Boiler relocation

[Rob]

I've got the £400 scrappage allowance, and a plumber has given me a quote for a fit/relocate combi boiler from an upstairs bedroom to the dining room directly below - £1800 including an £800 boiler, which seems OK.

Thing is, I'm not entirely happy about the proposals for the flue. He intends to exit to an external wall, pics here:

that look OK? Strikes me it might compromise a bit of wall that's holding up a lot. Alternatively, could the flue exit to the gennel, and then wrap round to the planned exit point? I think he was saying that's not allowed, not sure.

Thanks, Rob

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Drilling a hole for a normal flue ain't going to compromise the strength of a normal house wall.

[Hugh]

Probably OK if the guy uses a diamond core drill of the correct diameter and doesn't try to just knock it through with a chisel or electric hammer. The balanced flues on quite a lot of boilers are only designed for internal installation and only the terminal can be placed outside, so might preclude running the thing round outside.

Cheers, Hugh

[Cicero]

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That appears to be directly under the lintel which might be seriously weakened by such a hole. It also appears to be too close to the top light if that's an opener.

I would suggest that you get a second opinion from a local BCO for possible weakening of the lintel and ask to see the boiler installation manual for proximity of the flue to any openings.

Cic.

[Bernard Peek]

Which may be an answer to something I've been considering. I want a new boiler but the ideal location isn't on an outside wall, although it is adjacent to a chimney flue. Is it possible to vent a boiler into a flue like this, or must it be external?

[F]

Looks like it's right underneath where the lintel rests.

[Hugh]

Following up on my earlier comment, I agree it would be with checking the position and length of a structural support. Could the hole be made a bit higher so it would clear any possible lintel? Outer leaf is obviously a brick arch, inside timber?

As someone else commented, the flue outlet could be too close to an opening window or door, however you could probably overcome that with a plume management tube.

[dom]

I'd be concerned about any reduction in masonry at that location too.

If you changed to an open flue/room-vented boiler, you may be able to take a more circuitous route, though ISTR there's still a very low distance limit on horizontal sections of flue - possibly from both manufacturers spec and building regs.

If that's feasible, you could incorporate the necessary permanent room ventilation into a door panel, if there's no suitable spot in the masonry.

[Mike]

Modern condensing boilers can't function with a flue FWIU

[Tim Watts]

Cicero wibbled on Saturday 13 February 2010 13:01

I agree - that lintel will probably have a 6" +/- overhang.

Also, I'm not entirely convinced the terminal would be far enough away from the opening door - best check the building regs or the boiler installer's manual (which usually reprints the diagrams from the BR).

Other options: up through the ceiling and out above the lintel and an extension tube to take it clear of the openings?

[Rob]

Many thanks (and everyone) - I've emailed the plumber and asked if he can have a rethink.

Rob

[Hugo Nebula]

As a butressing wall, there can be an opening of up to 0.1m^2 in any position. As a load bearing 'column', provided that the hole is sufficiently below the lintels' bearing to allow the load to spread out, then it should be OK.

[John Rumm]

Well, they have a flue, but its a balanced one. Some boiler will support a long enough maximum flue length to allow the flue to be extended up a chimney, and the terminal arranged at the top.

[Roger Mills]

That's a square foot in real money. That's a hell of a big hole to have under the end of a lintel!

[<me9]

One of the floor standing WBs has a flue option that can be poked up a conventional flue, and the flue itself used for the incoming air (sealed at top and bottom with a plate).

[Hugo Nebula]

The 0.1m^2 (1 square foot) is for buttressing. The lintel would still need support under.

[John Rumm]

I would be very surprised if you could even buy such a thing these days.

[Heliotrope Smith]

John Rumm wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Not difficult to find such boilers.

Some Remeha boiler models can be configured to open flue operation when conditions for room sealed not practical .

There are other makes available I believe.

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: [e-mail] ---

[Rob]

He/we have had a rethink, and it'll go out to the gennel, round the corner, and exit roughly at the original point with a plume kit.

I'm happier with that. The lintels at these points are a bit unpredictable. I've never seen one, but a colleague tells me that it's not uncommon for wood to be used. While they can/do last, if they've been uncovered/compromised problems can arise. And while I wouldn't have thought any problems would arise at the 9" solid wall to the left, I couldn't get my head round the spread of forces to the right.

[Man at B&Q]

Did you look at the pictures?

MBQ