Heating is "At Risk"

[RF Lighting]

My parents recently had their heating serviced by a well know gas company.

They were issued with some paperwork saying the installation is "At Risk"

The boiler is a ~25 year old glow worm space saver.


Here are the issues they identified:

Here are the compartment vents:

And here is the flue / flue guard

Are the issues identified really that bad? If so, what needs to be done bring the installation back up to standards?

 

[Jackrae]

Probably the soft approach to getting them to spend a couple of grand or so fitting a new "safe" boiler. BG by any chance ?

If they are old enough they should be getting a free boiler under the government scheme.

 

[45yearsagasman]

I think the flue guard clearances are OK. (from memory it needs 25mm from cage to flue) The vents need to be sized to manufacturers spec and the spur needs to be secured safely. Using common sense, none of the faults add up to AR, and I would record them as NCS.

 

[RF Lighting]

Does anyone have a copy of the MIs? If so would you be kind enough to have a look at what size vents would be required? I assume this refers to the vents on the cupboard doors?

These door vents were fitted by the same company who now say they are at risk. I assumed this was due to a change in gas regs, but if they are sized to the MIs, I suspect these won't have changed recently

The spur is my fault, but I think I can manage to sort that




There was a page full of stuff about how old and inefficient the old boiler is, but to replace it is going to mean a complete repipe.

The upstairs rads are on a one pipe system, and some of the plumbing downstairs doesn't look great. I certainly wouldn't like the idea of trying to pressurise the pipework.

 

[45yearsagasman]

Venting to a room requires 10cm squared per Kw input at both high and low level. The data badge should give the max Kw input so easy to work out.

 

[harry0harry]

1,firstly take cupboard doors off so the boiler is not in a cupboard anymore,the sizes can be checked at a later date if you want to get the boiler back in action quickly.

2.terminal GUARD for boiler needs to be 2 inch away from all sides and front of terminal. example see www.plumbcenter.co.uk search for 131003

3.the fuse spur (say no more).

4.the gutter and facia seem close to the flue but you have had the expert there so it must be ok. !.

 

[Agile]

2.terminal for boiler needs to be 2 inch away from all sides and front of terminal.

What is that meant to mean?

 

[harry0harry]

its a quote from a much talked about publication on this forum.

 

[harry0harry]

agile I forgot to put the word Guard in my post.

well spotted old fella or

 

[Andygasman2010]

The BG guy has been a bit keen here, defo not At Risk!

Also, the spur issue shouldn't be on that letter because it's not a gas regulation.

 

[RF Lighting]

1,firstly take cupboard doors off so the boiler is not in a cupboard anymore,the sizes can be checked at a later date if you want to get the boiler back in action quickly.

Despite what the paperwork says, they didn't actually turn the boiler off, or attach a warning label

2.terminal GUARD for boiler needs to be 2 inch away from all sides and front of terminal. example see www.plumbcenter.co.uk search for 131003

Isn't that what they've already got? The nearest part of the guard to the flue is 55mm away.

3.the fuse spur (say no more).

Yeah, my bad

4.the gutter and facia seem close to the flue but you have had the expert there so it must be ok. !.

What is the minimum distance allowed between a flue and gutters / soffits?
Is this to prevent damage from heat, or to prevent POCs entering the building?


Should I be getting in touch with the gas company and questioning their at risk assesment?

 

[Agile]

If 2" is 50 mm then looking at the unscaled picture it looks as if the clearance between terminal and guard is 50 mm.

Tony

 

[RF Lighting]

Venting to a room requires 10cm squared per Kw input at both high and low level. The data badge should give the max Kw input so easy to work out.

I can't see a data badge? Is it likely to be inside the boiler?

I know the boiler case forms a combustion chamber seal, so I don't really fancy removing it.

 

[Agile]

Usually at least 300 mm is expected to be clear above and to the side of the flue.

Your agreement is required before he can turn off the boiler in all cases.

Tony

 

[Andygasman2010]

I wouldn't bother updating the vents personally, they're only for cooling purposes and not combustion.