not, would you be able to recommend a supplier please? Thank you again for your help,
Best regards Cathy

Cathy D., Epping, Essex

20 Feb 2013

Dear David, Thanks for the information in your excellent instruction manual. we got our 58years old Aga serviced and working well by following your manual. Will contact you for any future advise or spares. many thanks.
Elizabeth B. Pitlochry

Elizabeth B. Pitlochry, Perthshire and Kinross

31 Dec 2012

I am so grateful to you for so promptly supplying the electric control thing for our Aga, and especially for all your patient and expert advice on the telephone. I have successfully fitted it and adjusted it according to your instructions, and the Aga is working perfectly again. It's such a comfort to have its warmth and company in the kitchen in this arctic weather!
Very many thanks, and best wishes for Christmas.
Robin

Robin H., Holt, Norfolk

10 Dec 2012

Dear Edward/David,
Just a very quick note to thank you for the very prompt dispatch of the above, safely received today only 2 days later with a Sunday in between! What a great service you run...a real pleasure when dealing with an unknown company online. I'll certainly keep you in mind for your further advice 'kit' and other spares as/when the need arises - which I'm sure it will when the next load of oil arrives/stirs up the tank and the aga starts burning 'dirty' and sooting up. I've been lucky to have a fantastic local semi-retired aga engineer for the last 10 years but he's now well into his 70's, getting older all the time and the day will come when he ( or my sense of responsibility for his health and safety) finally calls enough ! Kind regards,
Roger

Roger B., Crieff, Perthshire

29 Oct 2012

David, All seems OK and thanks for your help. As many have commented, it is so much better to be able to do the job oneself. Money saved and a degree of personal satisfaction.
I will be extolling the virtues of AgaDiy. Bill

William W.

26 Sep 2012

Hi David
just completed my second aga service and still I'm amazed at how straightforward it can be thanks to your clear and easy to follow worksheets. Aga now lit and heating up nicely, feeling smug and another £120 saved, and by the way it has never worked so efficiently as it does now, because I don't think anyone cleaned all the carbon from the feedpipes etc the way you showed us. Thanks
Andrew and Linda H.

Andrew and Linda H., Lincoln

01 Sep 2012

All steps completed. Aga relit and warmed up overnight nicely. Feeling v smug - No3 daughter and I successfully serviced the AGA all by ourselves, including the use of spanners, screwdrivers and drills, thanks to your excellent, clear tutorial.
Many thanks!
Sue

Sue P., Raglan, Monmouthshire

29 Aug 2012

Dear David,
The Toby manual controller and the wicks arrived lunchtime on Friday 13th July. You are very efficient, reliable and helpful. It is a pleasure doing business with you.
FEEDBACK: I installed the unit quite easily after lunch on Friday. Paying regard to your note concerning oil levels I made sure that the unit sat horizontaly on the metal shelf on the side of the cooker by adjusting the three nuts at the base of the unit. As you know, Toby has a horizontal line on the casing outside with the caption oil level . I had to take off the lid by removing the two small screws in order to check the level after I had opened up the oil supply. When the oil had reached the required level I put back Toby's lid, waited 20 minutes and lit the cooker. I had previously cleaned the crucible and connections and inserted a new wick. The temperature went up and the reading is now and has been since Satrurday morning plumb on the line.
I am delighted with Toby. It is small simple and well made. I should have installed one before.
My very best wishes and thanks to you Greg

Greg de U, Lamberhurst, Kent

17 Jul 2012

This is a fantastic service< I only wish that I had come across it sooner.
The instructions are brilliant and the speed at which you send out component parts is great.
Thank you, David C.

David of Dinnington in Somerset

11 May 2012

Thanks David.
Wicks arrived yesterday, job done in the evening after work. Just as easy as you said it would be. thanks again for your great service regards
david

David S., Penrith, Cumbria

10 May 2012

Thanks for the instructions and the wicks etc. I followed the instructions yesterday as my Aga was running below temperature with a poor flame even in permanent high flow mode. It can been serviced just before Christmas with a bill well above £100.
The instructions were very straightforward and easy to follow. I took the process quite slowly as I had not done it before and wanted to be sure of what I was doing. I took a break in the middle but reckon that the whole process took me about two hours and that with experience I think I could do it in about half the time. The Aga is now running fine, is fully up to temperature and the high flow flame clear, blue and high.
I will certainly be doing my own service again. At £5.00 for a set of wicks it is a bargain compared to the commercial rates and also puts me in control.
Many thanks
Rod H.

Rod H., Inverness

24 Apr 2012

Just a testimonial to add to your site.

“Just a few short e-mail exchanges and a little basic investigation and the source of our AGA’s lack of reaching temperature had been correctly identified as a faulty heater. A replacement heater was despatched and with us the following day. Fitting was simple and everything on its way back to normal in 15 minutes. I have been returned to the families good books! Thanks David for all your prompt help and support. Andy E. Cambridge.”

Andy E., Cambridge

14 Mar 2012

Hello,
Performed my first service during the week. No problems encountered, even the hotplate/barrel lifted out without too great an exertion! I was surprised that the Aga had stayed alight at all with the feed tube being blocked solid with carbon. As an aside I'm still waiting for the engineer I 'phoned over three weeks ago regarding a service to return my call!
Regards, James M.

James M. Telford, Salop

04 Mar 2012

Thanks for the advice on the 'phone and the parts, which arrived this morning. When I ‘phoned you on Tuesday I had spent a week resetting the fire valve every few hours and relighting the Aga. I reset it again after I spoke to you and it has worked continuously since then. You obviously share a talent with Uri Geller! Chris E.

Chris E., Ewhurst, Surrey

05 Feb 2012

A little late but Happy New Year!
Just a note to say Thank You, for the help from our short phone call and the prompt delivery of wicks and joint cement. The Aga is working nicely once more. Having been held to ransom by a Service Engineer, I refused to give in and decided to have a go myself. Armed with the tools suggested and I can concur the need for a pair of stout Marigolds, the service took me no more than an hour on a wet Saturday afternoon just before Christmas. Although the aga did not light first time, it was taken to pieces again and given another drilling with the 3mm bit, which was all that was needed and hey presto, a cosy warm aga within a few hours. No one but I will be servicing my aga from now on. Thank you once again.
Jacquie H.,

David replied that scraping by hand back to bare metal should always be done as well.

Jacquie H., Strathyre, Perthshire

14 Jan 2012

Well what can I say! My aga has never run as well since I bought it. The service instructions are very clear with good explanation of the reasons for doing certain things-removing the carbon is the major job, something I do not believe my aga engineer ever did as thoroughly as I have! The relight was instant! Many,many thanks for providing the information I have been needing and the wicks arriving in less than 24 hrs was very impressive. My only comment would be for 'girlies' doing their own service a stout pair of marigolds is essential.
A superb and valuable purchase!
My Thanks again. Julie W.

Julie W., Calendar, Wiltshire

29 Dec 2011

Dear David
Just to let you know that for the first time in months the Aga is up to temperature. Your website, emails and phone calls have all been most helpful and appreciated. It has been money well spent from my point of view. Obviously a combination of a slightly blocked slit valve and mis-aligned stem valve were responsible for my problems. I may have a slight weep at one joint so will order some sealant from you if this continues. Kind regards, Yours sincerely,
David K., Shrewsbury, Salop

David K., Shrewsbury, Salop

23 Dec 2011

Thanks for the advice last night it was dirt in the fuel valve as you suspected, operating perfectly again now money very well spent.
Thanks again. Feel free to post the feedback online
Tony M.

Tony M., Callander, Stirling

21 Dec 2011

Something for your website... "David helped identify my aga problems quickly (blocked oil filter + faulty OCV) and then sent the appropriate parts to correct the problem immediately saving me considerable time and cost with an Aga retailer. Davids depth of aga knowledge is outstanding (and Ive been servicing my oil aga for 10 years) and his rapid response to emails helped me diagnose and fix a serious problem within a few days myself. He even has the right parts available immediately at a competitive price...many thanks. Stewart in Hampshire (another satisfied customer)."

Stewart W., Rake, Hampshire

04 Dec 2011

Hi my name is david Conway, from cork, you might remember me from last year I bought a draught limiter from you as we were having lots of trouble with our aga on windy days, and i said i would let you know how we got on.
Well to fit the limiter was a nightmare because our flu (chimney pipe) was inside the chimney which was a foot inside a 200 year old stone wall, so we had to hammer and chisel out the wall to try and find the flu and when we found it we had to cut the chimney pipe (with a knife!!) so we could attach a T- joint we got specially made from stainless steel piping to reach the chimney flu. Then we were able to attach the draught limiter. So we put our full faith in you that it was going to work and it paid off cause it is fantastic now!! the aga works better then ever, even on very windy days, it is nearly as hot as normal days, and we are not burning as much fuel either. If you have any questions for your own info dont hesitate to contact me.
I would like to thank you sincerely for your help, becauser we have tried every corner of this country for a solution to this problem and finally after 10 years we finally found it thanks to you.
Keep up the good work and if we have any more issues with our aga you'll be our man to solve them!
Thanks again,
David and all the conway family from Cork, Ireland.

David C., Cork, Ireland

07 Nov 2011

Hi Agadiy
Successfully undertook first aga service with your instructions and wick. I imagine the savings to be made are the main factor for people using your website/service. However I think the immense male satisfaction to be gleaned from successfully servicing an aga, especially for those of us who are not greatly practical, can’t be overestimated.
Adam E.

Adam E., Wylam, Northumberland

25 Oct 2011

Good morning,
Just a quick email to say that I have now carried out my first aga service since receiving your very clear and most helpful instructions. The job took less than an hour to do and the aga is working beautifully. Can't think why I haven't been doing this for years as it is such a straight forward proces.
As my grandson would say - "Easy Peasy!"
Many thanks,
Bob F.

Bob F., Crewe, Cheshire

24 Oct 2011

Dear David and George,
I wanted to offer a little feedback.
We inherited our first Aga with our new house 2 years ago and frankly since having it, it has regularly broken down despite the efforts of a local specialist! After the last service, it managed around 4 months before failing again, so we left it turned off all this summer. Having visited the Aga DIY Service web-site, we decided that we would avoid the costly and seemingly ineffectual engineers this time and do it ourselves (especially having heard from them that Aga’s do well to run for more than around 4 months these days because of the poor quality of domestic oil!).
So we signed up for the DIY service membership and really it is just what we needed to understand the workings of these simple devices. I followed the instructions, which could be made simpler for us if there were images of converted, former wood-burning units like ours (although the extra related text was helpful) and within a short period of time, I was able to light the Aga, first time! I then spotted a small leak at the connection to the burner so switched off and ordered some Heldite from yourselves, which arrived promptly thank you, and allowed us to complete the job successfully last weekend before the cold weather set in. My wife thinks I am really clever, but of course, just like yourselves, it is clear that it is a simple process that has been mystified by people wishing to charge large sums in return for indifferent service!
Of course, whilst cleaning the pipes, it became apparent that the so-called experts had not been breaking the various components down (not removing the barrel and burner), simply clearing the accessible parts to allow the Aga to run when they departed and for a short period after. Well, never again as we are determined to take care of it ourselves and will happily come back to you for support and spares in future). Money well spent in our opinion, thank you!
Please feel free to use as much or little of this as you choose and to edit it any way that you see fit!
Best Regards,
Phil D.

Phil D., Skipton, North Yorkshire

21 Oct 2011

I lack the confidence to carry out mechanical repairs( my father said I was like a man with a left handed screwdriver) so it came as a pleasant surprise that I could service my AGA so easily. It was very straightforward. I did have a couple of queries but they were answered promptly & with patience. The Aga is now running better than it did the last time it was serviced.
Thank you
Graham T.

Graham T., Exeter, Devon

17 Oct 2011

David, although it as been some weeks since you kindly led me through the process of resettng the burner and regulater levels whilst servicing the Aga for the first time, I would like to thank you for your assistance.
Although I consider myself able, confrmation whilst carrying out something new is invaluably reassuring.
The Aga was lit after the service and settled down to the our normal running temperature with a satisfying burner glow and a constant blue flame crown, better than when first installed! Hopefully the correction of the burner and regulator levels will result in greater fuel efficiency. Regards
Barry S.

Barry S., Holsworthy, Devon

09 Oct 2011

Just to let you know - have unit up and running on full fire OK. I have had to turn down setting at control valve by about 3/4 of a full turn - unit runs at setting 4 on thermostat dial. I can only assume the last service engineer had turned it up, and after I had finished full clean, oil flow rate was better - difficult to know for sure.
However - many thanks for help and advice - well worth the momey!!
Regards Jim

Jim C., Belfast

29 Sep 2011

Just to let you know I have just completed the 4th service on our Aga using your directions and still enjoy the feeling of great satisfaction on completion each time. I keep your instructions nearby as a reminder and now look forward to servicing the Aga every six months on a day and time that suits me.
MANY THANKS.
Kind regards
John

John P., Tunbridge Wells, Kent

26 Sep 2011

David,
Have carried out first service on our AGA and it was a piece of cake; even the strange "puffing" noise that it has had for the last two years has stopped! Thank you.
Kind regards,
Dave

David S., Market Drayton, Shropshire

25 Sep 2011

Dear David
Thank you for your "e-book", but most of all for your telephone call-back after I called you late on Saturday afternoon.
I opened the oil control valve, but found that the slit in the outlet valve had not clogged up, instead the movement of the flow regulator lever which rests on this valve was restricted by a bent piece of metal (brass ?). This meant that turning the adjustment screw had no effect on oil flow rate. The minimum flow rate was also set at <1/2 what it should have been. After correcting the flow rates, the Aga not only lit beautifully, but is much better at maintaining temperature during cooking than it ever has been.
To any potential customers who are hesitating, I would strongly recommend they sign up. Whether new to the idea of doing your own basic Aga service or trying to sort our more tricky problems, this was money very well spent.
Thanks
David

David D., Horrabridge, Devon

19 Sep 2011

Hi David,
Just to thank you for your advice and let you know that MY AGA is as good as new! The level of oil was about 3mm below that recommended and the oil float chamber was not level either. I corrected both and the AGA relit in less that 15 minutes after restoring the fuel supply. The flame looks good without any yellow colouring and seems to fall back when full heat has been reached. Regards, David B.

David B., Crieff, Perthshire and Kinross

06 Sep 2011

Hi Just to let you know that i have serviced my aga for the first time today, using your infofmation on how to service an aga and found that it works extremly well,found no problems in using your info also have just ordered your aga kit so i have all the items in one place.
Keep up the good work
Raymond B.

Raymond B., Redhill, Bristol

05 Sep 2011

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today..your customer service, and advice is exemplary. So worth the small fee to learn how to service my AGA myself. I have been doing this now for 3 years with no problem at all….thank you.
Marcus H.

Marcus H., Pewsey, Wiltshire

31 Aug 2011

David
Last week I completed a service of the Aga using your instructions. I should say at the outset that my DIY skills are almost non-existent and I normally steer well clear of any practical tasks around the house. And I really mean that - so others with few practical skills reading this should keep this in mind whilst reading the rest of the review. However, I plucked up courage, purchased the instructions and decided to try to follow them to the letter. I also first read all the other comments on the site as a number contained additional tips. It all seemed to go well and I was delighted to get the thing re-assembled without oil all over the kitchen floor and no leaks. Unfortunately, I could not get it to light. However, more confident now, I took another 20 minutes taking the burner apart again and had another really good clean of the oil pipe going into the crucible -this time using the drill as recommended ( I had thought this was optional and on first go had just hacked around in the pipe with the metal coat hanger). This time it worked perfectly, lit first time and has been maintaining a good heat ever since. The whole procedure probably took me two hours but I did, in effect, have to do the whole thing twice. Having stripped it down twice and having successfully put it all together again I now feel confident about tackling the job next time it needs a service.
Thanks!
David

David W., Esh Winning, Durham

29 Jun 2011

Dear David,
I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for your great advice the other day. I have been successfully servicing my Aga for nearly 4 years now thanks to your great instructions at AgaDiyService, and saved myself over £1000 and countless hours, waiting for the engineer to arrive, in the process.
However, earlier in the week (on Bank Holiday Monday) the Aga started to lose temperature. I emailed you at 9.20 pm on the Bank Holiday, and had a comprehensive reply within an hour. First thing the next morning I followed your advice and cleaned out the filter next to the tank. Although it looked pretty clean, something must have been clogged, as over the course of the day the temperature came back up to normal and all is now working fine. I dread to think how much it would have cost, and how long I would have had to wait for an engineer to fix the problem!
Thanks again,
Toby

Toby K., Burridge, Hampshire

02 Jun 2011

Hi Guys,
Carried out my first Aga Service this morning.....a complete success.
Your website really does 'what it says on the tin'. It took me about an hour; and I really took my time removing years of built up deposits, and made absolutely certain that the burner was clean. Then fitted your wick, sealed the joints and replaced everything back inside the cooker. I then turned on the oil, made myself a cup of coffee, and added a match. Instant re-light and a clean flame.
Thanks guys, this will save me a small fortune over the years, and I don't need to worry if the Aga looses heat again....just a quick, simple service carried out by 'Yours Truely'! Your a couple of stars !!!
Chris M.

Chris M., Bridport, Dorset

26 May 2011

Hi
Thought I would drop you a line I purchased your AGA service instructions and wick a couple of weeks ago and must say with the aid of your instructions and photos how easy a task it was. We did have our AGA serviced by another company about every three months however by the look of it not a very good job. I would say that if I can do it anyone can, just one point the AGA temperature did not rise above the thick black bar for about two days and then move up to the thin black line may be there was a blockage but everything has been fine for the last ten days. Next time I need a wick I will contact you
Kind regards, Brian F.

Brian F., Highbridge, Somerset

26 Apr 2011

This is just a note to thank you for your prompt service and clear instructions. I serviced the beast this morning. I also took the opportunity to put a spirit level across the burner and set it accurately horizontal. It had been installed quite badly out of line. The whole process took less than an hour. After relighting we are now running nicely up to heat on a minimal setting.
With best wishes
Ken M.

Ken M., Okehampton, Devon

07 Apr 2011

Hi there,
I recently signed up for your service instructions for my Rayburn Royal 0F7 - fantaastic result! I completed it late last nght and left the control at just over 3 - the temperature this morning was almost 300 C! so I have the control down to just over 1. Thanks guys.
Conor

Conor McH., Belfast

18 Mar 2011

Dear David and George
Thank you for sending me the service instructions and wicks. In fact, as I said on the phone when I called you before placing my order, I own a 4-oven Redfyre. I was a little bit nervous about applying Aga procedures to the Redfyre. However, as you said, the two types would appear to be virtually identical. I have just spent a most enjoyable hour or so servicing my Redfyre with tender loving care. It re-lit nicely and I’m hoping that it will be up to temperature again in a few hours (if not, I’ll no doubt be in touch!). I wonder if it’s worth making clear on your website that your services apply to the Redfyre model also? There must be quite a few of us around. I shall be referring you to some friends in the village who own an Aga so look out for a request for instructions soon. Thanks again.
Regards, Mark N.

Mark N., Hopeman, Moray

26 Feb 2011

Hi David
Sorry for the delay in writing to you, life gets in the way a bit! Finally following the usual story of expensive servicing and the obligatory breakdown just before Christmas and constantly running my converted to oil 4 oven AGA on number 6 all the time, despite the engineer fiddling and scratching his head, we have now tackled the AGA with huge success and I am finally running up to the black line on number 4 and its never done that before. We serviced it 3 months after the engineer had been and it was filthy and after spending several hours cleaning as per your wonderful instructions and some advice about the crucible lid that had been cemented into place, we set about re-lighting the AGA and it lit beautifully but after 5 days, it slowly lost temperature again. We turned it off and started again, but everything was clean. After several phone calls to yourself, you quickly diagnosed a problem with the oil supply from the tank to the AGA itself, so we blew out the feed line and low and behold, thick black oil gunk and also a badly blocked filter at the oil tank end. We carried on until the line ran clean and turned the supply back on and a nice clean steady flow of oil appeared. Had a little trouble re-lighting it as the central wick only seemed to be alight, once again after a quick phone call to yourself you suggested blowing through the flap with a straw and instantly this caused the outer wick to light and a large blue flame appeared and here we are today with a happy hot AGA.
Many thanks
Alison and Stephen

Alison and Stephen M., Millbrook, Bedfordshire

17 Feb 2011

Dear David
Thanks for the very prompt delivery of the wicks and other bits.
I completed my service this morning and am just waiting for it to heat up. Great set of instructions....clear and simple and I have recommended you to my sister and our next door neighbour. Thanks for your help.
Best wishes
Tim

Tim O., Saxmundham, Suffolk

11 Feb 2011

Hi David
I have to confess David that I was sceptical at first "Can I do this, and will it work?". Well it's been a week now since I serviced the aga and it's running beautifully. Thanks to you, I now realsie that the Aga is a brilliantly simple invention, and easy to service.
Thanks again, especially for being on hand on a sunday.
Kind regards
Ed M.

Ed M., Tavistock, Devon

23 Jan 2011

Hi David,
Just to let you know that I serviced my Rayburn and re-lit it this week and all seems to be going well. I took my time, as you suggested, and am sure that next time I will get much nearer the time you think it should take. The instructions seemed fine to me and I was glad of the reassuring detail that you had included. Every time I thought what next? You seemed to have anticipated it. Just a couple of points that arose.
1. When relighting my original instructions with the Rayburn mention turning the control knob to 6 as well as operating the reset lever, for the time that the oil is flowing in prior to lighting. I did that and it was fine.
2. I did not encounter any pipes that needed anything as small as the drill you sent with the wicks (unless I missed something!).
So thank you very much – I will continue to do this myself now and order some wicks shortly to have in stock. As well as the cost saving I like the idea of being able to plan the best time to do the service (before it keels over!) without relying on an engineers visit.
Regards
Mike

Mike P., Bromyard, Herefordshire

08 Jan 2011

Absolutely brilliant service. For the 2nd year running, my Aga fails on New Years Day. Fuel starvation. It is a Saturday, with Sunday and Bank Hol Monday in prospect with no service. I’m sick of it. I find AgaDIY on Google. I like the site, and am convinced it is ‘easy’ enough for me. I pay £40; get the guide, which is great; service the Aga (which is full of carbon) and fire it up (I have a problem with a nut without a thread – previous services have bodged it with tape – unforgiveable – anyway, I bodge it with more tape and it seems to work – the service takes over an hour because of this extra problem). But I have a second problem now – the automatic fuel regulator has stopped working (it was fine earlier – I checked when my Aga died). So, on the Sunday I call David on the number I get with the guide. He answers happily. He helps me identify the problem – a broken transformer – and I order a new one. Meanwhile I can use the Aga as long as I am here to turn it off and on (I act as the fuel regulator!). But this is unsatisfactory. I realise I am only 40 minutes from David’s house in Wincanton. I call him, and he agrees I can pick up the parts right away. I arrive at 17:00 on Sunday, collect the new transformer and some extra bits and pieces that a new Aga expert knows he needs (wick material, jointing compound, etc), go home, plug in the new transformer, and have a perfectly working Aga. The whole exercise has cost me less than one service does. I am now an expert, and will service the Aga myself, mainly because I will know it has been done properly. It is a doddle.
Dai, Stockton

Dai, Stockton, Wilts.

03 Jan 2011

Hello, and a Happy New Year to you.
My New Year resolution was to do my own Aga servicing after 10 years of paying various tradesmen at escalating prices and decreasing intervals (especially in the last year or so). So, to begin the year I had a coffee and then launched into it, having read your instructions a few times beforehand. Before I knew it I began thinking "What exactly is difficult about this?" and "Why is that Aga servicing is shrouded in mystery?" (Answers - nothing, and to maintain plumbers profits). It was easy, even for me who quakes at the thought of DIY. There isn't anything complicated about it at all and for me, hopefully that's the end of Aga engineers costly visits. So, not only have you saved me spending lots in the future, but I have completed my New Years resolution by midday on 1/1/2011.
Thank you and kind regards. Chris C.

Chris C., Rye, East Sussex

01 Jan 2011

Many thanks for offering this service. My wife and I tried many times to contact our service engineer before Christmas. We left lots of messages and he never replied. We had a tank full of oil, an Aga and no heat and were very cold for a month with ice and snow outside. Finally I plucked up the courage to tackle the job myself on Christmas Eve. Our Aga had been converted from solid fuel to oil in the past so to get to the burner I had to lift out the old heavy solid fuel barrel to get to the burner. I drilled out all the heavy carbon deposits out of the supply tube and cleaned up every thing generally. Once all the bits were back together I lit the burner and it glowed an even red colour with a brilliant blue flame. Our Aga has never run so well. It was hot enough to cook the turkey the following day. Many thanks for your assistance.
Steve

Steve S., Clevedon, North Somerset.

30 Dec 2010

Hi,
After having endless problems with our aga after having a delivery of dirty oil and not much help from our engineer, I came across your website, sent for the instuctions on Sunday and we serviced it on Monday and after doing an awful lot of scraping in particular the oil wick channels and connecting crossings [which were not visible at first] we re assembled it . Now we have our warm kitchen back. Thank-you so much, we will be doing our own services in the future!
Kathy S.

K. S., Saddleworth, Lancashire

21 Dec 2010

Hello David,
A big thank you for your assistance with Aga advice over the phone and by Email for the second occasion in little over a year. I don't know who is more pleased me, the wife or the dogs who sleep in front of it ! The original problem some 12 months ago was severe sooting of the stove and black fluff raining from the Aga chimney flue into the yard along with poor combustion. This was all just a few days after an oil delivery.You correctly identified contaminated oil which was initially denied by the supplier but when I suggested I would get the contents of the tank analysed I had a return call from the company owner in less than an hour. I was told they had inadvertently flush 6-10lts of gas oil through the delivery pipe on the road tanker which was added to my 600lts of Kerosene. They drained the tank and refilled to it's original level. I cleaned the aga which destroyed a vacuum cleaner trying to remove the curtains of black filth in the hot plate chambers and flue. After I serviced it the Aga was good as new. My recent problem stemmed from dropping temperature doubling cooking times with the thermostat set on high. Despite having rigorously cleaned the burner crucible of carbonised dirt you suggested mucky filters at the tank and OCV. Both were found to be fairly silted with fine brown sludge and on second inspection the last inch of the horizontal section of the crucible feed pipe was carbonised restricting oil flow. With -13c overnight and daytime temperatures not above -5c we are extremely grateful for your assistance and invaluable website. Our kitchen is now warm again and hot food doesn't take ages to cook. Many Thanks & Seasons Greetings,
The N. Family

The N. Family, Mawbray, Cumbria

21 Dec 2010

David,
I have just serviced my AGA again ready for Christmas using your superb instructions which you sent me back in 2009. This must be the 3rd or 4th time now I have carried out the service with great results on every occasion. I have even had the courage to adjust the oil controller using the additional details you sent. Not sure why it was necessary but I think the previous owner had a bit of a fiddle in lieu of a service. I haven’t had the need to speak to you recently but cant help thinking about your great service guide coupled with some very helpful, friendly advice which has kept my AGA performing beautifully.
Altogether the best help I have had in years. Thank you very much & Happy Christmas.
Martin S.

Martin S., Axminster, Devon

19 Dec 2010

David, You were right. It just needed a good service. It was very sooted up inside. We had a job to remove the brass connector from the crucible. I suppose that hasn’t been off for many years. After a lot of trying we ended up soaking the crucible in boiling water to loosen the joint, but well worth persevering as it was full of soot. Anyway job done and the Aga is running better than it has done for the ten years we’ve been here.
Many thanks for offering an excellent guide.
Kind regards,
Robert M.

Robert M., Horsmondem, Kent

14 Dec 2010

David
The wick arrived on Thursday, I have serviced the Aga and fitted the new wick. Another £100 saved, Thank you. Regards,
Derek S.

Derek S., Pwhllheli, Gwynedd

12 Dec 2010

I just wanted to thank you again for your very helpful advice whilst my Aga was 'down' , and I was up against it with my wife threatening to call in the 'Aga man' which would have been throwing in the towel for me! Anyway a combination of the new electric regulator and a thorough clean out of the oil control valve and filter which was full of black contaminated oil did the trick and we now have a healthy blue flame and a warm kitchen once again in this arctic weather.
I apologise for having to call you twice at a weekend but you were so kind in giving this helpful advice in an emergency and I importantly have restored my wife's belief in my DIY ability and I am enormously satisfied at not having to give in to the 'professional'.
Thanks so much !
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas.
Kind regards, Nick

Nick W., Dalham, Suffolk

07 Dec 2010

Hi David, Pleased to say that the Nobel is burning beautifully, steady blue flame above the shells, OCV on 3 (we only have a 2 oven version) and temperature smack on the middle of the thermometer. Has been running now for around 4 days, so optimistic that the service and the filter washing-out has done the trick.
Thank you for the support – excellent service. It’s surprising how simple and intuitive it is. Thanks again,
Gareth J.

Gareth J., Langham, Suffolk

06 Dec 2010

Dear David, Very many thanks for your invaluable advice! A cocktail stick, new grommet, WD40 and a suitable drill bit were all the extra tools needed to bring our Aga back to life. Everything looks OK now with huge blue flames on high fire, glowing shells, temperature up to the line on 3.5 thermostat setting, no smell etc. The photos were a great help - when I removed the valve stem the slit was indeed partly blocked and there was no grommet. Also the actuating rod was stuck fast and there was a great deal of previously undetected carbon in the crucible down to the elbow join which I was able to drill out. Regards, Tony

Tony M. Wilton, Wiltshire

02 Nov 2010

May I suggest a tip you might wish to add for readers? Having in the past encountered years of problems with ‘dirty’ fuel, I discovered that provided you tell the supplier, when ordering, that the fuel is wanted for an Aga, adding that you therefore require them to use a ‘clean’ line, they will ensure that the previous delivery from the lorry was not a more heavy fuel (including diesel) that had retained 80-100 ltrs in the delivery hose, to be mixed into and delivered to the next unsuspecting Aga customer!
Having used your services for several years now, I must say that your operations are A1 as far as Aga parts (including delivery times) and helpful guidance are concerned. It is most unusual for me to provide feedback – however I have no reservations when saying that if you wish, you may use whatever part (or all) of this email for promotional/endorsement purposes.
Roy W Norman 25/10/10

Roy W Norman

26 Oct 2010

To David Badham,
Just to let you know the information we purchased on DIY Aga has been extremely useful . Thought the least we could do was give you a boost!
Thanks. We shall use you again and buy any spare parts.
Carole A.

Carole A., West Haddlesey, North Yorkshire

17 Oct 2010

Dear David
What can I say that has not already been said by a host of your other satisfied customers, I am absolutely delighted with your Aga DIY Service product and your excellent swift and efficient delivery of ordered items.
I was I have to admit a little apprehensive about doing the service myself, but your step by step illustrated guide is so superbly easy to follow, it made the whole experience extremely enjoyable and has left me with a great sense of personal achievement. Quite apart from the fact that it has saved me money and will continue to do so, it has also proven to be a great way of getting to know how my Aga actually works.
I really do feel that my Aga is now running better and more efficiently than it has done for several years. Many thanks for a great product.
John S R.

John S R, Peterstow, Herefordshire

11 Oct 2010

If your Aga is cold when being lit, it can be hard to get it to stay alight until it has warmed up sufficiently to draw fresh air into the burner.
But if your kitchen has an extractor fan that can reverse its flow and push air into the kitchen (many of them do this), then shut all the windows and doors and switch it on. Wet a piece of kitchen paper and place it over the louvres of the flue vent, and then all the air entering the kitchen will have to exit via the burner. By the time the kitchen paper has dried out, the stove should be warm enough to create its own draught to keep the burner alight. This the only way I can reliably light our Aga from cold. Gerald

Gerald T., Donhead St. Andrew, Dorset

04 Oct 2010

Thanks for the maintenance instructions and also for the wick. For the first time in 34 years I can now successfully service our AGA! Your instructions are clear, I was easily able to do the job and get the cooker going the same morning as I telephoned you. Our normal service engineer was quoting 14 days. My wife had gone down with flue and was feeling pretty awful on Thursday - by midday the AGA was working again and the warmth helped her feel better. Thanks again, I will keep in touch...
Yours most gratefully
Michael

Michael H., Elsfield, Oxfordshire

26 Sep 2010

Dear David
I am so pleased with your web site and all the help you have given, I serviced my Aga and it took about 40 minuets and it is working beautifully and the thermostat is at a lower setting, the crucible was so badly coked up that I can now understand why it wasn’t working also the new wicks arrived today ready for the next service - cant wait ! Kind regards
Richard B.

Richard B., Kingwood, Oxon

26 Sep 2010

What can I say?
Excellent, clear instructions and I think successfully completed - the AGA is now warming up...I'm pretty sure I've managed to do a more thorough job than the service technician who came last time and cost the best part of £100. My only negative comment is that although I had read the instructions through before starting; I had checked the "What you will need" yesterday, to ensure I had everything and then had to go out and buy jointing compound before I could re-assemble as is it not listed at the beginning.
That said, it is in the instructions and I should have realised, but it would be helpful to have it in that checklist at the start and included in the picture.
However, I now intend to buy more wicks (when I've decided whether to buy 1 set or a 25m roll to last me the next 10 years...) so I have all the kit to hand for the next time.
You might not be able to teach an old dog new tricks but you can teach her to service an AGA! I feel remarkably smug!
Cate C.

Cate C., Middleton on the Wolds, Yorkshire

11 Sep 2010

David-
Very many thanks for your detailed and immediate reply to my Aga problem. It is rare these days to stumble upon someone who lives up to their promises, but agadiyservice does this in spades.
My aga is now back up to temperature, and the heating engineer and his invoice book have been kept at bay once again. John R M.

John R M., Warton, Lancs

08 Sep 2010

Hi David
Having spent most of Sunday morning up to my elbows in the top of the Aga, I can now report that the new thermostat is working fine. Thanks to your advice and guidance, the job was a lot easier than I thought it would be.
One puzzle – when I replaced the Rockwall insulation it left large gaps, perhaps I packed it too tight? I ended up having to buy a pack of 10 slabs to use half a one to finish the job – know anybody who wants 9 and a half slabs of Rockwall ?? Thanks again for your help
Regards Richard

Richard S., Nantwich, Cheshire

06 Sep 2010

Hi Guys,
ABC....it's easy as 123......
The above line from a Jackson 5 song succinctly sums up how easy it is to not only service an AGA, but also to save oneself one's hard earned cash...and spend it instead on a few fine Cohibas.
The last Time the service engineer was here I just happened to be at home. I watched closely as he undertook this 'difficult' work and thought to myself, "this is so blooming easy". I took the gamble and for the cost of 2 of my favourite cigars, I purchased your excellent DIY service instructions. From removing the burner door to re-lighting the AGA took me all of ninety minutes (I suffer from erb's palsy; I have very limited use of one arm/hand), and thirty of those minutes were taken up by having that cup of tea you suggest, whilst waiting for the oil to reach the wick.
Thank you for these superb service instructions. Christos S.

A cage went in search of a bird. - Franz Kafka

Christos S., Lydiate, Merseyside

28 Aug 2010

David,
Thank you very much for your prompt response, sound and genuine advise and help. It is so refreshing that someone out there still willing to help without profiting from the situation. The AGA is up and running, wife and Dog are very happy.
Best regards
Nabil J.

Nabil J., Stanford Bridge, Worcestershire

25 Aug 2010

David,
thanks for your advice this morning regarding cleaning of the brass elbow joint - which in our Aga I could not remove. Despite that I had a very satisfying time following your clear on-line instructions and removing an amazing amount of carbon. Pleasingly the Aga is running smoothly after this it's first DIY service.I am very grateful for your making the process so easy, and saving me the increasingly steep servicing costs. I'm rather impatient for six months to elapse so I can do it all again!
Regards
Eric

Eric B., Workington, Cumbria

15 Aug 2010

David,
I just want to say a huge thank you for your excellent and thorough advice. It was so kind of you to phone, and your email covered really every aspect of the problem. I traced the problem down to a blockage of some kind between the reservoir and the burner, possibly a bit of carbon got dislodged and stuck. Pipework all clear now and Aga warming up nicely. I also feel very reassured that should the problem ever occur again I have your excellent instructions in the email (safely printed out) to guide me to the precise problem and the solution.
Many many thanks. Yet again I've saved £100+!! Best Regards,
James W.
PS Please feel free to post this as a testimonial on your website.

James W., Danehill, East Sussex

11 Aug 2010

Dear David
A great many thanks for your advice below. I shut the Aga down and when cool set to work. It was a long day but finally by the middle of the afternoon I was able to turn it back on and see the fruits of my labour in the shape of a beautiful long blue flame ascending into the bowels of the Aga. In fact it was a bit too strong so I did have to turn it down a bit, as I did for the slow setting, but it is undoubtedly working at its optimum. The two areas that were causing the problem were the flow settings and the depth of oil in the burner, everything else was as it should have been.
Kind regards David

David V-E., Buckingham

10 Aug 2010

Dear David,
I've read the feedback you've received and published on your website and agree with all the comments posted. Like all the other posts, I too found your instructions clear and concise and worked. After years of burbling and 'futting' ( with a professional service engineer) our Aga is now running quietly and hopefully more efficiently.
BUT. The most pleasing aspect of dealing with this site is the level of customer service. It is refreshing be able to deal personally with someone who is obviously extremely knowledgeable, helpful with a genuine interest in helping his customer.
So many thanks for your help David
Jim L.,

Jim L., Newtownards, N Ireland

08 Aug 2010

Service complete - Aga now relit and coming to temperature - how easy was that - thanks - the Aga is from 1967/68 but is still going strong. Thanks for giving me the confidence to do it - I also now just about understand how it works!! Cheers Bill F

Bill F., Frocester, Glos

06 Aug 2010

Goods arrived Tuesday and all is operational again after a very satisfying amount of carbon was cleaned off the relevant parts.
A really pleasant experience dealing with your company - Thank you.
Best wishes Dave F.

Dave F., Isle of Luing, A & B

14 Jul 2010

Dear David,
Thank you for the very prompt service in sending both the manual and then ,later, the Heldite sealing compound. I found the instructions with photos very easy to follow and was able (with slight trepidation) to perform my first AGA "service".I should say that the inclusion of the sealing compound in everybody's toolkit would be money well spent. I went ahead without it and had a few leaks before finally getting it right.
A friendly word of caution to any others trying to cut corners... DON'T!!
Many thanks again.
Gareth C.,

Gareth C., Gartmore, Stirlingshire, Scotland

29 Jun 2010

I Joined Agadiyservice in 2006, on Christmas eve in a panic. Aga going off for no apparent reason, and 14 coming for Christmas turkey!! Any way through the advice and information contained on the site, I managed to Save Christmas. Since then I reverted to type and continued to have my Aga serviced by a very nice man for £ 58.00 inc vat every 6-8 months. Fast forward to 2 weeks ago, Aga getting sluggish and losing heat. Decided as I had the time , that I, after 20+ years of Aga ownership, would do the service. So with laptop on and logged in to agadiyservice, I followed the step by step instructions. Fantastic, Wow, even me who finds it difficult to follow any instructions because I am a man and men don't do instructions,found it simple to follow, every step is so carefully written, with photo with each piece of information, you cannot go wrong. After taking all the bits out (see I know all the technical jargon now) I could see my very nice service man wasn't that nice at all, because it was clear he had only cleaned it enough to get through to the next service, it took me an hour to scrape the crucible clean and I need to drill trough the carbon to allow the oil into the bowl. So after a deep clean, I put it back together and fired it up. Perfect. no gurgling sounds or popping noises, just quiet effortless heat, brilliant. And the major plus point is I know that when in 6 months time, I service it again it will be so much easier.
Thank you again, one very satisfied (in more senses than one) customer.
Best regards Steve Jones

Steve J., Shrewsbury, Shropshire

18 Jun 2010

Dear David
Thanks to your patient practical advice given on my first contact call,before I had paid my joining fee! I felt confident to join your forum.
I have just completed a full service following your clear instructions. I am delighted with the results! The aga lit instantly and is now almost silent in operation, something that repeated Aga engineers visits failed to achieve. Our aga is 2 years old and is now running as I hoped it should. Having now acquired the confidence to service the cooker it will be great to do it at my convenience not Aga's. I have heartily recommended your excellent service to a number of friends,I'm sure you will be hearing from them soon.
Thanks again.
Kind regards
Nick W.

Nick W., Gnosall, Staffs

25 May 2010

Serviced our aga following your diy instructions, great results and a very rewarding job, both aga and my wife seem very happy! thanks Nigel

Nigel P., Hexham, Northumberland

03 May 2010

Hello Dave, Just a quick note to say that I have fixed my aga this morning and am about to cancel the visit next week by our aga service man! Thank you - and you are right - it was very easy to do with your instructions. Our aga had repeatedly lost heat and three call outs to our aga man had not solved things for very long. When I scraped out the rock solid carbon from the supply pipe and brass connector, I could see that it had probably not been cleaned properly in ages. It took me an hour or so just on the brass connector - but it was fun and I felt very happy to be tinkering, getting my hands grubby and getting to know the guts of this cooker. I can now see why my father enjoyed fixing his car so much. I suspect my generation are much more fearful of this sort of thing - and we know far less well how things work (and assume they are complicated and beyond us) because we so rarely try fixing them ourselves. So thank you for a highly satisfying morning - and the (admittedly) proud knowledge that I may well not need my aga man again.
Your instructions were great - though the first nut was in a slightly different position from the aga in your pictures.. Also the line "the outer shell should have the lighting access flap.." etc would have made more sense to me with an initial diagram or two of the entire burner assembly with parts labelled just to familiarise me with the whole. It was only when I came to light the wick, that I saw what this line had referred to. I also think the numbers in the middle of the sections to which they refer makes for hard reading - the first lines of a new paragraph seem like they might be the last lines of the previous one - I would just position the number at the start of the opening line of each new point. Minor things (and I am a writer/editor by trade so excuse any pedantry). Overall, delighted to have learned a new skill - and to feel even closer to my much loved aga (which will remain in the cottage we have rented for a year when we buy it in a few weeks).
All best and well done on your good service
Sameena

Sameena B., Weald, Kent

27 Apr 2010

Hello I am Christines husband. Having paid for the service instructions on Thursday morning, I received the new wicks this morning, and serviced the aga in a little over an hour this afternoon. The instructions are clear and concise, and photos help for reference.
I have to agree with the comments on your website that the engineers who service these and oil fired boilers as well as many other appliances are attempting to protect a very simple trade. Certainly much the simplest thing that I have serviced on the farm!
Thanks again. Bill T.

Bill T., Forrey Green, Essex

26 Apr 2010

Hi Dave,
Just to say many thanks for your help with servicing my Aga. The only feed back that would have helped me is that after you light the burner it 'appears' to go out! but of course if you just leave it, after about 20mins you get that perfect flame. I was shutting the aga off and restarting again thinking I was not getting enough oil into the burner before attempting another lighting.
It was only after leaving it (in frustration!) that I discovered all was working fine.... Maybe it’s me but this info might help?? Many thanks
Yours, Lee

As the oil vaporises, the flame moves higher and is more difficult to see. We will add this point, thanks. agaDIYservice.

Lee P., Royston, Herts.

09 Apr 2010

Dear David, Thank you for sending the thermostat and for your help over the phone to fit it.
The AGA is now running nicely, temperature is steady.
Wife is happy.
Yours sincerely Barty S.

Barty S., White Waltham, Berks

13 Mar 2010

I must admit I was a bit dubious about having a go, but I thought if I mess it up I'll have to get a service man anyway. Our Aga is converted from solid fuel and I was a bit concerned as the instructions and pictures mainly concentrate on the unconverted models. So the first thing was to lift the barrel out of the top and that was not an easy job as it is very heavy and the Aga is in a restricted fireplace without much headroom. Rather than risk my back, I got another pair of hands on the job and with 2 peolple it lifted out fairly easily. Having got the barrel out then all the other pieces could be taken out and cleaned thoroughly. I could see that it is very important to really get rid of all the carbon and ensure a clear passage way for the oil to flow. The instructions I found were pretty good and everything went back together without any problems.
Then came the moment of truth - will it light and is it going to leak? I'm glad to say it lit first time and there were no leaks. The temperature picked up as normal, but the only thing I noticed was a bit of popping and flickering of the flame, but after a day or so it settled down and is running smoothly and quietly.
I'm really glad I had a go and my only regret is that I should have done it years ago!!
Thanks David for your advice.
Timothy E.

Timothy E., Fressingfield, Suffolk

01 Mar 2010

Dear David,
Just wanted to let you know we found out the cause of our problem following your process of elimination. It turned out the extra cold weather had tripped our external fire valve so no oil was actually coming through to the Aga. To establish this cause we successfully serviced the Aga and carried out the various checks for oil flow as you advised. If we hadn't found your website we would not have known where to start and would have had to call in the 'experts'. You have saved us hundreds of pounds. Thank you.
Morwenna C., Paddock Wood, Kent

Morwenna C., Paddock Wood, Kent

25 Jan 2010

I'm delighted to have joined your AGA DIY membership. Your instructions are very detailed yet precise explaining exactly what to do and what to look out for.Your personal advice on how to overcome a sluggish flow control valve worked like a charm and my AGA is now running perfectly.Thank you so much for your helpful advice.
Best Regards
Michael

Michael Glynn, Castletown, Isle of Mann

25 Jan 2010

Firstly, thanks for that. the instructions are clear and precise. Exactly what was needed. Our Aga had been serviced in October and the chap had been called back because it was not getting up to temperature. He blamed air bubbles in the supply line and gave it a few taps with his spanner and disappeared. Leap forward to Christmas and the sudden realisation it is not going to cook the goose. Thats where you come in. To cut a long story short I managed to trouble shoot the fault to a blocked external fuel line. I even dismantled and cleaned the oil control valve. I had been quite reticent to get involved but the way your instructions laid it out with clear photos, gave me the encouragement I needed to sort the thing out. I am quite proud of myself but also grateful for the knowledge you shared. Symptoms were failure to raise temperature. fluctuating or oscillating flame height. oil level in regulator dropping when pressure jet central heating boiler fired (on the same supply pipe). Obviously there were several red herrings along the way but it didn't hurt to check all the filters did it! many thanks Steve

Steve C-M, Dallington, Sussex

22 Jan 2010

Hello David Thank you so much for sending all the information about Aga servicing which will prove most helpful. I just wondered if you would be kind enough to put the following comments on your webpage: I have had my Aga for 20years and until now have had no problems with it at all. However, since the delivery of my last supply of oil my Aga soots up within 72hours. I have spoken to the oil supply company just to check that they did deliver regular 28 second oil and they have confimed that they did. They do tell me that I should always add a hot oil treatment with each new delivery. Something I have never done in that past and obviously never needed to since it always worked well. I have had the flu swept, new wicks installed, the burners completely cleaned out and the oil flow checked but all to no avail I would be most gratedful to hear from anyone who has had this problem and what they did to sort it out. Thank you in hopeful anticipation. Pamela Brise, Ridley Kent

David acknowledged the message and sent back an email explaining what is happening to the oil specifications and what can be done. Further comments to us at agaDIYservice will be used to further our understanding of the effects of the change in oil specifications

Pamela Brise, Ridley Kent

18 Jan 2010

Following my joining the happy band of followers, just over a year ago, once again our AGA behaved better than even last year, I know the turkey wasn't that big at 4 kgs. but with the "spuds" sausages and stuffing it all adds up, and kept to the line and lunch was once again a non stressfull affair . Thank You and Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you all . Graham of Ormskirk .Lancs.

Graham of Ormskirk, Lancashire.

27 Dec 2009

Hi David,
Just a quick thankyou for your invaluable advice by phone yesterday. I'm still struggling to get the Aga up to temp, but have restored oil flow, and given her a good clean. Hopefully xmas lunch is saved! My thanks once again for your patience and help.
Trevor

Trevor K., East Dean, Sussex

23 Dec 2009

Hi David
Thanks very much, I must say I was a bit dubious about sending off money for a link to a web page. But yes it was simplicity itself. Well worth the money and back up and running probably quicker and with less hassle than having to wait for the engineer.
Thanks again, Dave S.

Dave S, Coalville, Leicestershire

19 Dec 2009

David
I have now successfully serviced my aga from your instructions and good advice on the phone today. Many thanks
Chris E.

Chris E., Booton, Norfolk

18 Dec 2009

Dear sirs,
I can highly recommend your website and membership to any Aga owner wishing to carry out their own servicing. Thanks to your comprehensive and user friendly instructions my wife and I have successfully serviced our Aga on a number of occasions.
Following the last service, the Aga refused to fire up and we e-mailed your website with a query. We would like to say a big thank you for contacting us with an immediate solution to our query regarding oil feed to our Aga, especially at 4 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon. Following your advice the oil feed was immediately re-instated and our much loved Aga was soon back in action.
Thank you very much indeed for your help and expertise which is much appreciated. Best wishes, Alan and Joyce Davies

Alan and Joyce Davies, West Wales.

16 Dec 2009

Our Aga has traditionally “broken down” 2/3 weeks before Xmas for the past 5 years, we then rush around panicking about how we will ever cook a turkey and call out the earliest available Aga engineer. Needless to say, they fix it, we give them lots of money, all sorted until Xmas comes around next year. Anyway, this year our old friend (a 1947 oil conversion aga) did it’s traditionally Xmas party piece and cooled down. Having said to myself every year “…how difficult can this be, it’s only a great hunk of iron with a candle in the bottom”, I found your website. So having received the password and ordered the “toolkit” just to be on the safe side (the spirit level was very useful!) I am now proud to say I have serviced my own aga…I am so proud of myself and feel completely vindicated when my wife was very unconvinced that I could ever complete it, 24hrs later I just received a text from her saying “Aga up to perfect temperature! x”
It took me around 2.5hrs this first time as I had to work out how to get the burner out as it is a conversion, but really easy once I’d done that, no oil leaks, no damage and a satisfied wife.
Thanks so much, I am actually looking forward to next time with complete confidence.
Best regards,
Paul W.

Paul W., Combe Hay, Avon

14 Dec 2009

David,
Many thanks for all your advice over the last month or so. On every occasion the spare parts arrived the following day and were easy to install. In particular, thank you for your helpful advice on stripping down and cleaning the control box. All now works perfectly. Also you saved me throwing away my very ancient transformer, and buying the wrong sort locally, when you explained that the output was 12 volts AC not DC. Perhaps not a lot of people know that! But no doubt new ones have it printed on them. Many thanks
Michael

Michael N., Cranborne, Dorset

05 Dec 2009

Hello David,
I just want to say that after following your instructions and a little bit of trial and error my Rayburn is burning better than it has ever done since I got it twelve years ago. I was so fed up of it last winter that I was on the planning to go back to a solid fuel one when I could afford to buy one. I switched it off in May and was using electricity until we had a power cut last week and I decided to give it a try myself and started from resetting the flow rates with your instructions. (I had an engineer at it working with your instructions last winter but it wasn't much better.) For the first time ever it is burning silently and invisibly and it even regulates, which it never did before.
Thank you very much indeed for your help. I am really grateful to you.
Best wishes, Mavis Petrie

Mavis Petrie, Aberdeen

27 Nov 2009

David
You are true to your word and although I meant to get back to you when I checked in the morning the burner had retunred to a nice orange glow at the bottom by the wick and a blue glow throughout the rest of the burner! Thank you for your reasurance and help.
Regards,
David A.

David A, Lower Layham, Suffolk

26 Nov 2009

Hi
Feed back from my aga order.
I recently ordered some wicks and an aga service guide from your website. It was very informative and I successfully serviced and renewed the wick in my aga and it is now running smoothly........ just in time for christmas. I will definately be servicing my aga again, probably every 6 months as recommended. I've now had an aga for over 20 years and only wished I'd found your website sooner, I shall surely be a regular now.....
Many thanks
Liz

Liz V, Weston, Bath, Somerset

17 Nov 2009

Dear David, Thank you for all your excellent instructions and advice.
I have levelled the burner, adjusted the oil level, measured and adjusted the oil flow, and re-cleaned the sliding valve and controller. The Aga is now working perfectly. In the course of this work I found the feed pipe to the burner was level or even sloping slightly down towards the burner and this, I suspect, may have caused an airlock and caused the erratic burning previously. Having aligned the pipe and bled out some oil from the union, the burner is now operating perfectly in spite of the gale blowing outside!
Many thanks again for your help and very thorough advice. I now know the whole system throughout. I am so pleased I came to you; the Aga has never been in better condition than now!
Andrew

Andrew B., Chard, Somerset

14 Nov 2009

Dear David,
Finally remembered to email you to say that we successfully serviced our Aga for the first time. Your instructions are very clear and my husband said it was stupidly easy! We're happy customers. Keep up the good work. Kind Regards,
Judith

Judith K., Yeoford, Devon

03 Nov 2009

Dear David and Helen,
Many thanks for the instructions, which were clear, concise and successfully demystified the dark blue hot box in the corner of our kitchen! Service easily completed [and extraordinarily satisfying it was too] and dinner party saved. Although I bought the replacement wick from our local AGA shop this time, that was due to urgency rather than anything else, and I can assure you that all future parts and advice will come from Somerset.
With best wishes,
John

John S., Oswaldkirk, N. Yorkshire

24 Oct 2009

Dear Dave
A genuine thank you for your service manual which I purchased at the end of last week. Our boiler was losing heat over and my wife was panicking. She booked in a service company at vast expense. That was until I found your site and spoke to you. I persuaded her that I could do this.
Anyway, having bought the manual, I set about servicing the Aga and found that the reservoir and valve were very coked up. Having clean it after a long period with drill bits and coat hangers etc., I was happy that the valve was clear. I put it all back together, still with my wife worrying the blockage was further up the pipe between the thermostat and tank. Anyway, waiting the 30 mins, put a match to it and it lit first time and went like a steam train. In the morning it was back to the right temperature and I am sitting here with a very satisfied grin and feeling a lot better off!! Will be in touch to buy my wicks in six months. My thanks again. Richard

Richard B., Headley Down, Hampshire

13 Oct 2009

Dear David,
Many thanks. In the event it was the oil filter at the tank that needed replacing, but I have learnt a lot. Your instructions are brilliant and my aga is working much better now I service it myself. I have just seen the article about you in Country Living so you must have quite a cult following by now. Best wishes
Fiona B.

Fiona B., Branston, Lincolnshire

13 Oct 2009

Dear Mr. Badham(David) Success. The Aga is working beautifully. Once I managed to unscrew the nuts it was plain sailing. Your instructions are superb. Thank you for helping me. Because I had problems undoing the nut I would just mention the way to undo it in your instructions. I like to think I am not the only stupid person, but then perhaps I am. Kind regards. Susan H.

Susan H,, Holt, Norfolk

08 Oct 2009

Hi David
If you want to 'post' the below feedback, thats fine by me. David from Agadiyservice has really helped me to identify and replace the thermostat on my Aga, and then assisted me when i had a problem with the oil depth in the chamber. Without David i would have had to get a specialist in at some considerble cost. The parts were delivered quickly and David contacted me by phone when i needed further assistance. A big thankyou, as our kitchen is back to having that 'Aga feel'
Mark

Mark S, Brighouse, West Yorkshire

14 Sep 2009

David,
Many thanks for the prompt supply of the new wicks. I was reassured to see that the instructions for servicing the AGA confirmed the steps I had taken - plus a few very useful tips for next time. Even though I had already achieved a service unaided I feel that the information you provide is very well worth the money. I don't think the previous services had been as thorough as a service an owner undertakes - after all it's only a job for the engineer whereas it's a labour of love for the owner.
Peter

Peter Snaith, Aldington, Kent

09 Sep 2009

Many thanks! Parts arrived promptly, instructions were very simple and easy to follow. I completed the whole process in under an hour and the Aga is running perfectly again. John Stamp

John Stamp, Whitby, North Yorkshire

07 Sep 2009

I would just like to say a big thank-you for offering this service. It's been very help full and the fast delivery on parts and feed back excellent. I inherited a AGA with a house we moved into and it hadn't run for 3 years. Got in-touch with our local aga shop who recommended a service technician but after he left 10 hrs later it had soot-ed up and went out. Got another Technician recommended same problem. So found your site and did it myself, and found that these so-called experts had missed/not done a few things. They hadn't cleaned all the parts properly and the oil flow rate was wrong on high flame not to mention that the chimney flue plate was wrongly aligned not creating the correct draw. It has now run for 2 weeks without a problem with a lovely blue flame, so I'm well pleased. Thanks again.
Robert P.

Robert P., Magheralin, Armagh

18 Aug 2009

Dear David,
Finished first DIY service. I took my time and the build up of solidified oil gunge was horrific, so it took about 2.5 hours. Next time it will be quicker! There's a lovely regular blue flame now, a slight oil smell, but it's going great guns. Thanks for the detailed instructions and the reassurance on the 'phone that our Aga was normal - just old!
Mike B.

Mike B. Woodbury, Devon

12 Aug 2009

We inherited a temperamental oil (conversion) Aga that is over 25 years old. We used to call the local Aga service engineer out at least 3 times a year until we came across the Agadiyservice website. We're glad we did. My husband now services the Aga himself. Unfortunately we had a dody batch of oil that clogged our system up and is still in our tank. The only solution is to service the Aga every couple of months. We have literally saved hundreds of pounds this way. Apart from the servicing, we have on a few occasions e-mailed and telephoned the company with questions and requests for guidance. Their response has been almost immediate and always spot on in getting our Aga going again. Brilliant!
Dr. Trudie Jennings

Dr. Trudie Jennings, Weardale, Co. Durham

14 Jul 2009

Hi David,
Would just like to say thank you for the great instructions. My husband managed to service the aga in an hour and I am sure it will be quicker next time as the aga had not been serviced for nearly 2 years so a lot of time was spent getting all the carbon deposits off. He also found he needed an 11mm spanner instead of the 12mm (maybe something peculiar to our aga!). Would also like to say thank you for the super fast delivery of the Heldite.
I am sure the aga will now be serviced regularly now we know how easy it is to do and such a money saver! Thanks once again for the great service you provide Alison and Carl Martin

Alison and Carl M, Yeovil, Somerset

10 Jul 2009

David
Just a quick note to say thank you for your help both on the phone and by email in helping me track down the fault with my Aga. The heater control unit arrived the next day and was fitted in 5 minutes, giving us back thermostatic temperature control (which for some reason is more accurate than before as we can now adjust the thermostat to keep the temperature exactly on the black line which we couldn’t do before). In addition your service notes are superb. They have saved me three services to date that would other wise have cost £60 + vat each.. Kind regards George

George H., East Ayrshire

03 Jul 2009

Dear David,
Thank you for your e-mail with additional tips. Aga now working in less than an hour from reading your instructions! The fuel line was solid with carbon residue. I am now happy to continue looking after the servicing and avoiding problems for the future.
Ken

Ken R., Morpeth, Northumberland

03 Jul 2009

Hi, just to say we purchased your service instructions for the aga service this morning, aga now put back together and relit!!!! My husband Will is a farmer and used to doing servicing of our own machinery but he said that your instructions were great and picked up on some tips. Many thanks again, will e-mail you if we are in need of spare parts!!!! The aga is just so wonderful, we have noticed as others have mentioned that is seems to be coking up more quickly than a few years ago
Many thanks Gill W.

Gill W., Moccas, Herefordshire

22 May 2009

Dear David
It worked perfectly! The Aga is up and running great. My husband could not have done it without your brilliant instructions and photo's. These instructions are a real must for any Aga owner. I can't thank the Aga DIY Service enough.
Thank again.
Pauline L.

Pauline L. Little Bentley, Essex

30 Apr 2009

Dear David,
As I have now come to expect the brilliant service that you give, the fire safety valve arrived safely this morning with the postman . The Aga is running better than ever since I installed it nine years ago. I have certainly learnt a huge amount in the last week or so! Very, very many thanks for all your help and advice and hopefully no more problems. All best wishes for the continued success of your buisness
Yours faithfully Scott P.

Scott P., Athboy Co. Meath, Ireland

28 Apr 2009

Hi
I have finally got round to servicing our Rayburn after buying your guide and new wicks nearly 18 months ago. What a doddle, the whole job took about 15 minutes and the unit is working perfectly. I'm just brassed off with the amount of monet I have spent on servicing previously. More power to your elbow and many thanks.
Stewart McG.

Stewart McG., Ludlow, Shropshire

28 Apr 2009

Dear David Just a line to say that I have serviced the Aga today to your instructions and now think that it was not done properly by the so called ‘professionals’ the last time judging by the carbon build up. Your instructions were very clear and helpful and made the job a very easy one. Thankyou very much indeed Regards Peter, Leicestershire

Peter S., Loughborough, Leicestershire

22 Apr 2009

Thanks so much for the instructions. Our aga was performing very erratically before I followed them, and is now running perfectly once more. I found the instructions easy to follow and enjoyed doing the service, which really didn’t take long to do. Only problems I had were undoing a couple of the connections, and reluctantly had to enlist male help with this. However, that was due to over-tightening by the service engineer last time and don’t anticipate any problems in future. Will definitely be doing this DIY every 6 months now and I have very much impressed other aga-owning friends, who I have referred to your site. Hilary

Hilary O'S., Petworth, West Sussex

04 Apr 2009

Hi David, (RE: RAYBURN ROYALE) Thank you very much for the instructions and wick received, read, acted on and used. I'm over the moon to have managed to service the rayburn myself - I've spent £250 a year over the last three years having this done for me (the routine was only once a year) and it's a very satisfying job to have done. Took me all day mind HOWEVER I'm sure if I do this twice a year I'll soon have got it down to the 35 minutes you mention in the instructions ;-)
Your conversational approach gave me the confidence to take on a project I wouldn't normally have considered. It's wonderful to come across an internet business which manages to come across as individual and personal as yours. I'll wholeheartedly recommend you to anyone I come across who might be interested.
Thank you again and I look forward to being in touch again to replace the wicks. With very best wishes, Kenna W.

Kenna W., Swindon, Wiltshire

02 Apr 2009

David, As per our many conversation’s the AGA is back up and running, helps if you have the oil on, could have murdered the people who left me the note to flick the switch up. However with your patience and my determination to service the old girl and get her up and running, we finally got there, it was by far the best £36 I have ever spent, I can now strip down the control box, adjust the oil depth, do a flow control test and bring the burner up to tip top condition, who needs engineers !!
Once again many thanks for all your time on the phone (even at the weekend), get going on the book as will need to take it all apart and repair the boiler when we do the kitchen extension.
Kind regards Darryl D.

Darryl D., Herstmonceux, East Sussex

31 Mar 2009

Dear David, Many thanks for your prompt and friendly service. The instructions are very clear and reflect your practical experience judging from what we have found as AGA owners for over 30 years. Our last service cost over £100 so when our son sent a copy of the Country Life article we willingly paid to join you. Will report back after we service the AGA in about 5 months time - unless it goes out before then ! Many thanks once again. Your customers comments are very encouraging.
Kind regards
John P.

John P., Tunbridge Wells, Kent

31 Mar 2009

Dear David, Apologies for not emailing sooner but just wanted to let you know that thanks to your helpful emails we have finally fixed the Aga!
Have to say you were heaps more helpful than the people from the place where we bought the parts (also online). In future, we plan to buy anything we need from you guys. Thanks once again,
Debbie W.

Debbie W., South Harting, Hants

06 Mar 2009

Dear Mr Badham
Many thanks for your prompt shipment of new wicks and revealing paste. Thank you also for taking the time to give me such detailed advice on clearing the sediment from our float chamber and feed pipes. My foot pump worked fine using an air-bed adaptor and I was able to relight both the aga and our boiler by following similar principles.
I pass your details on whenever appropriate.
With kind regards Brent O-S,

Brent O-S, Andover, Hants

04 Mar 2009

David hi
I am so grateful to you and your marvellous website.
We really were on the verge of scrapping our Aga and replacing it with a new electric hob. Aga engineer after Aga engineer had let us down and had never really done the job properly. We calculated that in the first 8 years of owning the Aga ( we inherited from pervious owners) it cost us over £2000 in servicing and I doubt we had ever had a full years running out of it in all that time. I didn't really want to get rid of it because of the upheaval to the enitre kitchen decoration,but I couldn't see what else to do.
Then I found your site. like many people here say, it was the best £35 I have ever spent.
As you know I am not a DIY guy. I don't feel comfortable changing a plug. So my dad and I did it together (he's good at that sort of thing) but we couldn't have done it without your instructions. When eventually we cleaned it and unstuck the sticky valve, the Aga ran beautifully for five months. Last week it dropped in temperature enormously. My dad lives 200 miles away, so I decided to tackle it alone. It went like a dream.
I am so proud of myself. It's been down for only a week (I was working away when the temperature dropped) and is now up and running beautifully. I thought it worth dropping you a note though to say that the elbow joint was like a coal face. Solid carbon. We cleared it completely five months ago and yesterday it was totally blocked. Thought it might be worth passing that on to you and your readers. Maybe this is due to a decline in the quality of oil, or dirt in my tank. We have, of course, been using it a lot over these very cold winter months. Any suggestions on anything we can do to prevent this build up in the elbow joint?
Once again my thanks for all your help. I feel like you are an old friend, and I am so grateful. Best wishes, Geoff M.

Geoff M., Wootton Bassett, Wilts.

01 Mar 2009

Thank you very much for the clear step by step instructions. I had initial reservations about the state of the supply pipe - solid carbon - how on earth did anything ever get through that! The drill was an essential part of breaking through those deposits. Having had weeks of stop/start before the Aga finally failed, it lit up perfectly and has been running smoothly for the last three months. The previous service had only lasted 5 months! Sight of the blocked supply pipe made me see red. I assumed that the last service engineer had not bothered to clean the pipe at all. However I learned from a Radio 4 programme on 20 Feb that European clean air directives have led to the removal of sulphur from kerosene resulting in a fuel that leaves a much higher carbon deposit. When I bought the Aga new 5 years ago it ran beautifully and did not get a service for 2 years. For the last two years it has needed six monthly services.
With the likelihood of even more frequent servicing to compensate for modern kerosene it looks like my initial tiny investment in your brilliant instructions will continue to pay massive dividends, year after year.
And, if those deposits are anything to go by, the free drill that you sent me will come in handy when my old drill wears away! I cannot praise you more highly! Michael

Michael C-G, Trowbridge, Wiltshire

23 Feb 2009

Your email below has languished in my inbox forever because I have been meaning and meaning to leave the most grateful feedback and I did not get round to it. Sorry. Really sorry.
I am female. I am 60 years old. I followed your Aga DIY service instructions to the letter and it was the easiest job ever - only slightly yikes moment Ease the connector and horizontal pipe apart - took confidence to be quite purposeful about this! They seemed quite tight. Otherwise as every other grateful Aga DIY service person has said such an easy peasy job and your instructions just the very best value for money. Thank you.
Di A. Lockerbie

Di A., Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway

19 Feb 2009

Dear David
Thanks for all your help, the step by step photographic instructions and extra written advice certainly demystified the whole process.
I always knew I could do this by myself, hooray, no more waiting for an engineer to turn up.
Best wishes Bernadette

Bernadette N., Ashburton, Devon

13 Feb 2009

Dear David
Just wanted to let you know that we got the old girl going and she's working better than ever. I think all she needed was a good service! Thank god your instructions were so simple and straightforward, foolproof in fact. A bloody good job too with the snow arriving the next day!
Thanks again for all your help.
Deborah

Deborah J., Tywyn, Gwynedd

03 Feb 2009

Hi there!
Our Aga packed up during the last spell of cold weather; after some research and investigations we concluded that we had water in the oil line which had frozen and blocked the supply. Once thawed, we re-lit but it never really came back up to temperature and after a couple of weeks just went out completely. We stumbled across your website by accident whilst looking for inspiration and since we had only had a service (£120) just before Christmas, we decided to take advantage of your offer and buy the service manual from you. It looked like the water in the pipes and the subsequent temperature problems had quickly caused a build-up of gunk in the system, so we carried out a service (much quicker and more thoroughly than the Aga Service man, I might add) and within hours we were up and running again. We also removed some of the water and sludge from the bottom of the tank. Having done it once, we are now more than happy to service our Aga ourselves and would like to thank you for your website with all the hints and tips, as well as the valuable service manual - well worth the money.
The written acknowledgement of our order was also a nice touch and it's great to know we can get our spares from you too.
Good luck to you - you are going to make a lot of oil Aga owners very happy :)
Debbie

Debbie P., Winchfield, Hampshire

01 Feb 2009

Hi David, As many for your other customers have all ready testified I thank you for your prompt, accurate and detailed attention. Even a phone call for advice at 6.30 pm was given with no hint of trying to get yet another 'AGA' call off the phone.
May I offer the following comments and request for help. 1.When setting the flow rate on the OCV could / will you describe the high flame screw and the low flame screw and fartherest and nearest away from the on/off lever ... not the oil inlet. I wasted about two hours as I took the 'point of the oil entry' as the end of the OCV as the end where the needle valve operates and not as it should be, the opposite end where the oil supply pipe is connected to the OCV. So I set the high flame rate of oil flow on the low flame screw and then could get the low flame screw to give me the high flame rate. 2 hours later having taken it all apart to work out why it was not working I realised my mistake. I know it was my silly mistake but describing the flame screws with reference to the on/off lever may prevent others repeating my error.
2. I have been servicing my AGA for the past 25 years every 6 months. I have, in the past, fire cemented over the plug that covers the oil well and I would say the service interval is extended by about 2 months. This advise was given to me by an AGA service man that I meet. I have never ground the two surfaces as you recommend and I have ground them this time but am getting some yellow flame if the high flame rate is too high. I can not get the oven temperature into the red area but the Aga is running very nicely with the temperature on the silver line. Have I done something wrong? Many Thanks for a very good service.
Roger

Roger A. Bellbroughton, North Worcestershire.

31 Jan 2009

I bought these from you a few months back but today put them to the test. They are excellent and very clear to follow. My Aga is now warming up again nicely. One minor suggestion for an addition at Para 30/31 "Why not take advantage of the fact that your AGA is now cool to clean the ovens of any crumbs or charred material ? This can be done with a wire brush and the vacuum cleaner." With thanks and regards
Steve Tilley

Steve T., Barrow Gurney, Somerset

21 Jan 2009

Hi David, Just a quick email of thanks - I now have a fully functioning Aga. The instructions provided on the website together with your input via email has proved to be invaluable. This has saved me the cost of an expensive call out (which I have done many times previously) and also avoided 1 week plus cooking with a microwave and eating takeaways whilst waiting for a service engineer to attend. Problem turned out to be a sticky chrome stem on top on the OCV - not something I would have found without your advice. I have also serviced the Aga to your instructions and seems to be running much better than before, wife is happy and the kitchen is warm again! Once again many thanks for your help. I will definitely be spreading the word amongst my Aga owing friends.
Please feel free to post this on the comments section of your web site... Andrew Stamp

Andrew Stamp, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire

14 Jan 2009

Dear David, Thanks for your e-mail and further suggestions to cure my aga, as you sugested I removed the plunging valve stem and cleaned the slit there was some gunge present, I also removed the filter and ran some oil through to prove I had good flow. I am pleased to report that my aga is working well now.
Your instructions were clear and to be able to speak to someone with the knowledge of the problem is such a help. Once again thank you for your help. Dennis

Dennis F., Swanpool, Cornwall

07 Jan 2009

David hi
Just to wish you a very happy new year for 2009 and to say a huge thank you for your help with the aga. I am happy (even though I am tempting fate by saying this) to report that the aga has now been running perfectly for the last three months. Many many thanks and all my best for 2009 Best wishes
Geoff

Geoff M., Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire

31 Dec 2008

David,
Just a note to thank you for your service and advice from your magnificent website. My cooker had been turned off since last year. We decided to switch it on the day before Christmas Eve in order to cook the turkey. The Aga lit no problem and we put the turkey in on Christmas Eve. After a couple of Hours we noticed that the Turkey wasn’t even starting to cook. We soon noticed that the temperature had dropped and the cooker eventually went out. Luckily we have an electric oven and normal service was resumed. After a few days I decided to find out why the Aga had gone out. I found your website and followed all your instructions. I soon realised that there was no way the Aga could function as there was that much carbon deposited on the crucible and the Oil inlet pipe. I cleaned all off as per your very clear instructions. I also replaced the wicks. I then removed the Hotplates from the cooker. I never seen as much soot in one place before. After hoovering all the soot, I reassembled and fitted the burner. To my amazement the cooker failed to light. I disconnected the oil pipe at the front of the cooker and the oil was not flowing. I went back to your instructions and read how to reset the fire valve. Without this very valuable piece of information, I would still be here scratching my head wondering what was wrong. The Aga lit first time and has been going better than ever. I would like to sincerely thank you for your help. Your product is first class and I recommend it highly.
Best regards
Kieran

Kieran Kennedy Co. Tyrone N. Ireland

31 Dec 2008

Just to say thanks for the information pack. On 27th December with no engineers available and a houseful of guests about to arrive, your website was a great find. With no prior experience of AGA maintenance (having just inherited it when we bought the house) I was slightly nervy about taking it to bits. However the step by step and well illustrated guidance allowed me to carry out a very thorough service and get put the beast back in harness! Now running great and will stick a note up on the calendar to remind me to do the next service. Should save a few quid to put towards filling the oil tank too! Thanks again and best wishes for 2009.
Iain M.

Iain M., Inverness, Highland

31 Dec 2008

Aga Diy Service to the rescue again!
Wednesday a.m. down on heat. Thursday running on low fire - turn it off. Friday out with the burner - serviced in August but a bit carboned up. Serviced it again but reluctant to re-light. Consult the site and check the oil flow - plenty going into the Control Box but barely 5cc/min out! Check the servicing instructions again and out with the spring loaded valve with the little slot. Lower end of the valve where the slot is was discoloured and a bit "cruddy". Possibly the result of a "water incident" three years ago. Clean up with metal polish ( Autosol as used for chrome lids) - poke through the slot with stiff paper and flush off with clean kerosene. Result a healthy 7cc/min and warm kitchen!
Thank you & Happy Christmas. Angus

Angus S., Tenterden, Kent

23 Dec 2008

David , thank-you for the service manual and your help and advice, I can happily report that our AGA is now working correctly following my previous two attempts to get it going, the tips in the manual were of a great help especially the one with the drill bit which I believe cured the carbon problem. All of the spare parts fitted without a glitch and it is now working better than ever. As I could not get our normal service engineer out until Christmas Eve, carrying out the service myself has certainly saved my bacon! I found the procedure to be very straight-forward and easy to follow.
I would recommend that you include a small section on checking the burner plate for levelness with the spirit level, the one you supplied was more than adequate.
Many thanks and have a good Christmas, I shall certainly be buying further items from you in the future, if you should want to use these comments please feel free.
Simon H.

Simon H. Magor, Monmouthshire

22 Dec 2008

Dear David,
After an accident with our heavy kettle falling onto the on/off switch and shutting the aga down, we are now a delighted, warm family having successfully serviced our aga for the first time. Despite our wavering uncertainties about doing the job ourselves (and worried that I may have broken the switch), we were guided by your phone explanations and clear instructions from the website. A leap of faith when we re lit last night, no popping sounds or false starts, but a clear blue flame reassuring us that all was well and that we would enjoy a warm room for breakfast after six days! Money well spent and a smug feeling to boot. Many thanks,
Naomi

Naomi P., St. Breward, Cornwall

19 Dec 2008

Hi David, Just to say I successfully replaced the OCV on Saturday, it took about four hours and I'm quite pleased with myself. The AGA is now working better than it has in a while. Thanks for all the help and info and of course for the fast delivery of the new OCV etc. Thanks again and a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you and your family.
Regards, Patrick

Patrick T., Ashford, Kent

09 Dec 2008

David all is well. The cat is happy and my wife can cook again. Brilliant service. I'm sure I'll be incontact again. Do you sell thermometer plates. The aluminium red and black panel that goes on the front. If so How much? May also buy one of those clothes dryers for christmas. Many thanks again.
Mike

Mike J., Worcester

08 Dec 2008

Dear David
Thank you so much for all the helpful information. The aga is now working again beautifully! Your £36 joining fee has been the best money I have spent in a long time. Your service has been next to none in the brief time we have been with you. I shall certainly be recommending you to all my aga owning friends – and I do have a few!
My thanks and very best wishes
Jane

Jane W., Chipping Norton, Oxon

20 Nov 2008

Hi David,
Thanks for the swift response. Had to do an oil flow rate test in the end and this was less that your recommended value. Checked the OCV filter, it was clean. Checked the oil tank filter and it didn't look too good. I replaced this and re-checked flow rate and, surprise surprise, the flow rate was now within your guidelines. Re-lit the Aga and it is working superbly, and reached operating temperature within 6 hours. The last time I had the oil tank filled, it was a bit on the low side, so I guess some sludge was disturbed. The oil central heating boiler works on the same oil line and seems to be OK, but then again, maybe not. Anyway, it must have been 2 years since the Aga was serviced and it was a mess, all coked up etc. So a combination of factors seems to have contributed to the problems, all now resolved with your assistance. So, following your instructions I now have the cleanest, shinyest (and hottest) Aga in England. Six-monthly services from now on.
Many thanks
Aldo, Newton Abbot, Devon
p.s. Best £36 quid I've spent for ages.

Aldo D-G., Newton Abbot, Devon

19 Nov 2008

Dear David,
My wife and I moved in our new house in September, we lit the Aga and it ran for about 5 weeks very well, but then it started dropping in temperature over a week or so. We phoned the last person who had serviced it but they didn't return the call so, being a Professional Engineer and enjoying repairing mechanical things decided to go online to see if I could find a set of instructions or manuals for the Aga. I came across your website, paid and downloaded the instruction guide to servicing an Aga. I think I paid Saturday morning, received the password around lunchtime, and printed off the guide in the afternoon. I had all the necessary tools and consumables to hand so decided to try it on Sunday morning. Switch off the Aga Saturday night, had a cold breakfast! on Sunday morning, and set about servicing it. Well, 1hr 15mins later she was back together. As most people find the burner was completely carboned up, scraped it all away and cleared the oil passages with an appropriately sized drill and reassembled with the old wicks. Allowed the oil to flow for half an hour or so and it re-lit instantly. My wife cooked the Sunday roast that afternoon on it for supper time ! The heat came back that quickly. It has run faultlessly for a week so far so fingers crossed. I think the next service in 6 months time will need new wicks, but at least I can plan for it now.
Many thanks for publishing this information, an easy to follow and clear set of instructions, that will now save me £150-£200 a year in service bills !
Regards, David P.

David P., East Haddon, Northants

16 Nov 2008

David
I just wanted to let you know how successful our 1st Aga service has been thanks to your instructions.I have to admit that although I'd read how straightforward everything was I'd kept putting it off but I needn't have worried. The step by step instructions were faultless.Every picture looked exactly like it did on the Aga and most importantly everything went back together again afterwards.There was a huge satisfaction in seeing the new wick light first time and the Aga come back to life.
Before service the Aga was running at 4.5 on the thermostat and not reaching full temperature.It is now set on just over 3 and running perfectly. Thank you for saving us a fortune in servicing bills and also giving me the confidence to tackle something I would never have thought of doing before.The knowledge of knowing that you've done the job properly is priceless.
Regards Bob Ch.

Bob C., Osmotherley, Cumbria

15 Nov 2008

Hi David
Finally got the AGA going, It was the bent pipe that was not level, slight adjustment and I was away, working perfectly., (even my Wife was impressed)
Thank You for the help by phone much appreciated, I can now service my Aga confidently every time, now I have completed the task once, it is relatively simple, David articulates the resolve to the problem simply, its great to know you have an expert to talk you through if needed. I recomend this service they are 1st class, instructions are simple and easy with detailed photos. The feedback to improve it further is making sure the oil feed pipe is straight and everything is level, well worth a second check. Part of the maintenance kit I would include is a thin wire brush type attachment for your drill, to really get the elbow joint and casting hole really clean.
Thanks again.
Jim

Jim P., Stanhope, Co Durham

07 Nov 2008

David
Just a quick email to thank you for your assistance and assurance that fixing my cooling AGA is within my ability (and if not, that you'd be there to help). Following purchasing your instructions on service an AGA it showed me how the AGA worked (or didn't in my case) and all became clear; it was like someone switching on the light. Your instructions were clear, concise and explained exactly how things worked and showed me what I was missing with my previous attempt of servicing my AGA (a previous person had cemented the crucible lid!). I happy to now report the AGA is now operating at the correct temperature and I can put away my tools, for another 6 months any way! I now have two happy dogs who have taken their places in front of the AGA.
Steve

Steve C., West Melbury, Dorset

06 Nov 2008

Dear David,
Unfortunately the eloquence of Quintin Hogg evades me shame really as I would have loved to write a letter like he did. As a 'careful' AGA owner ( as we all have now become) finding your company/ website has been for me the finest thing since sliced bread, I now know that I have been correctly servicing the 'beast' for the last 18 years, but when a low temperature fault reared its ugly head being able to speak to yourself was very reassuring, and your immediate dispatch of the oil control valve, the offending part, was an overnight delivery revelation, it took me 5 hours to sort out, mostly taken up with getting the high fire flow rate correct, but subject to tonight’s roast it looks like its behaving better than ever before , which makes me think it was never set up correctly in the first place. Anyone who has to change the control box should take your advice, keep calm, get rid of everyone in the house and concentrate on the job in hand , it was well worth it. Very many thanks. Graham

Graham W, , Ormskirk, Lancashire

03 Nov 2008

Hi,
Just carried out my first DIY service 4 weeks ago following your instructuons whilst the aga was shut down for the 'summer'! Fired it up yesterday and it's now running beautrifully. It was a most enjoyable experience because I could understand how it worked and how simple it was to do. Thank you indeed.
Regards, Paul S.

Paul S., Lambourn, Berkshire

15 Sep 2008

I would like to congratulate you on the excellent instructions and advice that you supplied for servicing my AGA. The parts I ordered arrived the next day and were exactly right for the job. The instructions were detailed easy to follow and allowed me to carry out the service without difficulty - it lit first time and your instructions even covered the "popping" which could have caused concern. Your friendly and helpful approach to questions on the telephone was also very much appreciated. I will not hesitate to continue to service our AGA myself - at least that way I know it has been done correctly. I will not hesitate to recommend your company to anybody I come across with an AGA.
Guy C.

Guy Ch., Cryake, York

06 Sep 2008

Just to say did my very first AGA service this morning, and following your instructions to the letter was an absolute success (you really do need the 30 mins coffee break !! Obviously not been serviced for some time. Lit first time and all done in 1.5 hours (including the coffee). Many thanks for the clear and easy to follow instructions, the membership has more than paid for itself in the first service !
Best regards
Mike T.

Mike T., Ilminster, Somerset

06 Sep 2008

Dear David
You asked for feedback and I can’t believe that it was so easy. Took an hour for a really big clean of the Aga and the service. Kicking myself that I have wasted so much money on servicing over the 6 years that we have had the Aga. Best wishes
Richard

Richard S., Shapwick, Somerset

05 Sep 2008

I have now successfully serviced my AGA with your instruction for three or four years. A neighbour asked me to sort out a friends AGA that had been badly serviced and they commented on my exceptional attention to detail when sorting their AGA out. I said it’s thanks to the AGA club approach that pervades at AGAdiyservice. I refused payment and accepted a signed copy of the author’s soon to be published book on Welsh houses. I suggested if he keeps writing books I’ll service it for him!!!!
Regards, Graham

Graham O., Borth, Ceredigion

01 Sep 2008

David,
Just sending you a quick message to say a big thank you for all the time and help you have given in getting our Aga up and running again. The replacement transformer arrived very promptly on Saturday morning and by Saturday evening we were back up and cooking again. I do feel that I have learnt a lot throughout the process but it has been really helpful to call and confirm things with you along the way.
Kind Regards Steve

Steve D., North Carlton, Lincs

18 Aug 2008

David
Your reply is more thorough than I could have hoped for - I will definitely be recommending your website to others. Thanks you, and I'll let you know how I get on. The Aga was switched off last night, so now I can get into action and hope for a good result!
Thanks again. Toby

T.S. Crediton, Devon

19 Jul 2008

Old Glory is now back alight! Thank You!
Tracey

Tracey T-J, Great Hucklow, Derbyshire

02 Jul 2008

David,
Just a note to thank you for your comprehensive and invaluable help. The new control unit was installed with minimal fuss and after carefully checking the oil level in the burner the Aga was lit, reaching operating temperature with unprecedented speed which rather confirmed my suspicions that the old unit had been slowly failing for a while. Keep up the good work.
Best regards, Marcus

Marcus W., Sittingbourne, Kent

09 Jun 2008

Thank you again David for a good diagnostic tip which isolated the problem to the electrics. Once I was sure that that was the problem I took the cover off the thermostat to find some an ancient (pre-plastic era) flex which had just rotted away. I spliced a new piece in and all is well.
Regards, Marcus

Marcus W., Sittingbourne, Kent

20 May 2008

David
I contacted you this morning and joined your scheme mainly because when I relit my AGA last night after a wick change and service, I was having trouble keeping it alight, which prompted me to phone and speak to you this morning. Many thanks for your follow up email and advice. I have checked and slightly adjusted the oil levels and relit the burner. It now seems to have settled down and is vaporising nicely so I hope that all is now well.
Chris

Chris H., Axminster, Devon

12 May 2008

Dear David,
Many, many thanks for your 'service'.... Ordered on Friday, wicks and drill arrived Saturday!! Excellent....
Instructions, first class... Given that we had our Aga 'professionally serviced' for the last 5 years, (last 'service' 6 months ago), I could not believe the amount of hardened soot which was in there!
Thanks to you I now feel it's had a proper job done, and I did it myself!! It lit first time no problems, and flame stabalised very quickly indeed.. If the 'professional' had not let us down, AGAIN, we would still be paying £130 a time!!
Once again, many thanks.... John

John B., Nantwich, Cheshire

30 Apr 2008

Dear Agaman
Just a note to say that the service information was clear and easy to use and everthing worked like clockwork. My wife has insisted that I undertake all future servicing as it is predictable and cost effective. Well done for a good service.
Regards Andy S

Andy S., Saffron Walden, Essex

09 Apr 2008

David, I feel like I’ve met a new best friend. No more grovelling for service engineers who never reply (unless it’s mid-summer of course), and no more parting with £90 a visit, for a job half done.
If any ladies out there doubt they could do this they need not worry. I’m built like a sparrow. They just need a bit of determination and a soft kneeler!
So, many,many thanks. What a fabulous website, and just about the best £30 I’ve ever spent.
I ended my day feeling very pleased with myself, although smelling vaguely of domestic heating oil!! I can’t remember the oil burning so uniformly before - and no popping noises.
Best wishes and I’ll be ordering wicks in six months!

Julie O. Debenham, Suffolk

07 Apr 2008

I can't thank David enough for all his help and support over the last few days. I have been servicing my AGA for a number of years ... I started after my AGA service man retired .... I wish there had been this website then as I didn't really know what I was doing and it was trial and error .... Anyway the other day my AGA temperature dropped in heat .... not by a lot but enough to make things difficult. I was told that the AGA service man would charge me £70 for the first half hour and £35 for every half hour after that. So I decided to email David and find out if whether he could help me if I joined up ..... I got a long letter back with things to try but more than that, he suggested I phone him and he talked me through different procedures .... His directions were very clear and he was calm and reassuring ..... Anyway I am delighted to say that in spite of the snow outside .... my kitchen is once again warm and welcoming .... thanks to my AGA and David ...

Lindy S., Beaulieu, Hampshire

06 Apr 2008

Dear David,
I can finally report that the aga is running better than ever. The seepage has stopped, the flame is a much better blue, and the kitchen is thankfully free of fumes. Temperature wise, it seems to be performing better than it has in a long time.
Many thanks for all of your help throughout. Your calm manner was very reassuring to this novice and I now look forward to the next service with confidence.
Best wishes Richard

Richard E. , Compton Dando, Bristol

04 Apr 2008

Many thanks for the reply. Using your helpful instructions I have managed to get the Aga back up to its correct temperature, something two visits in a week by engineers from Hoad and Taylor were not able to do. Aside from feeling pretty pleased with myself it has also saved me a massive amount of disruption in having to take a third day off for yet another engineer visit.
For me, the fee for your information has been more than worth it.
Thanks Ken

Ken T., Woodcutts, Dorset

04 Apr 2008

Dear David, many thanks for your friendly and helpful advice. We have owned our Aga for about ten years and have had it serviced every six months since. You can imagine the cost. This time, luckily as it transpires, the engineer was on holiday when the aga decided to cool. Fortunately a friend who recently subscribed to your "club" suggested I do it myself. I contacted you and the mysteries of the Aga were explained in terms so simple that I felt confident about tackling the job myself. My only worry was the weight of the barrel as I am severely restricted in what I can lift, this problem was overcome by the purchase of the Barrel Winch. The Aga is now working beautifully, at least as well as when the professionals did it!! We now have a happy wife, happy labrador, warm kitchen and a generally good feeling that a job well done provides. I hope the Aga goes on for its second 55 years now. Incidentally the winch is now available for hire from www.hirecentres.com for those need lifting help.
Many thanks and kind regards, Simon Jones

Simon J. Breedon on the Hill, Derbyshire

27 Mar 2008

Package arrived OK, followed instructions, it works better now than before. I cannot believe how easy it is, I certainly will not be stitched up by calling an engineer out again.
Many Thanks Jon V.

Jon V. Grantown-on-Spey, Moray

27 Mar 2008

Dear Aga DIY,
I got fed up with my Aga service engineer not returning calls, and in my Internet search to find out what was wrong with my Aga, came across your site. I subscribed and ordered wicks, but being as it was Easter weekend knew they wouldn't be a post delivery for a couple of days. Decided to go ahead and do the service, if the old wicks were serviceable I'd replace them, otherwise I'd wait for the new ones.
Doing the service from your instructions was a breeze, the old wicks were just about OK, so re-assembled and re-lit. Aga is now burning as well if not better than it has for years, very quiet with a perfect blue flame, thanks.

Robert S., Hungerford, Berkshire

27 Mar 2008

"I found the instructions precise as well as informative in the whole service process. I had completed the task in well under the hour. AgaDIYservice were very helpful in identifying and rectifying further issues with my particular Aga which is now working normally. Thankyou."
Regards
Andrew

Andrew T., Matlock Moor, Derbyshire

25 Feb 2008

Thankyou for providing an excellent product. I am very sceptical of buying things from the internet, especially when things appear too good to be true.
I moved to this in the summer just gone, six months ago. We bought the house from a couple who had lived here for just one and a half years, and had not had the Aga serviced in that time. I am assuming that the people who sold to them felt reluctant to pay for a service while in the process of selling. Therefore i would predict that the Aga had not been serviced for up too two and a half years, and i was beginning to wonder why it was'nt cooking my tea too well!!
Looking into the matter it became apparent the service should be done six monthly. This explained a lot. The cost of a service by a company seemed way too expensive, especially twice a year!
You have provided a solution at a fraction of the cost and a small ammount of my time. I have learned something new and interesting and my Aga now cooks perfectly! Some advice for people thinking of buying your product:
a) Go ahead with confidence
b) You need no prior knowledge of an Aga
c) Do not under any surcumstances tell your wife how simple (with the provided information) servicing your Aga is. This will then give you, every six months, what i am going to call an Aga Day. One hour of effort and the rest of the day to your self, but only if you don't let on how easy it is.
Thanks again.
Mr Davies. 28/01/08

Carwyn D., York, N Yorkshire

29 Jan 2008

Dear David
Just to let you know that, yesterday, we did our first Aga service with your instructions. It was very easy - took about an hour and half, and that was because my husband was determined to get all the soot out! We think we did a more thorough job than the previous service which cost us well over £100. Your instructions are brilliant and very clear, and your delivery of the wicks was very speedy. Whilst he did the service, I took the opportunity to deep clean the Aga, also using your helpful tips. We now have a sparkling, efficient running Aga, and will feel confident about servicing the Aga ourselves in the future.
Thank you so much.
Pippa and Pieter G.

Pippa G., Godalming, Surrey

27 Jan 2008

Dear David,
I was delighted to receive the new Aga wicks & Heldite on Saturday morning, having only placed the order on Friday lunchtime. Brilliant service!
The Aga service was trouble-free on Saturday morning too, thanks to your instructions.
Many thanks & regards Jon G.

Jonathan G., Winchester, Hampshire

07 Jan 2008

My partner ordered the instructions for me as the aga was losing heat, when she got home it had lost heat totally and was out! Must be psychic!
Surprise surprise my job last night was to service the aga. The whole task took about an hour, left it to stand for an hour and lit. Even with the old wick in it works perfectly and temperature spot on this morning.
Thanks ever so much for such great help.
Kind regards, Graham H

Graham H., Spalding, Lincs

04 Jan 2008

I had watched the engineer service our Aga in the past and realised that it was not difficult. However, having your instructions to hand gave me the added confidence to do the job myself. It was indeed straightforward and well within the capabilities of any practical person. My wife even feels confident to carry out a service herself, if need be, and she is certainly not mechanically inclined.
Furthermore, after just one service we have more than covered the cost of your advice when compared to the usual service charges.
Thank you and best regards,
Joe G.

Joe G, Matlock, Derbyshire

31 Dec 2007

Dear Mr Badham
Firstly thank you for ringing late in the evening and patiently working through how to kill our dragon. The next morning, yesterday, I sat down on the kitchen floor and carried out every check: following the script without taking any short cuts. Needless to say after lighting the burner the Aga is quietly getting on with keeping the house alive. Thank you not just for the excellent set of instructions but most importantly for demystifying the whole process and giving me confidence.
We would be happy for you to add us to your feedback, should you wish.
Again thanks from a very happy and satisfied customer,
Peter K-H, Guestling

Peter K-H, Guestling, East Sussex

29 Dec 2007

AGA going on full bore, thank you so much. I have learnt so much, thrown away the cement etc.
Happy Christmas ( what about oil fired boilers - I have three?)
Yours, Anthony H.

Anthony H., Scaniport, Inverness

24 Dec 2007

David - my feedback, for addition to your site. Our Aga started to lose heat at the weekend, 2 months after its last service. Certainly a worry a week before Christmas and bad enough trying to get an engineer at the best of times. I was sceptical, but after reading the comments, thought I would give it a go, especially given that one of the comments was from someone nearby in Allendale - kind of felt a bit more real! Within 5 minutes of my Paypal payment, the password arrived. I also ordered a wick, but eagerly proceeded, hoping the old one was OK. The old wick was OK and there was a lot of carbon about. I cleaned everything and lit up. Next morning - half heat and a yellow popping flame (feeling worried now). Then I called the help line, spoke to David who diagnosed the problem immediatly - Carbon on crucible lid preventing a good seal. He also followed up with a comprehensive e-mail of further suggestions if this failed. I cleaned the lid by putting the handle into a drill chuck ( had a similar effect as a lathe when spinning). I cleaned it with Emery paper and wire wool - clearly this had not been done for a very long time. I also adjusted the height of the burner which I found to be quite away out when checked with my spirit level. I relit and it worked just fine with a far healthier blue flame than before.
I actually feel that by using these instructions and the subsequent support, that my AGA received far more than a professional service. I will continue to service my AGA in the future with confidence.
Philip K.Ninebanks, Northumberland

Philip K., Ninebanks, Northumberland

19 Dec 2007

I have to say that could possibly be the best £35 we've spent! The email with the password came through within 5 minutes, and the wicks arrived the next day, with a friendly handwritten note (nice touch). The instructions are so clear and easy to follow - it took me and my husband 30 minutes to do the full service, and the most difficult bit was undoing the slightly stiff connectors! I have to say I was slightly sceptical - you never know how genuine the 'satisfied customer comments' are. Believe me, they are genuine! We have saved £60 straight away and nearly £100 every time we do the service ourselves in future. What a bargain. Must also mention the huge sense of satisfaction at doing the service ourselves and sorting out our rapidly-cooling Aga - it is now running at the right temperature, but we have had to set the dial lower! Thanks very much for a tremendous service!
Stephanie & Mark F, Leicestershire

Stephanie & Mark F., South Croxton, Leics

06 Dec 2007

Dear David
I have just completed my first service of our Aga using your brilliant instructions, it couldn't have been any easier. I followed your clear and illustrated guide and found everything was detailed and easy to follow and I have now saved 80 pounds by not using the Aga service department, even after paying for your instructions. I would like to thank you for providing us Aga owners with the opportunity to service our own in complete confidence.
Regards Ron

Ron S. Hanbury, Worcestershire

29 Nov 2007

Dear David,
I apologise for the time taken to update you when your response to my request for assistance was by return. However I am pleased to report that your advice was invaluable in systematically tracing the fault to the heater unit, it would appear that the arm had become bent during recent kitchen replacement works.
The Aga now runs without sooting up, a nice blue flame, albeit it appears to take longer to fire back up following reaching the desired temperature, I guess this is due to the "hammer" arm having been bent and not back in its original position.
I may need to replace the heater unit if fine tuning cannot be achieved, but for now I am happy and relieved that with your assistance we have heating and once again have hot food!
Regards cw

Clive W. St. Clears, Carmarthenshire

27 Nov 2007

I just wanted to agree with all the feedback! Our aga started to lose heat last week and I couldn’t get hold of our usual service chap, I spoke to my sister and she recommended your site. I downloaded the instructions and the wicks arrived the next day, my husband was so keen to get started that he did the service on his birthday and he is very pleased with himself that it is working more efficiently than before. So not only money saved but personal satisfaction of a job well done yourself.
Thank you!
Best wishes, Fay

Fay M., Ashburnham, East Sussex

23 Nov 2007

Dear AGA DIY Service Servicing process went very smoothly - full performance miraculously restored - wife very impressed!
With thanks Alex C

Alex C., Ashbourne, Derbyshire

13 Nov 2007

Hello,
Some weeks ago I subscribed to your aga service and at last, and rather belatedly (sorry) here is my feedback. I decided to have a go with your instructions after being totally let down by the engineer who usually serviced my aga – for some reason he just seemed to lose interest in my business and despite many attempts I was unable to find another engineer before the winter. Following my purchase via the internet, the site access was immediately available (good start) and the ordered wick arrived within a couple of days complete with a personal ‘good luck’ message which was a really great touch. The instructions were a piece of cake and within an hour I was up and running despite the aga having been out of service for the best part of 18 months. It is now performing way better than ever before and I am able to keep it at the absolute lowest level on the temperature gauge. I get loads more ‘miles per litre’ than at any time in the last five years and also have the satisfaction of doing it myself for half the price of the usual service. A great site which really does what it says on the tin and providing you have the confidence to have a go I would say that virtually anyone would be able to successfully complete a service.
Thanks for a great product
Dave

David, Mattishall, Norfolk

05 Nov 2007

"David helped identify my aga problems quickly (blocked oil filter + faulty OCV) and then sent the appropriate parts to correct the problem immediately saving me considerable time and cost with an Aga retailer. Davids depth of aga knowledge is outstanding (and Ive been servicing my oil aga for 10 years) and his rapid response to emails helped me diagnose and fix a serious problem within a few days myself. He even has the right parts available immediately at a competitive price...many thanks. Stewart in Hampshire (another satisfied customer)."

Stewart W. Rake, Hampshire

31 Oct 2007

Thank You for sending the drill bit so quickly. My husband serviced the Aga this afternoon, and the whole operation went very smoothly, and to plan. Amazing! It is now warming up nicely. Everything is as described on the website, and I wish we had known about you 5 years ago. Looking forward to doing the next one!
Thanks a lot, Tracey T J

Tracey T J, Great Hucklow

27 Oct 2007

Dear David
Many thanks for the excellent advice you gave over the telephone recently and for the swift despatch of a new oil control box. My Aga is now running better than at anytime in the past few years!
For anyone unsure whether to purchase Agadiyservice don’t hesitate, you only need a little common sense and a basic ability to handle a few simple tools.
Best regards
Barry M – Ashford, Kent.

Barry M., Ashford

25 Oct 2007

Hello,
I have got around to giving my feedback at last. I was very undecided about paying for the service you offered but eventually convinced myself to take the plunge. I'm so glad I did!

The aga servicing instructions are very easy to follow and will continue saving me a considerable amount of money over the coming years. Alas, I was having problems with a decreased temperature and the service did not solve it. You then sent me a comprehensive email with possible problems and solutions listed and (after a friendly phone call) I eventually traced the cause back to a clogged filter on the oil tank. Your help has given me a much greater understanding of my aga and has saved me a great deal of money.
If anyone else is unsure about the initial cost, go ahead, it's well worth it.
Many thanks for all the help, Daniel

Daniel G., Chacewater, Truro

15 Oct 2007

Hi, Thanks for the instructions. I found them very easy to follow and the aga was serviced and up and running again in a few hours. I've had the aga for a couple of years and haven't known anything about it other than how to turn it off. I didn't even know how to relight it, so it's great to feel I can service it, relight it and save a few ££.
Thanks, Alex

Alex G. Anstey, Leics

05 Oct 2007

Better instructions than we got from the installers of our aga - really useful and simple to use. User tips also useful. Thanks, Sue

Sue P-E, Wetherby

02 Oct 2007

Dear David, Thank you very much for the wicks you kindly sent me. I am very glad that Erik has subscribed as well. He had the same revelatory experience as me, finding that we could, with your clear instructions, service our own agas. Though, I'm not sure what we will find to talk about now that we can't moan about the cost and quality of aga service engineers. I really appreciated your straightforward, clear, helpful and successful instructions, but was still amazed that I was able to do it. It was very re-assuring to be able to talk to you on the 'phone and the FAQs section was also very useful and gave me a better understanding of how the aga works. The best thing is knowing that I can relax if I see the temperature starting to drop 3 days before Christmas, as I now have the power to service.
Many thanks and best wishes, Rory D.

Rory D. , Aylesbury

02 Oct 2007

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me with my problems yesterday. I replaced my oil tank due to it splitting over two weeks ago & have been trying to get the Aga working since then. After carrying out the advice you gave me it was running within three hours. It now works just as Aga intended! Once again thank you.
Kind regards. Andrew.

Andrew B. Sussex

28 Sep 2007

Dear David,
Ordered your Aga service instruction manual back in February 07 and have now successfully completed 2 services and saved over £200.00. Your instructions are so easy to follow and I would thoroughly recommend them to others.
Thanks, Paul Hertfordshire

Paul L.

18 Aug 2007

Dear David Badham I signed up with your Aga DIY Services last Monday and spoke to you on the telephone a few days after that, asking your advice about fumes and smell blowing back into the kitchen. I want to thank you for the clarity of your service instructions. Although I have been doing my own routine servicing for about twenty-five years I was very glad to see these and to have confirmation that I had more or less being doing the right thing. But more than this, thank you for your advice over the telephone. You were quite right about a blocked flue. It was not straightforward to clear it since there is an angle that is too sharp for my rods. But I improvised something and cleared a lot of soot. Seems to be fine now. With best wishes, John H

John H, Buckfastleigh

13 Jun 2007

David
Just a quick note to say thank you for your help both on the phone and by email in helping me track down the fault with my Aga. The heater control unit arrived the next day and was fitted in 5 minutes, giving us back thermostatic temperature control (which for some reason is more accurate than before as we can now adjust the thermostat to keep the temperature exactly on the black line which we couldn’t do before).
In addition your service notes are superb. They have saved me three services to date that would other wise have cost £60 + vat each.. Kind regards

George H. East Ayreshire

29 May 2007

Your instructions are brilliant, the pictures really helped. Did my first service last week, AGA had been running cool for some time, but I was reluctant to fork out £100 approx for "official "service. Changed the wick and cleaned out the gunge. This helped a little with the heat, but still not right. Found out that my oil flow was insufficient, so after studying your bit on the control valve I found that my problem was a sticky control valve. Manually moved it over its travel a few times and now it is freed up. AGA is now running beautifully. Stephen C. Co. Antrim

Stephen C. County Antrim

01 May 2007

Thank you for your email re the service instructions. Aga is now running perfectly thanks to the advice provided. It turned out that the problem was the elbow joint under the burner was still clogged and this was cleared when I drilled it out.
Prior to this the fuel had been getting through when on full setting but was so restricted that as soon as the regulator was turned down the fuel couldn't get through and the Aga went out.
My situation had been complicated because we hadn't set up the Aga properly when we refitted the kitchen and the fuel reservoir was too high. The instructions on your site and the telephone and email advice you provided allowed me to set up the Aga properly, service it fully and now it is working more efficiently than it ever has.

I am now totally confident that the next service will be very straight forward.

Thanks again, we will certainly recommend the Aga DIY Service to friends.

Jill & Steve S. Aylesbeare

27 Apr 2007

Thank you so much for your excellent service.I downloaded your instructions and within 24 hours my Aga was running perfectly. We live on a farm and rely on the Aga at lambing time to revive poorly lambs. When it decided to go 'cold' last week I wondered how long I would have to wait for a service engineer to come and fix it. Last time it was about 3 weeks. However, by following your easy to use instructions it is now working perfectly. I also received the new wicks within 48 hours. Thank you for an excellent service. Joan R. Alston

Joan R. Cumbria

27 Mar 2007

Registered on the Tuesday – the wick arrived on the Wednesday. I handed it to my husband and with out much effort on my part – he was able to give the aga probably the best and most thorough service it has ever had!! All back up and running in just over an hour. He is so pleased with himself, thanks to you. Thank you,Paula McA.

Paula McA., Great Kimble

24 Mar 2007

I followed your instructions, and after a quick T/C for clarification, ("what's a crucible") the service was completed in approx 80 minutes. I relit it and Hey Presto, it was fully operational again.
I used to say "Give me a guitar, mandolin, piano and i'll play you a tune... anything mechanical... forget it!" Now, I can confidently reach for the overalls, strike a macho pose AND save myself a few Euro into the bargain!!

Give a man a fish & he'll eat for a day... teach a man to fish & he'll never go hungry.
Many thanks.
Peter, Co. Mayo, Ireland

Peter D. Co Mayo

16 Mar 2007

Just wanted to say thanks for enabling me to successfully service our Aga after it started falling in temperature. Your advice was spot-on!

Matthew B., Pontefract

14 Feb 2007

Hi David You said that you thrive on feedback so I thought I would give you mine. Having done my Aga, which gives one a surprising sense of self satisfaction, I have suddenly become very popular with my Aga owning friends. Just last evening I helped a pal out by servicing his as he couldn't get an "official" service agent for a week. So Aga servicing; how to win friends and influence people. Many thanks for your knowledge

Jeremy J. , Kineton

13 Feb 2007

I think the website is very good- but having an interested and informed telephone respondent makes the service absolutely first class. I would be interested to know more about the control unit / accessing and cleaning the filter in it....and due to my experience with the fire valve I think that it would be good to have something about that.... Well done

Nicholas H

27 Jan 2007

Our 4 oven Aga had started to go out for no reason and I was about to call our regular engineer when I remembered your site. Your instructions were spot on and I was amazed when I took the burner out to find the pipe, connection and bowl at the bottom of the burner full of carbon. The service took 40 minutes, was easy and now our Aga has performed beautifully ever since. We had it serviced once or twice a year (costing between £80 and £100) so this is the best money I have spent for a long time.
Do you know how to service oil fired central heating boilers? Many thanks for great instructions.

Rob W. Saffron Walden

19 Jan 2007

I had a common problem with reconditioned AGA installations - a shoddy installer who spent no time with the careful set up that an AGA needs to run well. I have serviced my own AGAs for years, but expert advice from David at Agadiyservice gave me the confidence to check all aspects of the set up, including flow rates, control valve height, filter checks etc. I found 2 problem areas, corrected them and now have a lot more understanding of these simple but temperamental machines. Now instead of running short of heat on maximum setting I have it balanced and burning with a true blue flame. Its great to meet a true enthusiast who encourages others to look after their AGAs properly, with the added bonus of saving the ever increasing cost of service engineers.

Tim & Pamela M, York

19 Jan 2007

I accessed the instructions at the weekend, and was so enthused by them and by your e-mail yesterday that I set to there and then! It might be worth pointing out that rather than disconnect the pipework and draining the oil from the burner after doing the depth-of-oil-check, it's far less messy to lift the hotplate off and assemble the perforated concentric rings and top plate from above. These are very minor points - overall your instructions are excellent and your willingness to give advice via e-mail, even at weekends, makes the whole thing very good value for £35

John K, Alcester

16 Jan 2007

Dear Rayburndiyservice Thanks for great instructions as I have recently carried out very succesful servicing of my Rayburn Royal OF7. It was money well spent. I was particularly pleased to see that a reminder came through the post for a service from my existing service agent. The quote was for £95 +VAT and parts. Therefore I estimate £120+ ... As you can imagine I have cancelled it.

Andrew M, Hawkhurst

16 Jan 2007

Your maintenance instructions are great, I had no trouble in following them, and having carefully not touched the themostat setting, I had to reset it appreciably lower after "my" maintenance efforts! The only additional tool I needed was a 3/4" spanner for the junction onto the burner bowl.

Bill W, Dumfries

16 Jan 2007

David, Just a quick note. Great service, great instructions and great end result.
Sadly mine has been converted to oil and the hotplate is damn heavy!!

Nigel W, Wicklewood

10 Jan 2007

I have now paid the £35 & ordered some wicks - all very good value I have to say, particularly as I decided to get the engineer to do the work this time as the Aga was not working - in fact, as I expected, it just needed servicing as described by you, & is now working well. Needless to say, I watched the whole process carefully, and also asked some questions. The charge was £110! I will certainly doing this myself from now on!

Tim K Macclesfield

04 Jan 2007

Well its now New Years Eve - no cooking tonight we're going out! The rayburn is working like a dream (actually appears to be working better than when I had a 'professional' in!) Thanks for all your advise and information. I'm thinking of becoming a female rayburn engineer! Happy New Year Gill

Gillian P, Dunhampton

01 Jan 2007

Thanks for all your help. The instructions were good, but all the extra telephone help with flow rates and the flue were vital to our repair work. And all done with good humour despite our constant questioning!!
Keep up the good work and we'll help spread the word.

Edward G. Wiltshire

14 Dec 2006

Thanks to David for his help after I bungled the purchase of DIY AGA Service. We lost contact with the chap that used to service our Aga and the local Aga agent decided we weren’t local enough for them, so it probably hasn’t been serviced for over a year. We turned it off during the hot weather for a couple of months which I now know, probably made it worse, good job we like Barbeques. When I relit it, it went out after ½ hour. Anyway, recently when I got home from work, I announced to my wife that I was going to service the Aga. I don’t know whether it was a sigh of relief or despair but I got stuck in. The carbon was so solid it took about 1 ¼ hours to do the whole thing, I used a masonry drill bit so as not to damage the pipe and re used the old wick even though I knew I should wait for the new one to arrive. After waiting for the oil and checking for leaks, it lit immediately. I quite enjoyed it really!! Thanks again to AGA DIY Service, I’m now looking forward to some good old fashioned English cooking

Jonathan S. Bexleyheath

12 Dec 2006

David,, You asked for feed back, so I will give you some. My AGA is nearly as old as me.It is an old solid fuel two oven converted to oil type inherited by me when I bought the house 10 years ago. Since living here I have used the local AGA dealer to get it serviced.They have been expensive difficult to get,and worsed of all arrogant and dismissive to my needs. After being told in late November that no service was available to anyone who was not a "regular"customer until their service engineer returned to work,which will be after Christmas I found you on the internet. You returned my contact immediately and sent the wick I asked for immediately as well. The instructions I received on the internet gave me the confidence to tackle the job of servicing my AGA and in one and a half hours it was all back together and alight again. Now five hours on at 8.30.pm the AGA is hot, I feel a great deal of satisfaction as does my son who helped me.the local dealer will not be getting any more trade from me or any one else with an AGA I know in this area. Many thanks Best wishes, Kevin

Kevin W, Driffield

06 Dec 2006

Many thanks for your assistance over the ‘phone; it’s so nice to do business with someone who so obviously, genuinely wants to help. Not only is the Aga now working fine after its first assault by inexperienced hands but actually it appears to be working more efficiently. It no longer pops (which was something we thought we just had to get used to) but now works happily with a low faint blue light and silently gives the false impression that it is not using any oil at all. I have no doubt that I will complete the next service in less than half the time and look forward to the challenge of that. Thanks again for your excellent service. N D

Nigel D. Lechlade

30 Nov 2006

Just wanted to say thanks for your excellent instructions. Having had an Aga for 7 years I was bored and frustrated with the 6 monthly expense but more so by the ordeal of getting our local service engineer to come at all and then to actually turn up when he said he would. (Other companies in the area who claim to service Aga's in their ads seem reluctant in reality for some reason!). Anyway, the service was as easy as you said and she's burning brightly! Thanks , Richard

Richard W, Rutland

30 Nov 2006

Hi – I am writing to thank you for your excellent DIY burner setup instructions as well as your very helpful pointers. The AGA has been running for 30 mins and there is no sign of any yellow flames. Indeed, the bottom 2-3” of the shell shows continuous blue flames and it is a beautiful cherry-red all the way up from there. The AGA ran for the best part of 12 months in my last house before I took it apart 2 years ago and relocated it here. It was originally set up by an “AGA specialist” and has never burned as cleanly as it is at present – I only hope it will continue to do so! My wife has now started speaking to me again (she stopped speaking after I filled her new kitchen with black smoke a few weeks ago). Thank you again, Neville, Ashby de la Zouch

Neville

21 Nov 2006

Hi, thx for the excellent instructions we have just completed our first service of aga and found instructions easy and comprehensive. We will recommend this service to all, thx for your help. We have sent in an order for more wicks also.

Sheree

28 Oct 2006

Dear David Thank you! Got home from work and set to with your instructions after dinner. Very simple and straightforward; “does exactly what it says on the tin”! Aga safely relit and fully up to temperature this morning. A delighted wife, and dead-chuffed hubby having saved £80 – and of course more every service. Thank you. Only grumble is that I wish I had had this excellent advice 12 years ago when we inherited the Aga!

Chris S-B, Westerham

23 Sep 2006

All done and dustied, what a wonderful saving. My husband managed the service without any problems thanks to your clear instructions and illustrations. Thank you.

Gillian from Dumfries

04 Aug 2006

David Thanks for your prompt reply. I have to say that I was a bit nervous prior to using your service as this would be one of these incomprehensible guide where step 1-3 are simple and then step 4 has the whole things apparently completed!!!! Not at all - I serviced my aga in an hour - running perfectly now and the instructions are great and "clutter" free. Why doesn't everyone do this and save £95 a service!!!! Regards Rupert

Rupert L.

05 Apr 2006

Excellent instructions and very easy to follow. The job was done in half an hour with no problems at all.

Allendale T. Northumberland

17 Nov 2005

We've only been here 3 years and the 50 year old Aga we have inherited in the process has become a much loved feature of the house - it is even nicer to have so much more understanding of her thanks to agadiyservice.

John H. Lincoln

05 Jul 2005

Thanks- instructions were spot on! Pictures were clear and helpful. I've successfully serviced our oil Aga and it's now working at peak performance!

Stephen S. North Yorkshire

08 Jun 2005

Dear David and George, Thank you for sending me a replacement wick so promptly. Also I would like to say thank you for your first class instructions and all the extra information in the technical FAQ's.

John D. Berkshire

07 May 2005

David, thanks for taking the chance. The cheque has been written, stuck in an envelope and will be posted tomorrow morning. Your instructions were nice, clear and easy to follow. We are new to AGAs but the difference your instructions made were very evident. We have just suffered both the AGA and oil boiler going off at the same time. AGA seems fine now but still no luck with the boiler, real old thing that needs to be replaced. Difficult getting people out here. Thanks again for the help and of course the trust as well. Steve

Steve G. Aboyne, Scotland

04 Oct 2004

Hello Yes, am now a fully paid-up d.i.y Aga Service Engineer! The only refinement has been that I have to drill out the carbon in the entry to the crucible as the coat hanger wasn't effective. Otherwise well-pleased and am saving a fortune. Regards John

John F. Berkshire

07 Sep 2004