Boiler location, in airing room near stairway?

[Tim S]

Go-er or non-starter?

Just a quick opinion, as it affects planning and I don't want to drag the gas fitter round just yet, until I have a sensible proposal (plus he's on holiday).

The exact proposal is:

========= I want to create a 0.8 x 2m enclosed cupboard, wood framed dry-wall construction against 2 other brick walls, probably with a heavy wooden "pocket" sliding door, not necessarily fire rated, though it could be...

The cupboard will be to the side of the bottom of the stairs in a 2 storey bungalow.

Cupboard will contain a heatbank, and a condensing gas system boiler over the heatbank.

Heatbank is 0.7m dia and 1.4m high. Boiler *may* be a Viessmann Vitodens 100 system boiler (natural gas). There is sufficient vertical clearance for this, according the the Viessmann datasheet (room is >2.4m high).

The rest of the room will contain a small de-humidifer and cloths racks, using the heat from the boiler and heatbank to aid drying.

Boiler flue upwards through roof. ========

So, the two issues appear to be:

1) (The main question) Fire risk. Is there any consideration regarding boiler siting?

The clothes area will be screened off with some sort of slatted door to prevent any possibility of clothing piling up over the heatbank pumps etc and the boiler above.

2) Ambient heat affecting boiler (I'm guessing it's going to hit around 40C). This is probably a question for Viessmann's tech helpline, but sadly I missed them today. General opinions welcome as to whether this is a crassly stupid idea or not...

Many thanks in advance,

Cheers

Tim

[Tim S]

Tim S coughed up some electrons that declared:

Sorry, 0.7 x 1.2m high. So > 200mm of space between top of heatbank and bottom of boiler.

[Ed Sirett]

Download the boiler manual and read it. Very likely you will be OK. At worst you may need some mandatory ventilation to the cupboard.

[Tim S]

Ed Sirett coughed up some electrons that declared:

Got it :)

OK, so nothing fundamental about boilers near stairways then...

I've been studying Part L and IEE Regs, haven't had time to get my head around most of the other Approved Docs let alone gas regs, and I've decided to stay away from gas and building-structure related things. Happy enough to do my own wet plumbing and electrics (for now).

I'll check with Viessmann's techline about the ambient temperature.

Ventilation won't be a problem to arrange if required.

Gas fitter can have the last word of course, but it won't half bugger things up if he says "no".

Many thanks Ed :)

Cheers

Tim

[Tim S]

I'd like to follow up, after a call to Viessmann's tech dept.

Note, one should not take this response as binding as the tech bloke can not see my proposed site, so the advice is in the most general terms only.

Note for the archive: best to refer to a competent person in any specific case...

Anyway, that said... The general response was that they could see no issue regarding the ambient temperature as long as it wasn't excessive. I mentioned 40C, which they didn't see as a major problem. They've been aware of installations in airing cupboards without problems.

The bloke did raise a caution about prolonged excessive humidity, mostly with respect to the control PCBs (he mentioned steam). General opinion, probably OK for a drying cupboard with a dehumidifier but best referred to the installer when they see the site for final opinion.

Good enough for me at this stage, I'll ask the fitter round for his thoughts and a quote. I've picked a local bloke from the Viessmann approved list so hopefully he'll understand their products!

Cheers

Tim