carbon monoxide alarm

[mattysupra]

hi, i have a carbon monoxide alarm that i dont think is working.

How can i test it?


The reason i ask is that its been fitted in the house for a while. I have had an extension built (garage) and the flue from the boiler needs to be moved as at the moment it vents in to the garage.

The boiler is switched off at the moment so not a issue but the boiler does get used for 15 mins in the mornings to have a shower and then i switch off again. The garage does not have its windows and doors fitted yet so there is plenty of airflow blowing through the place (open at both ends) plus we have the carbon monoxide detector in the house.

The boiler flue should be sorted in the next few days. but im still worried that even tho the boiler is only used for 15 mins in the mornings that there is a chance that the fumes could build up.

So i put the carbon monoside detector in there to see if it will set it off. It does not, i then held a few meters away from the flue and above the boiler flue and it still wont go off.

I take it that my carbon monoxide detector does not work?

 

[Lectrician]

As far as I know, a correctly adjusted burner in a boiler should not produce carbon monoxide. A gas flame that burns yellow is indicative of carbon monoxide being produced.

 

[mattysupra]

As far as I know, a correctly adjusted burner in a boiler should not produce carbon monoxide. A gas flame that burns yellow is indicative of carbon monoxide being produced.

Intresting! So in theory you would not need a flue then 'if' the boiler was burning correct.


so maybe there is nothing wrong with the detector then?

 

[Rob]

 

[doitall]

Why not put a couple of canaries out there.

If they fall off the perch before the alarm goes off you'll know it don't work.

Must be really quite in the sparky forum.

 

[Ian2008]

The boiler flue should have been moved before the garage was built.
Any builder with an once of sence should have noticed the proplem before quoting for the work.
What you now have is very dangerous situation dont use the boiler at all until the fluing is sorted.
This asumes that flue parts are still available for your boiler, you may require a new boiler in a new location.
Please get a registered gas engineer in asap.

 

[bengasman]

... I have had an extension built (garage) and the flue from the boiler needs to be moved as at the moment it vents in to the garage....

That is massively dangerous, and more than a bit illegal.
I suggest you call 0800 408 5500 first thing in the morning and explain that you have been told you have been left with a very dangerous boiler.
They should have an inspector out to you asap; won't cost you a penny. Ask for the reference number to make follow up easier.
Methinks you have ample reason to sue your builder for a fair bit of dosh.

 

[mattysupra]

The boiler was left switched off and was supposed to of had its flue moved as soon as the roof was put on as the flue needs to go through the flat roof.

However i keep getting let down by plummers to sort it out.

The boiler is only 1 year old and still avalible so i know getting a new flu is not a issue.


Is there any plummers on here that would like to move the flu for me as soon as possible? Im in solihull near birmingham.

Any idea on the cost? It needs 1 meter of flu and a 90 degree bend. I could do this myself but need to get it checked before it gets turned back on etc. Am i allowed to do that ?



So what about the original question? should my carbon monoxide alarm go off when being held above the flu?

 

[kirkgas]

The boiler was left switched off and was supposed to of had its flue moved as soon as the roof was put on as the flue needs to go through the flat roof.

However i keep getting let down by plummers to sort it out.

The boiler is only 1 year old and still avalible so i know getting a new flu is not a issue.


Is there any plummers on here that would like to move the flu for me as soon as possible? Im in solihull near birmingham.

Any idea on the cost? It needs 1 meter of flu and a 90 degree bend. I could do this myself but need to get it checked before it gets turned back on etc. Am i allowed to do that ?



So what about the original question? should my carbon monoxide alarm go off when being held above the flu?

your original q has been answered, the products of combustion (exhaust) from a properly running boiler will not produce CO as the POC's contain CO2 and water vapour, they will only produce CO when the combustion process is not complete/correct, perhaps the situation you have will lead to CO being produced if the air intake has POC's being sucked back in so as some have said get it sorted ASAP, we dont want to go down the route of saying as long as the garage is open at each end the POC's MIGHT get out, but they MIGHT also get up through the roof to the rooms above and poison somebody

 

[bengasman]

The boiler was left switched off

It's still illegal, switched off or not.

Any idea on the cost?

Impossible to say without seeing it, but you are surely looking at hundreds.

It needs 1 meter of flu and a 90 degree bend.

You'll need a lot more than that.

I could do this myself but need to get it checked before it gets turned back on etc. Am i allowed to do that ?

Strangely enough, you are allowed to do that. Sort of, it is not necessarily illegal. I very much doubt however, that you are actually competent enough to do it. And only a complete cowboy will sign it off for you.

 

[mattysupra]

only a complete cowboy will sign it off for you?

Surely if its fitted correctly there would be no issue? What happens if i purchase a house and have the boiler checked? Or is that a different type of certificate you get?



O and your correct, i do need more than 1 meter of flu. Its 1.2 meter to the outside from the boiler

 

[muggles]

It is illegal to sign off the work of someone who isn't registered, hence only a cowboy would sign off the flue if you did it. If you purchased a house and had the boiler checked / serviced, that boiler would already have been signed off by the who fitted it RGI as being correctly installed and commissioned.

You may find that you need a complete new flue system from the boiler upwards. If you're very unlucky you may find that the new route is not permissible with your boiler, in which case the boiler may need moving into the garage. Either way the other posters have been quite correct in stating that your builder has acted illegally in enclosing your flue.

 

[mattysupra]

it is me that inclosed the flue in as i fitted the roof. The builder built the walls only that would not of been a issue.


Anyway, i need the boiler moving also but was hoping to get the flue sorted as a tempory fix.

I guess i may be better to get the boiler moved at the same time.

How much of this work can i do myself. I have done loads of plumbing years ago so i have no issues with moving all the water pipes to the new location.

Am i allowed to get all the new pipe work ready for the boiler (except the gas) and get the hole cut for the flu along with getting all the mountings ready so i basically leave the boiler ready to be screwed to the wall and the last joints ready to connect and then get someone in to finish off?

Would they sign it off then?

 

[bengasman]

only a complete cowboy will sign it off for you?
Surely if its fitted correctly there would be no issue?

Yes it is an issue. The very fact that it is not signed off, means there is something fishy. If I had been done by a bona fide installer, it WOULD have been signed off. That means that anyone asked to “just sign it off”, knows there is something odd going on. But more importantly, if I sign off your work, I am taking legal responsibility for anything that goes wrong. And only a complete cowboy will take responsibility for something he does not know for sure is correct.

 

[bengasman]

Am i allowed to get all the new pipe work ready for the boiler (except the gas) and get the hole cut for the flu along with getting all the mountings ready so i basically leave the boiler ready to be screwed to the wall and the last joints ready to connect and then get someone in to finish off?

Would they sign it off then?

You are even allowed to install the boiler yourself in your own house, provided you can do so safely.
As for the signing off, on the 50/50 project: when you get somebody willing to do the leftovers for peanuts, you are probably employing a monkey.