Water heating boiler install regulations

[Dane Koekoek]

The water heating at my parents house is as follows:

Gravity fed hot water tank, with top-mounted immersion heater Dedicated gas water heater, condemned a few years ago after it stopped working! This is in an airing cupboard entered from the bathroom.

They have been heating the water using the top-mounted cylinder immersion heater for the past couple of years. This is not ideal as it only heats the very top of the tank.

They have been told by the plumber that condemned the old gas water heater that it was no longer allowed to install gas boilers inside a bathroom, and that a similar system could not be replaced, forcing them to use the (backup) immersion heater.

Is this true? What are the regulations with regard to siting a new boiler installation? What are their options?

The house is heated by warm air central heating, so water and room heating are separate.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I believe open flued multipoint heaters are no longer allowed in bathrooms. The old Ascot heaters were the classics of this type, although there were other makes. They were killing rather a lot of people each year with carbon monoxide.

Potterton Baxi still make a couple of room-sealed multipoint water heaters (they now own "Main" which was a well-known maker of these), and these would be allowed in a bathroom. If you are happy with the existing heating, this might be worth looking into. I use one, and have a separate boiler for just the central heating.

[Doctor Evil]

The room sealed non-electric models are allowed open on walls in bathrooms. Those with electrics must be in cupboards. The same with boilers.

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[Dave Plowman (News)]

If it's a standard top mounting 'vertical' immersion it should heat near all of the tank, if it's the correct length. Cowboy plumbers will sometimes replace it with one which is too short.

[Ed Sirett]

True, but I find that a 27" heater in a 42" cylinder will only heat about

1/2 the cylinder. You might say well 27/42 is about 2/3 but the thermostat is much shorter than 27" (11" IIRC) and that governs the heating.

[Dane Koekoek]

That's the make - couldn't think of it when making the original posting!

I'll have to break that news to my parents. Might make them feel rather better now that it was condemned.

Would these still be legal to fit after April this year? Presumably they aren't condensing?

They replaced the aging central heaving boiler with a new unit just over a year ago, so I guess that's staying!

Dane

[Dane Koekoek]

Can they be in an airing cupboard off the bathroom? Is this allowed?

[Dane Koekoek]

Thermostat is 18", and it only manages to heat the top of the tank. The tank is a big one - used to be enough for at least two good sized baths. With the electric immersion heater there's just enough water for one bath.

Not sure which sized element has been replaced by (cowboy) plumber in the past, but am making sure that when it needs replacing in the future it's got the longest one possible inside of it!

Dane

[Doctor Evil]

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[Doctor Evil]

Best have two. One at the bottom and one at the top, and then all the cylinder is heated. Have an economy switch that switches either:

1. The top one on (make sure this is a short immersion to heat enough for about 4 sink fulls of hot water)
2. Both immersions and enough for a bath or two. Short immersions are available that are 4, 5, 6 kW so a quicker heat up.

You may need top get a an immersion bosse fitted in the bottom of the cylinder to accommodate the second immersion heater.

Alternatively get a 28kW gas condensing boiler and a quick recovery cylinder and full cylinder of hot water at 1/4 of the cost within minutes.

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[Paul Barker]

the immersion at the bottom but it's L shaped so that it reaches th very bottom. The rationalle is that Legionelas disease may form in th tepid water at the bottom of cylinders. I understand from Baxipotterto this new fear of Legionelas is inspiring bottom placement.

The combi cylinder I fitted on Thursday came with just one sid mounting hole at the bottom (I'd rather it had two but one it had)

-- Paul Barker

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes, but the longer element will cause the water to circulate since hot rises to the top. Otherwise, those twin length types wouldn't work.