Building regs on ventilation for fires

[John Carlyle-Clarke]

Hi all.

I've got my woodburner installed now (a 4kW model). The installer told me no external vent was required below 5kW.

A while back I had a survey/quote for CWI. At the time I had a normal fireplace, and they told me they were required to add an external vent in the wall in the front room. This added 50 quid to the price.

I want to resurrect that quote and get them back to do the job, and I was wondering if anyone knows the letter of the law regarding vents. Do the people doing the cavity insulation have to fit a vent if the woodburner is less than 5kW?

Thanks in advance.

[Owain]

They possibly add a new vent, which they can be sure is unobstructed, to avoid any allegation or liability that their insulation obstructed an existing vent (which might not be obvious) resulting in a fatality.

Owain

[John Carlyle-Clarke]

I see your point, but there are no existing vents, other than a couple of ventilated bricks going to the void under the floorboards, which I don't think count as ventilation for the fire as far as building control see it.

Also, they are required to make sure that all existing vents are clear as part of the job.