Fire Valve- how do I know if I have one?

[DeeEyeAye]

My house has just been surveyed prior to going on the market. I have been told that I must confirm whether or not I have a fire valve fitted to the oil central heating, and to install one if necessary.

The heating system is relatively modern (late 90s) with a gravity-fed tank and an internal boiler. I don't have any documentation for it, except for the servicing receipts.

If I do have a valve, where will it be located? And if I don't, what can I do about it?

Cheers!

 

[oilhead]

What sort of surveyor have you had if he cannot check what he is paid to check?
Your fire valve should be fitted outside the building where the supply enters the building. It is normally a bell shaped unit with a capillary wire coming out of it and entering the building to a copper phial in the boiler casing.
Who has told you to fit one? if your estate agent, then ignore it and let your purchaser pick it up. Good practice is to fit one, and a boiler fitted in the late 90's should have one otherwise it shouldn't have been commissioned, but then not everything is done as it should be.

 

[xr4x4]

Fire valves on this page

http://www.bes.co.uk/products/079.asp

Kbb fire valve, or the older hand wheel fire valve.

 

[DeeEyeAye]

Thanks, my gut reaction was that surely I would have a valve already.
The house was surveyed as part of a civil service house purchase scheme... a nice thing to have in today's market but comes with strings attached.
Just outside of the tank is a little unit which I had always assumed was some sort of filter- but perhaps it is actually a valve.
Good to know they aren't hideously expensive at least.

 

[oilhead]

The thing by the tank probably is a filter. There needs to be a connection between the valve and the boiler which is a thin capillary wire. The valve is not too expensive, but depending on the location of the boiler in relation to the entry of the oil line, fitting can be quite difficult.

 

[xr4x4]

If nothing else is connected to it, then it is a filter, apart from the oil pipes.

 

[mikeyd]

No, next to the tank is just your filter. My fire valve is buried outside the house wall adjacent to the boiler under a loose flagstone. If you look at the picture of the oil fire valve on the BES link above you will see the valve is connected by a thin copper pipe to a copper tube which, in my case dangles inside to boiler case.

EDIT: I type too slow...

 

[DeeEyeAye]

OK thanks- I'll have a look in the boiler for the sensor, now that I know what it looks like. The area surrounding the house is all concreted pathways, no flags to lift. Would it make sense for the valve to perhaps be located under the floor? Or would that be daft because it's still technically in the house...?

 

[xr4x4]

It need to be accessible, as it has a reset button on it if it pops.

You just need to follow the oil pipe from the tank, it should be mostly visible.

 

[mikeyd]

BS 5410 Part 1 : 1997 ... requires that a remote acting fire valve should be installed...

Why does the surveyor expect you to confirm this?

And I would doubt you have to fit one to be able to sell your house.