Neighbour's boiler vent exhausts near/under my window

Recently my neighbour downstairs has been renovating their flat and put up a new vent for their boiler. You may see the picture here:

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you can see, the vent (white pipe) is quite close to my window which opens downwards. When I open the kitchen window, I can smell unburnt fuel in it, as well as see the vapour blow into my flat.

I have contacted my neighbour about the problem but he is unwilling to accept it is a problem.

I then contacted Environmental Health of Camden council and they are unwilling to assist, saying that this is a private dispute between two owners of the property (I own the upstairs flat, they own the downstairs flat). This is despite me telling them that life may be at risk due to the carbon monoxide from the fumes.

I do not know who else to contact and desperately need some advice.

Reply to
J.
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I can't make out what the layout is in that picture. What sort of vent is it, an air intake, or a flue exhaust pipe? How close is the vent to the opening part of your window? It looks to me like pushfit, which I rather doubt is allowed for a flue pipe (and I don't think I've ever seen pushfit muPVC).

Your local council building control department is probably the group to contact, but answer the questions above first. I am a bit surprised Environmental Health showed no interest; perhaps Camden's Environmental Health department is not very effective, or you didn't present the case very well?

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

I would contact British Gas/Transco and say there is gas from the boiler vent entering your flat. There's a reasonable chance they will come round, and if they do, there is a good chance they will find something wrong with your neighbour's installation, as the gas regs are so complicated.

Reply to
GB

"J." wrote in news:1169815780.825235.130560 @v45g2000cwv.googlegroups.com:

before very long.

Reply to
Periander

That looks more like a soil pipe vent than a boiler exhaust. It could well be the vent, but if it is, it looks like very shoddy work indeed. Actually, that whole installation is pretty shoddy looking.

Reply to
Aaron B

I have heard of condensing boilers with output temperatures low enough to permit plastic pipe beyond a certain distance from the boiler so I guess it's not impossible but it seems unlikely that that pipe is a boiler flue.

In addition, the size of the pipe is very hard to judge. It looks like 2" drain pipe but when compared to the brickwork behind it, it looks like it could be much larger in diameter.

I think the OP needs to go outside and take some better photographs. There may be fumes drifting in but not from that pipe I suspect.

Tim

Reply to
Tim Downie

It looks like a soil pipe to me.

Reply to
Aaron B

Flue gas temperature from a good condensing boiler is only about 5C hotter than the water outlet temperature, and muPVC drainpipe can often be used in these cases, but not pushfit AFAIK -- has to be solvent welded.

50mm muPVC is a commonly used flue pipe.

Yes. I couldn't really make it out from that picture.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

yes, that not a correct insulation - looks like a home brew and not installed by a corgi installer if it's that bad on the outside what will it be like in the inside - phone transco ASAP

Reply to
zaax

What insulation material should be used ?

Reply to
powerstation

etc., are given in boiler installation instructions.

Look in your boiler's installation manual, or look at any boiler manufacturers web site for an installation pdf. If it is a flue, and it contravenes that, then they haven't notified building control & it's probably a non-corgi (DIY?) installation.

Reply to
Aidan

Like others I reckon that is the vent from a PVC Soil Stack. If it is, it still looks like it is breaking the by-laws in that there is a certain distance it must terminate away from an opening.

Your local Envrinmental Health needs a kick up the backside. It is not a private matter it is a matter of Public Health.

Reply to
Merryterry

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@v45g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...> Recently my neighbour downstairs has been renovating their flat and put

of it sometimes.

Why not just buy a bit of pipe of the same type and extend it up beyond your window? Robert

Reply to
Robert Laws

The installation instructions for my boiler state that the flue outlet must be a minimum of 600mm under or to the side of any opening window. That's stipulated by BS5410, which covers oil-fired boilers. I don't know what the relevant BS is for gas-fired, but I would guess there's a BS which covers it.

Try your local building control officers or Transco. The whole assembly looks a bloody mess and is probably contravening several regulations.

Reply to
The Wanderer

It could be the "plume management kit" or "variable termination kit" that are being offered by several of the major manufacturers.

Without seeing a lot more pictures it's hard to make any sensible comment. But discharging that close to a window, even if permitted by the manual, does constitute a nuissance.

Make and model of your neighbours boiler would be very helpful.

You may need to get some help from CAB or some such to get the right agency involved to sort this out.

Reply to
Ed Sirett

but quite a few of the _proprietary_ 'plume management kits' are now push fit.

Reply to
Ed Sirett
1st off I'd get down to B&Q and get a CO alarm; they're still thin on ground following the Corfu CO Tragedy I've noted bare shelves.

Install in kitchen 1.8m away from any combustion source.(Kidde ones are OK in kitchen).

If it alarms, call 0800 111 999 ie National Grid who have taken over from Transco + will be concerned, and they do have "right of entry" under Gas Safety Regs.

If Council are anal about it you could try Enviromental Health rather than Building Control Department. If no joy contact the HSE who have responsibility for enforcement of Gas Safety in UK.; they investigate all gas safety incidents/deaths.

As others have said looks a right ba**s up of an installation.

Finallly suggest a photo should be sent to Corgi too, who have great concerns about Gas & CO safety.

termination kit" that

here:

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Reply to
Gel

Can you reach the opening of the pipe with an hose pipe?

If so a bloody wet patch in his house might make a sudden appearance overnight. Don't get caught of course so be a little secretive.

If that fails to move the sod, a quick spray with cavity foam or something of that sort should solve it.

Reply to
Weatherlawyer

Are you sure its a boiler vent? Could be a vent for a tumble dryer, have you asked your neighbour what it is? Incidentally what is that red thing at the bottom of the pic?

Reply to
skyblue

And when the neighbours are found dead with CO poisoning, what then?

Reply to
GB

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