DIY Fitting Gas Combi (condensing?) Boiler

After receiving some incredibly high quotes for replacing the boiler, in a different position, and having established ftom the FAQ, and from the H&S website that it isn't illegal, I'm going to fit my own new combi boiler. I'm sure I'd have no trouble fitting an Ariston Micro (Non-condensing). I haven't examined others, but imagine most standard combis such as Bosch Worcester are similar to fit. True?

Is a condensing boiler significantly more tricky to fit? If so, how? Is there additional specialist equipment that I'd need? How big & intrusive is the plume from a condensing boiler? I've never seen one in action. I will fit it as close as allowed to eaves level (first floor), so that should help keep the plume at bay.

Thanks

Tony

Reply to
tonyjeffs
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tonyjeffs submitted this idea :

The plume will depend upon the weather, as in the the outdoor temperature and humidity - just like a cold car engine exhaust in winter. Talking of which, the sizes of the two are quite similar.

Our opposite neighbour had one fitted recently and in cold sunny weather I saw the plume reflected in the TV screen. I at first thought the house had caught fire.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

Have you read all the FAQs below? Including the DIY section in the BoilerChoice FAQ?

It is possible for a competent person to change the boiler safely enough. It is difficult for anyone (including professionals! ) to do so and comply with _all_ the current regulations.

Reply to
Ed Sirett

Provided you are "competent"

Probaby yes, if your circumstances are compatible with the standard flue. If you need flue extensions then some will be significantly easier to work with longer flues in small dia. waste pipe than with big concentric extensions.

You also need to have a safe exit point for the pressure blow-off.

You don't have much choice, in that a condensing boiler has to be fitted now unless you can claim exemption.

Flue gas analyser, usually. There's been a thread on these in the last few days.

If fitting your own, AIUI you will have to make a Building Regs application to the local council, and upgrade the remainder of the system (particularly TRVs, possibly also the hot water cylinder) to current B Regs (Part L - energy deficiency).

All described in detail in the FAQs.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

After receiving some incredibly high quotes for replacing the boiler,

How do you propose to get BCO approval?

Peter Crosland

Reply to
Peter Crosland

Make sure the plume isn't going to be directed towards, eg any wooden soffits though; otherwise they'll end up being warm and damp most of the time and will rot.

David

Reply to
Lobster

Probably. You can download the service and install manuals for most boilers from the makers web sites.

Not really. The only main difference are the need to provide a drain connection for the condensate. When you drill the flue hole you need a sight upward slope on it.

Over and above that required for any other boiler? Not that springs to mind.

Worst case would be about as bad as a kettle boiling.

Reply to
John Rumm

Some kettle. My brother's one is badly sited and on some days in the NE of Scotland it completely blocks out the view from the kitchen window...

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I'll speak to Building Control Tuesday. Good point, Lobster re potential rotting wood. I could go out through the wall and add a rt angle plus vertical extension flue to avoid the eaves. I'll consider going straight up through the ceiling and roof if I can do it without trimming joists/rafters. Owain, I could hire a flue gas analyser. Would it be for 'information only', or would I be able to make adjustments in the boiler to correct the emissions -eg adjust air/gas ratio for better combustion.

Thanks to all,

Tony

Reply to
tonyjeffs

Unless you're CORGI qualified, I believe it's a criminal offence under the Gas Act 1969 to fit your own gas appliances.

I'm not sure, but you may be able to do the job if you undertake to have it inspected afterwards. This might be what the HSE website meant.

Check with CORGI first just in case.

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Reply to
nemo

You believe wrong.

it may be illegal to DIY in your own house but doesn't actually say so. Exactly what you'd expect of a paid for trade body trying to protect their income.

You may work on gas pipework and appliances in your own home if you are competent to do so. You are not allowed by law to do this for reward unless a member of an approved body.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Why don't you read the FAQs first. It is difficult but not quite impossible to fit your own boiler. The sections in the Gas Fitting and the Boiler Choice FAQs may prove helpful.

The bottom line is that whilst the Gas Fitting is not illegal if you are competent. Building control and the manufacturers are surmountable stumbling blocks.

Reply to
Ed Sirett

You believe wrongly.

Long superseded.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Please do not top post.

Your comments are incorrect.

1) The Gas Act 1969 was superceded a log time ago by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

2) Refer to Section 3 of the Statutory Instrument.

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first requirement is that one is competent.

The second requirement is that anybody doing gas fitting professionally must be a memeber of a class of persons approved by the HSE. In practice that does mean CORGI.

3) If you look at the information on the HSE web site and in particular reports from meetings and studies that they have carried out, they are fully aware that gas fitting does happen as a DIY activity. At no point do they say that it is illegal, and also comment that because there are little or no problems from it in terms of accidents, it is not a priority to address it either. They are far more interested in targetting so-called cowboy fitters and landlords who do not pay for appliances to be maintained in good repair.

4) CORGI are a privileged and monopoly trade organisation. One could not expect to receive an unbiassed view from them.

Having said all of that, the emphasis is on *competent*. The legislation does not define competence in this regard and the issue has not been tested in court. However, if something bad were to happen, the outcome is unpredictable, so it would be sensible to weigh that into the pros and cons.

Reply to
Andy Hall

The message from "nemo" contains these words:

Then you believe wrong.

Reply to
Guy King

Nemo, on the HSE question and answer section it says ..................................... Q. Is it legal to do DIY on appliances and/or flues ?

A. A competent person must carry out all work on gas appliances. It is always safer to use CORGI registered gas installers to carry out any gas work. Any employer or self-employed person, for example, a landlord, who carries out gas work must be CORGI registered. ........................................................ .....They don't think it's illegal

I agree that 'competent person' is the the weakest link. If it went to court, if any authourity (probably the Local EHO with assistance from the HSE rather than the HSE themselves -I'm a retired EHO) was prepared to take a case on it, I believe I'd have difficulty convincing a magistrate that I'm a competent person because I've read the FAQ and a few associated websites. Having said that, the phrase is almost meaningless. Anyone is a competent person, CORGI or not, if they do it correctly nothing goes wrong, and anyone is incompetent CORGI or not if something forseeable goes wrong

So after rambling on, I'm satisfied that if done properly it isn't illegal.

Tony

Reply to
tonyjeffs

Depends on the boiler... many claim to need no adjustment on installing these days.

Reply to
John Rumm

Thinking some more about the legal aspect, the legality itself is not an issue. The real problems are

1) Buildings Insurance (If a claim was disputed , how do you prove 'competence' in a civil court?), and 2) Selling your Home (Do you have the correct paperwork to satisfy the buyer's solicitors?) Tony

Thanks everyone.

Reply to
tonyjeffs

How do 'they' prove who did the work? And when it was done?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Well my buildings insurance excludes "systems... which have not been installed or fitted by a suitably-qualified workman" so according to that, the "competency" issue is not relevant to the claim. I imagine the fire brigade and/or insurance loss-adjusters would usually be able to determine the cause of a gas or boiler-related fire, and if it proved that poor installation was the cause, the insured may have problems if they can't say which installer was responsible (or demonstrate that any such predates the insured's ownership of the building.

Done to death in this ng many times!

David

Reply to
Lobster

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