Is there anything wrong with this boiler flue?

OldKettle · 26 Apr 2021

Hi,
I recently had a boiler service (Ideal combi) and before the engineer left he said that the boiler would not be covered by the warranty, due to a problem with the flue.

He didn't really give me a good explanation, except to say that "the white pipe should terminate at the wall, rather than come outside".

I've attached a picture of the flue. Is the engineer right?

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

muggles · 26 Apr 2021

Yes, he is. Ideal so now permit any of the flue other than the terminal to be on show outside. No white should be visible. The plume kit is also incorrectly installed. Hard to tell from this angle but I suspect a vertical flue would have been a better option here

CBW · 26 Apr 2021

Is that really clipped into your guttering?

ianmcd · 26 Apr 2021

Yes he is correct, no white to be on show on Ideal flues, wouldnt go overly worrying over it though, it may invalidate the warranty though

OldKettle · 26 Apr 2021

Thanks for the replies.

It was installed before I bought the house, but is still under warranty (think it expires in 2023), which I'd like to keep active. I've included a view from inside below.

I asked the engineer if I just basically needed to get somebody to cut the white pipe to the wall, and he seemed to suggest that was OK (wasn't terribly committal, which is why I am asking here).

Does that sound right, or would it be better to get it reconfigured?

Muggles mentions a vertical flue, presumably straight up through the flat roof. I don't want to go to any more expense than needed, but just enough to make sure the warranty is OK.

ianmcd · 26 Apr 2021

inside is fine, the problem with white showing outside is the plastic might react to UV light, you will find most of us agree it is tatal ******xs but I deal state it so we have to follow, some other manus state it is OK

CBW · 26 Apr 2021

OldKettle said:
I asked the engineer if I just basically needed to get somebody to cut the white pipe to the wall, and he seemed to suggest that was OK (wasn't terribly committal, which is why I am asking here).

It’s not something that you personally can do, as it’s classed as gas work, so needs critical safety checks afterwards. However, you can’t just cut it back anyway, the plume kit would have been used for valid reasons. 2 spring to mind with your set-up:

a vent is above where terminal would finish.
It looks like it’s too close to an internal corner

OldKettle · 26 Apr 2021

Thanks. I did suspect that it would require somebody gas safe, given the obvious potential for CO leaks.

For that reason, I'll try not to ask for too many specifics here, but I just wondered if anybody thought that there would possibly be a horizontal flue that would be compliant, or whether a vertical flue would likely have to be installed.

Also, if UV is the issue, is there anyway that the white part of the pipe could just be boxed. Probably a stupid question but just looking for an easy fix.

CBW · 26 Apr 2021

Vaillant flues can be ran externally, but aren’t obviously compatible and you're not going to be changing the boiler anytime soon. Also there’s that internal corner/neighbouring property.

A vertical flue might have been the better option, and since boiler is still under warranty, I’d say the flue is still available.

boolie · 27 Apr 2021

Isn't that the whole point of GasSafe? I.e. report the installer to gas Safe.. then they will contact him for an explanation and it will be fixed at his expense if he hasn't installed it properly

Installers details will be in the benchmark section of the manual. If the benchmark isn't filled in your warranty is void anyway

Madrab · 27 Apr 2021

Ideal do what's called a soffit or balcony flue kit, this allows the centre section of the flue to be extended out beyond the overhang and avoids the build up of POC's under extended soffits/balcony, without extending the white section of the flue.

Cutting the flue back to the wall under that extended soffit wouldn't be acceptable either IMO, too large an overhang. Would need a good look to see how close to the extension it is too.

How old is the boiler and what model is it? The way I see it, the engineer missed an opportunity for some remedial work there.

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Is there anything wrong with this boiler flue?

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