Building regs for boiler flues

[Rachehut]

How near to my boundary can next door's boiler fue be?

[buildersmate]

It depends whether it is pointing towards you or is at 90 degrees to you. It also depends on whether you are referring to a condensing boiler that produces a plume of condensate or not.
This document might help you. I think (but I'm not 100% sure) that this is backed up by Building Regs - i.e. it is not merely guidelines or good practice. Se the diagrams on about page 10.
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR _PDF_PTL_CONDBOILER.pdf

[Rachehut]

Hi,
Thanks very much for your help. The flue points directly at the side of my house and actually overhangs my boundary, sticking out over my driveway. I have a window on that wall of my house that I can't now open because the fumes blow straight in. I can only assume that the boiler is a condensing one as it has only been fitted for about 6 months and I think they all have to be now. Anyway, I am going to ask them to do something about it and if that doesn't work I will phone the building regs dept. Thanks again.

[buildersmate]

It most definitely cannot overhang your property - that's not merely a Building Regs issue - that's a land title issue.

[gucciman]

hi rachel

im a corgi registered gas engineer and i can tell you that flue regulations are an absolute minefield. one thing is certain though and that's no gas installer should ever have left a flue that was allowing fumes to blow straight into your window. This situation is classed as immediately dangerous and any gas engineer worth his salt would disconnect the boiler from the gas supply and label it dangerous.

if you have trouble getting the installer to come back and rectify the situation then contact corgi and report him, this situation may also be reportable to the health and safety executive under RIDDOR.

its worth noting that there are flue extension kits and also plume management kits designed just for this purpose and can take the fumes away to where they wont create a nuisance and can turn an illegal installation to a legal one.
this is a job for a heating engineer though as like i said flueing is a nitemare.

[Ethel]

I found it quite incredible that the council gave my neighbour permission to build an extension in such a way that there is an opening window one foot away from my central heating flue.

My flue was there first and has been in situ for 25 years.

[gucciman]

i agree totally agree Ethel but its a legal nitemare.

did your neighbours or council create a fuss over your flue?

and if your boilers 25 yrs old then i guess its not a fanned flue than can be altered with a plumemanagement kit , you would have to have the boiler relocated if its a balanced flue or the flue possibly resited if its open flued

[Ethel]

Nothing at all has been said about my flue, but I certainly wouldn't open that window if I were my neighbour.

All I know about central heating is that my boiler is serviced and works - that's all I intend knowing about it too.

[gucciman]

i know ethel but you know what the health and safety and legal system is like in this country, if someone in your neighbours house died because of your boiler then they will have a witch hunt as they will want to hold someone to account, you need to make sure your arse is covered.

[Ethel]

The council building regs people could quite clearly see my boiler flue - the house was built with it and all the houses have it in the same place.

Their extension is beyond my control, I have not been negligent in any way and the council, or the architect will be responsible, not me.

The law of tort means that for me to be responsible I must be negligent and owe a duty of care. Neither of those things apply to in my case.

[gucciman]

it beggars belief that so called professional builders and council officials can be so stupid doesn't it.

[Rachehut]

Hi all,
Thanks for all your your help. Just one small point Ethel: My house has been built for about 50 years, the window has always been where it is and next door has had a new boiler fitted, the flue of which blows straight into my window. Not really the same as your situation.
Thanks again,
Rachel

[eltelioni]

I have just started renting a house which has a bedroom window above the flue. This certainly seems bad and I am reluctant to open the window, but is it illegal?

[buildersmate]

There's a minimum distance specified in Building Regs, eltel. From memory it is 800mm vertical height above to the base of the window.
But just because that's the distance does not mean it is a good idea. I wouldn't open the window either.

[eltelioni]

Thanks buildersmate. It is more than 800mm. I will keep the window shut while the boiler is running.

[llyrrad]

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[llyrrad]

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[LiesLiesLies]

I was fiited a new boiler, the engineer who fitted it said at the time, that it was ILLEGAL for him to fit it next to a window. He fitted it anyway. And then proceeded to take the handle off the window and said, thats so you cannot open the window and let in lethal fumes!!!! And this was a Housing Association Tradesman.