Friends have a gas central heating boiler installed in a cupboard adjacent to an outside wall. The flue and air inlet are of the balanced-flue type. The boiler is fixed to the inside face of the outside wall. As the room is being re-modelled, they have decided to brick up the cupboard on the inside. This leaves the situation that the only access to the boiler is from the outside, where there is a small access door. This door is about 60cm high by 45cm wide, the bottom being about 20cm from ground level. Since being put in, this door has been penetrated by two drainage pipes, and so cannot be opened. Our friends have been advised by their builder that he can cut a smaller access door, above the level of the drainage pipes. However, this will entail crawling on hands and knees from the outside, through this "cat flap" of a door, and access will still be impeded by water and gas pipes on the inside, which run around the boiler. I am very concerned that the proposed arrangement will be either unsafe, or unworkable, or both. Can anyone please advise?
![]()
Gas Boiler Installation
- Thread starter Aichar
- Start date
Sponsored Links
Sounds like a dumb idea to me. What if the boiler needs replacing or major works doing?
What does its manual state for service clearance?.
What does its manual state for service clearance?.
Three words, NO NO NO!!!!
Do NOT do it it likely that this will contraviene the MI's Installation instructions and certainly you will struggle any one who is prepared to maintain it for you!!
Do NOT do it it likely that this will contraviene the MI's Installation instructions and certainly you will struggle any one who is prepared to maintain it for you!!
Sponsored Links
V
vicvapour
3 words:
Nay nay and thrice nay!
Nay nay and thrice nay!
Why do you need a reg? Surely common sense should prevail?
Whose idea is this really?
Ir you need clarification - read the boiler manual.
Whose idea is this really?
Ir you need clarification - read the boiler manual.
C
cantaloup63
Does anyone know a midget RGI with a set of step ladders?
Manufacturers installation instructions for a kickoff....
C
cantaloup63
Space in front of boiler?
No - NOT our idea - it really has happened, but to friends. Currently, they have NO access to the boiler. The inside is bricked up, the outside has an immovable cover through which pipes are running - and the inside of that wall is a jumble gas and water pipes from and to the (now inaccessible) boiler. And the only access being proposed is via an oversized cat-flap!!
No wonder we are worried! So thanks everyone for the opinions and information. Yes, of course common sense would tell anyone not to do it this way - but common sense seems in very short supply here.
While reluctant to interfere, we are so concerned that we are seeking some definitive advice (or better still, some regs to quote) that will let us go back to our friends with concrete opinion that what they have done will not be condoned by the gas authorities.
No wonder we are worried! So thanks everyone for the opinions and information. Yes, of course common sense would tell anyone not to do it this way - but common sense seems in very short supply here.
While reluctant to interfere, we are so concerned that we are seeking some definitive advice (or better still, some regs to quote) that will let us go back to our friends with concrete opinion that what they have done will not be condoned by the gas authorities.
Unfortunately regulations can not deal with determined stupidity.
After all we moan about the nanny state most of the time.
Best example I can think of at the moment is to park their car in a tight space and them ask them to change a tyre.
Then ask them to place themselves in the position of the next poor fook that has to do any major work to the boiler.
After all we moan about the nanny state most of the time.
Best example I can think of at the moment is to park their car in a tight space and them ask them to change a tyre.
Then ask them to place themselves in the position of the next poor fook that has to do any major work to the boiler.
C
cantaloup63
Apart from the likelihood that they have invalidated their home insurance, let them get on with it as they see fit. When the boiler inevitably breaks down let them enjoy finding anybody to fix and/or service it.
Sometimes you've just got to let people find their own way with these matters.
Sometimes you've just got to let people find their own way with these matters.
You could also show them this thread...bear in mind all contributions are by professionals of one form or another (bar one I think)
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
