Flue not sealed- Boiler closed down as Immediately Dangerous

[mogget]

lue enters the wall, which can be seen on the first photo below. Is this safe?

It looks like the flue is way above the bottom of the flue hole? Flue hole drilled at the wrong angle?

These are questions for others on the forum to answer.

EDIT: Oh s*d it, messed up my quoting.

 

[dcawkwell]

Looks like there is plenty of room to move the flue down. I can see a gap.
Flue must have fitted in the past. Maybe it just be knocked up because the hole in the wall is big and hasn't been sealed with plaster. I think it is just a gas of pushing the flue down again.

Thanks for the feedback. As a leaseholder I believe I need to get permission from the housing authority to drill into the external wall, but I'm sure they can provide this at short notice given the circumstances.

Two engineers have now advised I should raise the boiler by 4cm (one has only seen the photos) while another engineer thinks the cap under the flue collar can simply be pushed down and screwed on (based on the photos below). These are very different solutions to the same problem.

I have also noticed there is a gap where the flue enters the wall, which can be seen on the first photo below. Is this safe?

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• jeffuk80
• 22 Dec 2013
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• jeffuk80
• 22 Dec 2013
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• jeffuk80
• 22 Dec 2013
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• jeffuk80
• 22 Dec 2013
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• jeffuk80
• 22 Dec 2013
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• jeffuk80
• 22 Dec 2013
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[footprints]

The flue on the outside projects quite a lot I wonder if somebody working out there as lent on it?

 

[planemad]

The flue does stick out too much valiant say it should stick out by 87mm only

 

[mogget]

I doubt that would affect the safe operation of the appliance, but I'll agree it's a little shoddy.

Flue not being connected to boiler however = DANGEROUS.

 

[Aquilani]

Have you had a new kitchen fitted in the 14 months since the last Service?

 

[jeffuk80]

Yes we had it renovated during the summer. They said that they didn't touch the boiler although I'm now beginning to wonder...

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

jeffuk80

Yes we had it renovated during the summer. They said that they didn't touch the boiler although I'm now beginning to wonder...

I would think there lies your answer......

Boilers and/or flues don't just 'move' unless helped.... Either there's been an earth tremor in your area or someone has given that flue a good clout.....

 

[Aquilani]

Yes we had it renovated during the summer. They said that they didn't touch the boiler although I'm now beginning to wonder...

I thought so, no way would the original guy have missed the fact the flue was not correctly connected. Whilst fitting/cutting the cupboard round the boiler and flue the Kitchen fitters have disturbed the flue would be my best bet.

This would be an easy fix and I would suggest getting a RGI round to reconnect the flue and test for you. About £60-90 would be fair.

 

[gigz]

Looks like the kitchen fitters knocked it up or someones knocked it down from outside, easy sorted. Don't pay someone to lift the boiler as there's absolutely no need. Just needs refitting and sealing properly.

 

[jeffuk80]

The gas engineer who did the service 14 months ago came today to do this job. As he expected from the photos, he was able to push back the flue into place and screw it down. It took about 20mins and cost £60.

The kitchen fitters had plastered the wall around the flue and he thinks the flue was moved during the renovation.

Worryingly he said there would have been leakage of gas from the flue, but we've had a carbon monoxide alarm the whole time so any leakage must have been very minimal.

I've also noticed that since it's been sealed up the boiler pressure is higher than before - although this might be a short term effect.

Thanks for all the replies on here - it helped me to decide to go with this guy rather than the ones who were suggesting the much more expensive option of raising the boiler. I'm also pretty certain from the feedback on here that the faulty flue happened during the kitchen renovation.

I've attached some photos of the work he did.

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• jeffuk80
• 23 Dec 2013
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• jeffuk80
• 23 Dec 2013
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• jeffuk80
• 23 Dec 2013
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• jeffuk80
• 23 Dec 2013
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[Corgigrouch]

Blinking kitchen fitters!! They should be hanged by the neck 'till they feel positively unwell....

The chances are that the alarm wouldn't go off if the boiler was burning correctly.... some of the POCs will still be going outside, some will be diluted by the air in the kitchen.but if the boiler had been burning incorrectly it could well have been a different story...

This post highlights three things.... One is the need for the boiler installer to properly commission the boiler on intallation, use of a flue gas analyser is vital. The second is for regular servicing and thirdly is the now requirement for us RGIs to screw every joint to make sure what has happened here does not happen...

 

[The831Bunny]

If the flue was fitted correctly in the first place then it wouldn't have moved at all! MI state flue clamps should be self tapped to the flue (Vaillant supply the self tappers). Also the gap left around the flue to the brickwork should be made good with cement/plaster.

Good job you got it spotted and sorted ASAP.

 

[JBPHS]

Majority of POC's that leaked from flue would have been drawn back through the air intake and back through the boiler.

Good to hear you've got it sorted properly.

As mentioned by other posters, this highlights the need for regular servicing. But as a rule of thumb, I also sand/cement flues into the wall.

It doesn't surprise that the kitchen 'fitters' could have disturbed it. There are a lot of tradesmen out there that will alter other professions work despite the consequences just to make their work easier.

Now enjoy your reinstated heating and hot water!

 

[spareshunter]

The gas man is suggesting we need to replace the flue and lift the boiler up by about 4cm, which will be a big job coasting about 500 pounds including parts.

This seems a bit OTT to me.

Also check all the internal seals. As a coffin or two are more expensive apart from the inconvenience of course. Unbelievable attitude