?Outstalling? a CH boiler

[Tim+]

People often comment here on the inadvisability of installing a gas boiler oneself due to building regs, possible effects on house insurance etc.

However, if you were to ?outstall? a boiler, I.e. fit it either on the outside of your property or even in a detached outhouse/ventilated bunker with just the water pipes entering your property, would that avoid all the potential issues associated with a self install?

Not intending to do this, well not yet anyway, just wondering about the legality of ?outstalling?.

Tim

[Roger Hayter]

They make special GPO-style steel cabinets to do this with oil boilers, I've no idea if you can do it with gas ones.

[Roger Mills]

In terms of "legality", I don't think you'd be breaking any laws. But there would be no warranty on the boiler if not installed by an "approved installer". You would also probably have problems with your insurer were to succeed in blowing up or burning down your house. The fact of the boiler house being detached may not prevent this.

[T i m]

Although you may not be there to claim *anyway* if the boiler is on the outside of your house and the exhaust flue on the inside. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

Although you may not be there to claim *anyway* if the boiler is on the outside of your house and the exhaust flue on the inside. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[S Viemeister]

We're in a very rural area, so no gas mains. When we had our heating system replaced (had been a combination of an old multi-fuel Rayburn, and a back boiler in the living room), we opted for an oil fuel outside boiler.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

I'd not really worry myself. Surely there have to be easy to follow instructions, all markets are not as mega regulated as ours after all. Brian

[Dave Plowman (News]

[Theo]

It might reduce the value of the claim the insurer declines to pay.

Theo

[Andrew]

Claim for what ?. A safe installation by a competent person is unlikely to cause any problems. All the incidents of major gas explosions have been caused either by gross incompetence, or intentional.

[Tim+]

I?m not asking about unsafe work, I?m asking whether gas safe rules and building control rules apply to a boiler that isn?t installed inside a house.

Tim

[Theo]

Everyone thinks they are competent and safe. Even the people who are grossly incompetent. An event like this is not a good way to find that out.

Theo

[Tim+]

What event? I?m asking a hypothetical question as to what constitutes ?installation? and whether an ?outstallation? would be exempt from normal building regs etc.

Tim

[Dave Plowman (News]

;-)

[Dave Plowman (News]

I'd guess most would be competent at plumbing work/general DIY before attempting a boiler self install? Of course that only applies to the reasonably sane.

[Dave Plowman (News]

[Michael Chare]

Most likely you could get the boiler installation checked by someone with Gas qualifications. I have installed two gas boilers myself. When I commisioned the 2nd one it was the night of the Guildford IRA bomb and I could smell gas so explosions were on my mind. I spent ages checking my pipe work but it was fine. I evenually found that it was the new Ideal Standard boiler itself that was leaking. I tightened a nut which held a small pipe in place and the leak stopped.

[Robin]

I took Tim to be asking what the law /is/ rather than what you (or anyone else) think it ought to be. And I at least don't find all the regs easy. E.g. the definition of "building" in the regulations is narrower than in the Act: "any permanent or temporary building but not any other kind of structure or erection". If you can see clearly the dividing line there I'll gladly call you Gunga Din.

But I don't think it matters for Tim's question because the building notice requirement is triggered by "the provision or extension of a controlled service or fitting in or in connection with a building" (reg.

3(1)(b)).

A "controlled service or fitting? is a service or fitting in relation to which Part G, H, J, L or P of Schedule 1 imposes a requirement so that includes boilers etc.

And the use of "or in connection with" seems to me to leave little room for doubt that even a boiler in a tent is caught if it serves the house.

[Tim+]

I know you like being deliberately obtuse but if I had meant installing in an enclosed space like a garage I would have said so.

Tim

[Tim+]

Thank you, some sense at last! ;-)

Well, possibly nonsense but it clarifies the official position. In practice I don?t suppose anyone is going to install a boiler at the end of the garden to avoid building regs but I thought it would be interesting to find out if it did.

Tim