Installation of Core vent in living room

[G3zz4]

I have an old Baxi back boiler (22 years old, approx) and the pilot light wasn't staying lit. After some research the problem was obvious that it was needing a service even although I just had it serviced around 4 or 5 months ago but it seems Laminate flooring feeds a lot of loose dust into the boiler quicker than carpeted floors.

I had a Scottish Gas engineer out to look at it and he gave it all a good clean and its up and running again but he has said he had to mark it "At risk", only reason being, in 2005 or thereabouts, the law stated that every home with a back boiler had to have a 5" core vent installed to help the back boiler breath, so he gave me a quote for them to install it and its working out at £179 just for Scottish Gas to bore a 5" hole in the living room wall and install a small vent but he did say if I could do it myself it would maybe only cost about £20 or £30.

Question is, what is going to be more effective, the vent being installed up high about a foot from the ceiling or down low about a foot from the floor??

Has anyone else had the same problem?

Any advice will be much appreciated

Thanks! : )

 

[Phill Peck]

Down low would be normal mate.

Same problem? All open clued appliances need ventilation why previous engineers have not picked up on this is beyond me.

Have you ever cored a 5" hole before? You say it wil cost £30 do you have a core drill and 5" core?

 

[warmadmax]

Hi g3zz4

I had a baxi Bermudabback boiler,
The vent for the fire and boiler for mine was about a foot off the floor.

It draws in quite a draft but should help protect you from carbon monoxide poisoningwwhich is the point of the vent.

The chimney is the high vent so will draw through

 

[ChrisR]

If you have wooden (suspended) floors you could put the vent in the floor instead. Locate the joists(nails) with a "studfinder" then you can jigsaw through the carpet

 

[G3zz4]

Hey, thanks for the speedy replys.

I will go for a lower wall vent then if that's where they would normally be, I've had a look at some other houses in my street that also have back boilers but there's no sign of any ventilation.

gasservice1985, the engineer did say to me that its only an advisory notice and whether or not the vent is installed is all down to the home owners discretion which I think is why the other houses in my street with back boilers haven't got one cos they basically haven't bothered their arses with it.

I have contacts that have the right tools for the job so that's not a problem, it was just the question on the whereabouts to install the vent for best results.

Thanks

 

[Phill Peck]

I would say it is compulsory to have ventilation to a open flued appliance

Did the engineer not give you any paperwork?

Taken from gas industry unsafe situation procedures

Open-flued and flueless appliances requiring a purpose provided permanent combustion air supply where NONE is provided
AR
GSIUR Ventilation provided via a redundant flue or chimney, is not regarded as purpose provided ventilation and may affect the safe operation of open-flued appliances.

Definition of AR

6.4 ‘At Risk' (‘AR') appliances and/or installations

An ‘AR' appliance and/or installation is one where one or more faults exist and which, as a result, if operated, may in the future constitute a danger to life or property.

Where possible and with the gas user/responsible person's agreement, endeavour to RECTIFY the situation and make the appliance and/or installation safe to use at the time of the visit, or if this is not possible, the following actions should be taken:

a) Explain to the gas user/responsible person that the appliance and/or installation is, in your opinion, ‘At Risk' (‘AR') and that it should not be used. Continued use in these circumstances would be at the gas user or responsible person's own responsibility and may be in breach of the law.

 

[PaulGasMan]

Any open flued appliance/s which total over 7kw must have additional ventilation in the room. For every Kw over 7kw u simply add 5cm2 of vent size.

Say the appliances in your room come to 17kw. You take 7kw away (this is due to adventisious ventilation (gaps around windows doors etc) Then it's 10kw x 5 = 50cm2 required

You then size the vent accordingly. So the engineer stating every vent has to be a 5" core vent isn't technically true. They are usually suggested as they are easier to fit than square vents.

Vents are generally classed at risk if they :-

Are providing lower than 90% free air than required
Are not continuous (through the wall) ( bridging the cavity)
Have a fly screen/mesh
Are behind a radiator

Sorry if I've missed owt! It's late! Zzzzz

 

[gas112]

Fit the vent at high level with the louvres point up that way the cold air coming in will mix with the hot air at ceiling height and you will feel less of a draught etc