One flue over the cuckoo's nest

[PaulAH]

Building regs require a horizontal gap of at least 600mm between flue and a door or window. Any guesses on how they might view the following measurements:

Edge of flue body to corner of brickwork in which door frame is set (tape measure flat against wall): 570mm

Point of fume exit to edge of door itself: 625mm.

Thanks. Paul.

 

[weargas]

it would be taken to be an adjacent structure (or internal corner) which has the same measurements, 600mm (natural draught) or 300mm (fanned draught)

 

[oilman]

it would be taken to be an adjacent structure (or internal corner) .......

How? and there is no distinction between natural draught and fanned draught in the building regs as far as I can see)

PaulAH, You could take it as being the opening, ie hole in the surface. I don't think the building control officers know what the regs are anyway as they pass things which don't comply.

 

[ollski]

what do the manufacturer's instructions require?

 

[oilman]

As per building regs.

 

[PaulAH]

Weargas: Not with you, mate. Perhaps I put the question badly.

Ollski: As Oilman's answer.

Oilman: Which hole in the surface? The one in the brickwork or the aperture itself? That's the whole point.

Sorry to be picky but Mr Inspector may be picky too.

 

[oilman]

For windows it used to be the hole cut in the brickwork, now it is the opening part of the window. If the window doesn't open at all, you could have it very near the frame.

So for the door, it would be the opening bit of the door, not the brickwork.

If you expect problems from a building control officer, you ought to ask them as they are in the position to be awkward whatever anybody elses interpretation of the rules.

 

[AlanE]

Correction if you look up the B.S. you will find the required distance from an opening in the fabric of a building for the purpose of fitting a window.

This refers to the cutout in the brick work that the door/window frame fits into.

Alan

 

[weargas]

there is no distinction between natural draught and fanned draught in the building regs as far as I can see.

i'm going off bs where they do specify different terminal positions for different types of flue. I don't know the building regs because I don't need to work to them but maybe they are a watered down version of the british standards.

i think i may have interpreted pauls question badly though.

 

[weargas]

i'm also assuming he's talking about gas!!!
if not i'm in over my head!!

 

[PaulAH]

Weargas: Yes, it's oil. Balanced flue emerging at boiler height.

It makes more sense to interpret the distances Oilman's way; that's what I was after. The door is in fact to a conservatory, fixed to the end wall of the house by a stout post. The thickness of the post combined with its offset (it sits back a couple of inches) makes all the difference.

A straight horizontal measurement from flue to edge of brickwork comes in under the 600mm; but going from exit hole in the flue to door proper - the actual path of the waste gases - is over 600mm.

It's all rather theoretical because the door, a great big thing, is only there to let the lawn mower through (there's a mirror-image door the opposite end) and when they are open the conservatory becomes more like a verandah, almost completly open to the elements. So no-one's going to suffocate. The regular doorway is a comfortable distance from the flue.

The question is, will this cut any ice with Mr Inspector?

Paul

 

[PaulAH]

Just looked at the full regs on Uncle John's website and all is (reasonably) clear. For anyone who's interested:

Horizontally to an opening... 600mm

- An opening means an openable element, such as an openable window, or a permanent opening such as a permanently open air vent.

- Notwithstanding the dimensions above, a terminal should be at least 300mm from combustible material, e.g. a window frame.

So he is talking about the "openable element", not the doorframe or post. The big test is whether Mr Inspector will include the setback from the wall, which adds those last vital mms. Watch this space.

Paul

 

[oilman]

I expect you will find Mr Inspector is not that picky. they have too much to do to walk round with a measure over a few mm.