Log Burner Regs - Adding inspection hatch

[ovolactohippo]

I've recently moved into a property with a multi fuel stove running the central heating. A friend of mine who sweeps chimneys advised that we should add an inspection hatch at a bend of the flue. The flue comes straight up from the stove, then bends around 45 degrees to go into the wall behind and presumably bends 45 degrees again to go straight up and out of the roof. There is no inspection hatch at all at present.

My question is whether replacing the bend piece with one with an inspection hatch (or if there's another way of adding a hatch) requires a HETAS registered professional to do the job. Presumably its a very small job and therefore might be hard work to get someone out just for that!

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• ovolactohippo
• 24 Aug 2019

 

[lostinthelight]

buy an access bend and if too difficult to fit you to could cut a hole out of the vertical pipe and use the cover to seal it?
You may want to get this sorted, it doesnt look right

 

[muggles]

Agree with Lostinthelight - that pipework doesn't look good. Looks like the pipe thermostat hasn't been fitted properly either.

 

[ovolactohippo]

You may want to get this sorted, it doesnt look right

View attachment 170162

Agree with Lostinthelight - that pipework doesn't look good. Looks like the pipe thermostat hasn't been fitted properly either.

I'm assuming there is a problem with the routing of the pipework horizontally behind the burner?

The thermostat has lost a spring to hold it to the pipe, I assumed I could get a replacement to hook it back in properly

 

[muggles]

I'm assuming there is a problem with the routing of the pipework horizontally behind the burner?

The thermostat has lost a spring to hold it to the pipe, I assumed I could get a replacement to hook it back in properly

Yes, it looks like it's not horizontal but actually falls towards the elbow. It should rise continuously. Also, tight elbows like that are not permitted, they should be swept bends, and if it's a primary circulation pipe it should be 28mm diameter (if it's a feed or vent then 22mm is usually fine)

 

[ovolactohippo]

Yes, it looks like it's not horizontal but actually falls towards the elbow. It should rise continuously. Also, tight elbows like that are not permitted, they should be swept bends, and if it's a primary circulation pipe it should be 28mm diameter (if it's a feed or vent then 22mm is usually fine)

Thanks. That makes sense. Looking in person it does look like there's a slight drop towards that elbow. There are 2 pipes with thermostats on that are presumably 28mm and 2 that are smaller including that one.

buy an access bend and if too difficult to fit you to could cut a hole out of the vertical pipe and use the cover to seal it?

Is it OK to cut a hole into the elbow or the straight piece below as an access point? Or should I be looking to replace the elbow with one including an inspection hatch?

 

[lostinthelight]

In my experiance retro fitting an elbow can be tricky especially there is no upward flue movement or when the vertical pipe fit iside the stove collar which may not unbolt for the stove to be slid forward.
I have done them by jacking and legs removed to allow stove to drop down but only someone your end will know that.
As I said earlier, you may have to buy an elbow to get a cover to use. You could also cut the vertical section fit an elbow and replace the former with an adjustable sliding one
edit :Im blind there are no legs on yours