blocking gas fire vent

[ghobbs]

Hi. We have a Baxi back boiler with a gas fire in our lounge. There is an air vent below the windows in the bay. We've had our boiler serviced recently and everything seems to adhere to regulations.

We are getting some new curtains for the bay windows. My wife wants full length curtains, which will loosely cover the air vent. Is this a problem? Will it restrict the flow of air? Will it be against regulations?

Thanks.

 

[cross thread]

no

 

[ghobbs]

No? Is that a no to my 3 questions?

 

[rego]

yes 3 nos

 

[ghobbs]

I'm told by a friend that vents are only required for gas appliances 7kW and over. My gas fire is 6kW, so looks like I actually do not require a vent at all, so it should be ok to block it with new curtains. Anyone agree with that?

 

[bazdaman]

If you havea back boiler you will usually req a 100cm2 air vent, your fire might be 6kw but what about the boiler behind!

 

[Madrab]

They are correct, as part of any ventilation calculations, the 1st 7kW of any calculation is subtracted due to a condition called adventitious ventilation. You do need to understand if that room is used to ventilate any other gas appliance either directly (in the same room) or indirectly (a compartment that takes it ventilation from that room).

So your back boiler comes into the equation too which I'm sure pushes it well over 7kW total.

 

[Agile]

I'm told by a friend that vents are only required for gas appliances 7kW and over. My gas fire is 6kW, so looks like I actually do not require a vent at all, so it should be ok to block it with new curtains. Anyone agree with that?

This does demonstrate the danger of DIY gas work.

This OP concluded that he did not actually need any ventilation.

Blocking the ventilation could have killed him ( and his unsuspecting family too! ).

Even the vent itself clearly says" Do not block this vent".

As far as giving advice to a DIYer is concerned I would never say its safe to hang curtains in front of the ventilation.

Tony

 

[denso13]

This OP concluded that he did not actually need any ventilation.

No, he/she didn't. A question was asked whether advice given was correct or not.