Neighbour's boiler flue causing me problems

[sisyphus77]

My next door neighbour has a new boiler.

Problem is the flue it's blowing steam onto my house, which then condenses into a large (few square metres) damp patch on the side of my house.

We're both in end terraces, separated by a passageway (about a meter wide).

Is this something I have a right to take issue with?
Is the fitter responsible?
Were he to fit a plume management kit should I contribute to the cost?

 

[Agile]

The owner is responsible for ensuring his boiler does not cause a nuisence. He has to pay to divert plume.

If wrongly fitted then owner and installer are both responsible.

Can you post a picture?

Tony

 

[ianmcd]

No, contact your neighbour and tell them that they need to get the installer back at either the installers cost or their cost to install a suitable plume management kit, if they refuse contact either the gas safe register or your local building control

 

[sisyphus77]

Thanks. I'll talk to the neighbour and attempt to get the installer to fit a plume management kit.

I'm at work at the moment, but I'll try and get a picture as soon as I can.

Thanks again.

 

[Nige F]

Thanks. I'll talk to the neighbour and attempt to get the installer to fit a plume management kit.

.

Good luck , hope it`s not hard work getting through to neighbour - sometimes it`s like pushing a rock uphill

 

[doitall]

I don't think a plume kit will be much good if the passage is only a meter wide.

where it is the wet showing on the wall now will freeze and blow the bricks. Re-position sounds like the only option.

Could do with a pic.

 

[gas112]

And its worse than what 250 rainy days a year we have ?

 

[muggles]

It's a non-compliant installation - the flue should be two metres from the property boundary if it's pointing towards it. They'll have to divert it with a plume kit or re-route the flue. If they get awkward Environmental Health will sort you out, it's classed as an environmental nuisance and they'll force the owner to make satisfactory alterations

 

[Agile]

2.5 m actually!

 

[sisyphus77]

I've taken a few pictures. Hope they show it well enough, it's difficult to get a good angle. Was trying to get it when it's blowing and to show the wet patch but it's too early.

Measured the passage and it's 1.3 metres wide.

//www.diynot.com/network/sisyphus77/albums/14078/52132

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• sisyphus77
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Will be having a chat to the neighbour soon about it.

Are you still of the same opinion that it's a problem?

-------

Bit more history behind this for those that are interested. I'm not sure when it was installed sometime in the last 3 or 4 years I think.

The reason it's a problem now is that I'm getting internal damp. I think the water condensing from the plume is contributing. It's not exactly at the point of plume impact, but in a number of places around that area. I'm having the side of my house repointed (not cheap) and if I'm going to that effort I need to know that it's going to be worth it, and not just a waste of time because of this flue.

 

[Terry lambert]

The flue should have a 600mm clearance to the front of the flue (unless there is a window, air vent, your flue facing it)

As your walkway is 1300 wide there is a good chance it meets this clearance to the boundary line, but flues should be fitted so as not to cause a nuisance, fitting a plume management kit to carry the flue to the end of the wall should be reasonable to carry out.

 

[doitall]

And its worse than what 250 rainy days a year we have ?

Not sure what you're getting at gas112.

This is an example of what condensate can do, and yes it does freeze and will damage the bricks.

View media item 52134

 

[mickyg]

can you get a better pic of the white pipe sticking out the wall

Also yes, you are within your right to get them to remedy the flue.

People always quote distances, but as terry has said, it should not cause a nuisance, and clearly this is.

namsag/gas112/walter mitty: its a little bit more acidic than rain

 

[Agile]

People often confuse two measurements!

The makers quote a short distance of say 600mm ( often 900 mm ) which must be clear in front of the flue for the boielr to operate satisfactorily.

Then there is the 2.5 m which should be clear in front of the flue on your own property to enable the fumes to disperse.

Your neighbour is discharging within the 1.5 m distance and causing you a nuisence. He must make the modifications required which will often be a plume diversion towards the rear of the property.

Not all boiler models have a diversion kit available but most modern boilers do. They cost about £80 and need access to the flue to fit. Not necessarily that easy in you case.

Tony

Tony

 

[sisyphus77]

This is an example of what condensate can do, and yes it does freeze and will damage the bricks.

Was a fair (if somewhat mischievous) question, that photo's a bit of a slam dunk answer though. Something I hadn't realise, my only original worry was the damp, looks like there's more too it than that now.