Questions to Ask Your Refurbisher
Buying your Refurbished Aga Cooker can be an exciting time but you may be nervous about the investment needed.
As much as we would love to help every potential customer with supplying their aga cooker, we are aware that we aren't for everyone!
For geographical reasons, you might choose another supplier but we're here to help you the best we can.
We've put together a list of 10 potential questions to ask your aga cooker supplier to ensure that you're getting the very best service possible.
- Are they an established, trusted limited company, or a solo engineer?
- it's important to know and trust who you're dealing with.
- Are they a corporate entity, a small family company or a solo engineer?
- Do they have valid business insurance?
- Liability and insurance is a must.
- Do they know about the conversions and products they sell?
- Ask about the different models they supply and the features of each.
- Are they selling you a product with their profit in mind, or your best interests? You'll know by your gut instinct.
- Ask for pros and cons.
- Do they provide you with any warranties or guarantees?
- Do they provide a warranty with their services?
- How long is the warranty period?
- Ask for copies and inclusions to cover yourself.
- Will they re-enamel the front and top plate of your Aga Cooker to order?
- A newly enamelled front, doors and top, ensures a flawless, showroom finish.
- Do they just clean the old enamel, or is it fully re-enamelled, bespoke for each customer order?
- What is included in the price?
- Ask for the total price so that you know what you're actually paying.
- Include any VAT, Delivery, Installation and Plinth.
- Do they install their own cookers or will you be left to source your own installation engineer?
- If the install engineer is a subcontractor - who has liability and responsibility if things go wrong?
- The last thing you need, is to be stuck in-between engineer disputes if something happens.
- If they install their own cookers, are they sufficiently trained? Gas Safe, OFTEC registration etc.
- Will they bring dust sheets and floor coverings for installation or refurbishment works?
- Leaving your home clean and tidy should be a high priority.
- Do they offer a personalised service, with additional options for you?
- An aga cooker is an investment - if you'd like bespoke options to make it your own, just ask your supplier.
- A choice of badges, finishings, lid sizes, additional refurbishment options should be standard.
- Will you get documentation with your refurbished Aga range cooker?
- A welcome guide, user guide etc will be beneficial when getting used to your 'new' Aga Cooker!
Some Further Reading:
The internal cavities of Aga Cookers have historically been filled with loose-fill insulation. Inside the cooker body, there are lots of pockets and gaps around the cast iron conductions and burner casings etc. The insulation was poured inside after the build was complete, to rid the cooker of air pockets and insulate the cooker body. Diatomaceous Powder Insulation Early models of Aga cooker, like the Standard models made from the 1950's through to the Deluxe 1974 models (and some post-1974 models), would have originally contained Kieselguhr insulation power (or 'Diatomaceous Earth'). You can identify your model here. This is a fine, talc-like insulation, made from crushed up fossils called diatoms. It's satisfying to touch, but VERY messy to work with and instantly becomes thick clay once exposed to water or moisture. The good news is that amorphous diatomaceous earth is non-toxic. As with anything in powder or dust form - minimising exposure is key. You don't want to be breathing in lung-fulls of any dust or powder. If you're working with it, the proper PPE should be used; not just cloth or paper dust masks. Whilst the loose fill insulation may be ok, these models are still the most at risk for any asbestos exposure. AGA used asbestos rope seals inside their cookers for many years. These seals and gaskets are found inside the body of the older models explained above, and also around the lids and doors. Over the lifetime of these cookers, many of these gaskets and rope seals have been replaced for modern (safe) equivalents. AGA have previously reassured engineers and customers that undisturbed, these seals pose little risk and were of 'dust suppressed' or 'tightly woven' formats. Many of them have been exposed to moisture or grease over time which hardens them, meaning they're less friable in nature. They recommend that really old models of cooker are removed in one piece if possible and disposed of professionally.
If you need to light your gas aga cooker, follow these instructions to get your aga up and running again. We cover both Maxitrol and Eurosit valves with step-by-step lighting instructions.
If your ElectricKit Conversion hotplates have become unlevel, follow our guide to level them yourself - saving a call out fee!
