How is a back boiler fixed in place please?

[Gary_M]

Hi,

I have been trying to remove my backboiler, but with no success.

I am rebuilding my fireplace, and no longer want to use a 'real' fire, and I will be inserting an electric fire into the firebox. To do this means that I have to remove the backboiler, as it doesn't give me quite enough clearance to allow the fire to sit back.

I don't know the 'name' or 'type' of the back boiler, but I will try to describe it: It fills the firebox, has angled sides and has an opening vent at the top as it tapers a little into the chimney stack. I am guessing it is made from some sort of plate steel, as I have tried using a grinder on it and went through 4 metal cutting discs to make a little flap (so I could see inside). The metal is about 1/4" thick. I don't think it is cast iron as I could bend the metal on this flap and the 'whacking with sledgehammer' made no impact.

I have removed the brickwork from around the sides of the boiler, and from under it (so, it is actually hovering above the ground ) and there are no signs of anything holding it in place there (apart from a water pipe coming in at the lower corner of the right hand side. I would be very surprised if it was just this pipe that is keeping it in, as I've been hitting it with a sledgehammer, pick and using a very large crowbar - it has a very slight movement, but certainly isn't going anywhere

Is there normally something behind these boilers that attatches them? I have only removed about 4" of brickwork from the sides of the boiler, so I can't actually get behind it at the moment. I was hoping to get the thing out without too much re-building to be done so I would prefer not to take all the surrounding bricks away if possible

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Gary

 

[Agile]

All those I have come across habe been held in place by gravity.

If the water connections are in mild steel pipe than thats pretty strong and you need to hacksaw through that first.

Of course anyone can brick up the sides and top if they feel inclined! That would often be against the fitting instructions.

Tony

 

[Gary_M]

Thanks Tony,

Yeah, from what I can see the water connections are steel. I did try to get at them before, but I hadn't cleared enough of the brickwork at the sides to get a blade into them, so I was just trying to 'force' the boiler out with them still in situ thinking that I could 'break' a 'copper' pipe further up.

I'll clear a bit more from around the sides of the boiler and cut through them.

It'll probably be a few days before I get the chance to do this, but I'll post the outcome.

Cheers

 

[Gary_M]

Update:

I managed to get the boiler out - I hadn't noticed that it also had 2 pipes at the top

You were right Tony - only held by gravity and the steel pipes. It was a nightmare to get out, but that's it, so I can make a start on building a new fireplace tomorrow

Thanks