Boiler location and protected fire escape route?

[Tipper]

Can anyone point me to the regs that may require a gas boiler to be boxed in if located on a protected fire escape route, ie adjacent to the front door?

Building Regs or Gas Safety Regs? Or something else?

I can't find anything in the Building Regs.

Thanks

 

[simond]

My recollection of a protected route is one that is not encountered in a domestic property. For instance, communal stairs to a variety of dwellings.

In a standard domestic installation if a boiler is fitted under the stairs and the building is three storeys or higher, then I believe additional fire protection is asked for in any property.

Youu will find references to it in the gas books. The definitions of protected shafts all include references to the route being fireproofed in some way.

If you are hoping to install a gas boiler in an area designated as a protected shaft or compartment, you can't; unless you build an enclosure effectively separating the two areas with a fire resistance to BS476.

See page 118 (section 5) of the CORGI essential gas safety book.

 

[Tipper]

The property is a flat in the top floor of a part 3 storey building that is part 3rd floor and part ground floor due to its location set into a terraced hillside. The entrance/exit directly to the outside is effectively a bungalow whilst the living room and one of the bedrooms sits on the '3rd' floor above two other flats.

The boiler is located in a hallway adjacent to the front door. The hall provides an exit route from a living room and 2 bedrooms all of which have fire doors fitted to provide a protected escape route.

Does this mean the boiler needs to be boxed in then?

It's a new room-sealed boiler in its steel gas tight casing so seems a bit over kill to me. (It's more likely to explode that catch fire and if it does than any fire proof enclosure would be long gone!)

 

[Boilerman2]

Hi Tipper,
I think that it only has to be boxed in if it is in a COMMUNAL Fire Escape in other words if occupants from the other flats would need to use the route it applies to fire escape stair wells in blocks of flats for example.

 

[ianniann]

Fire escape routes are quite common in domestic properties, they must be defined in all dwellings covering more than two floors. The escape route must not pass through areas defined as risk rooms, which would include any room with a boiler. You would need to enclose the boiler to the 30 minute standard so that your hallway isn't defined as a risk room.

I see this is a block of flats and the rules are slightly different. There is a Building Regulations forum that might get you more knowledgeable advice.

 

[Tipper]

Thanks, I see your point but we've already revised the room layout in the flat to keep the bedrooms away from the kitchen = fire hazard area, and added the fire doors to the escape corridor (all level, no stairs and non-communal) to provide a protected route. However this was when the entrance heights of the building were not clear on the drawings. Each flat has its own ground level entrance/exit door.

I'm reluctant to ask the building inspector as I suspect he will say yes even if not necesarily required, if you see what I mean.

What I needed was a reference to the appropriate regs and unfortunately I don't have access to the CORGI book as I am a DIYer.