Unvented Cylinder - Discharge pipe position

[HERTS P&D]

You could change the syphon in the toilet so that it has an internal overfow which means it will never over onto your neighbours property. All modern syphons do this anyway.

Andy

 

[xdave]

The only problem with an internal overflow is what happens when the toilet blocks. S-ds law dictates that you will get both faults at the same time, which means a very wet floor/ceiling/house.

For James it is a moot point as any change to the toilet overflow would be at the neighbour's cost, so he could choose whichever approach he wanted. That is assuming that the pipe is a toilet overflow and not an old condensate pipe - I have seen them run straight through a wall rather than to a drain.

 

[^woody^]

I'm going to have to check with (chartered surveyor or some other prop law expert) that re-routing the pipe in this way will be sufficient protection for us against legal action.

What's done is done, and you can't protect yourself from whatever claims are made about that.

You need to be careful about doing anything which diminishes your position as opposed to just mitigating it - ie be careful that what ever action you take can not be inferred as an admission of liability.

You either agree the pipe is incorrectly located and then rectify it and pay any associated costs/compensation, or you refute their claims

Be very wary about your plan to drag this out and go to court expecting to win cost and score points.

And don't read between the lines that just because airspace or anything is not mentioned in the letter of claim, it wont be mentioned later or will not apply

The contractor who did the work should also be informed and bought in as a second defendant or as a counter claim

You may also be obligated to inform your house insurer of the claim, and possibly your mortgage company

 

[SimonH2]

All this arguing over what looks like a 22mm pipe which was at least thoughtfully and neatly installed?

When my boiler was replaced I had a similar pipe installed but mine was taken to the gutter downpipe and connected via a rubber grommet directly into the side of it. Can you not do the same? Your downpipe will have an easement to be there, and you could carry it with only a small fall from its existing position across to your downpipe. Even if the pipe was judged to be trespassing (which is unlikely to be enforcable given it is less than an inch) then it is highly unlikely there would be any financial costs awarded to your neighbour.

I'm assuming the new pipe on your boiler would have been the condensate drain, and you are allowed to do a lot more with this than with the safety vent from an unvented cylinder.

You cannot (generally) run a safety vent drain from an unvented cylinder into a gutter or downpipe. This is because it can vent boiling water/steam which would soften plastic gutters and downpipes - potentially allowing the boiling water to be deposited on passers by from above.

 

[xdave]

I'm assuming the new pipe on your boiler would have been the condensate drain, and you are allowed to do a lot more with this than with the safety vent from an unvented cylinder.

You cannot (generally) run a safety vent drain from an unvented cylinder into a gutter or downpipe. This is because it can vent boiling water/steam which would soften plastic gutters and downpipes - potentially allowing the boiling water to be deposited on passers by from above.

Yes, you assumed correctly.

 

[mattylad]

Simply redirect the pipe into his garage gutter instead.

So it's above it, not touching it - so you can see it discharging if it does. (or just have it exit the building, turn down or 6" and leave at that - to discharge onto his roof.)
As it does not discharge then it is not causing him any problem, if it does then it needs to be in a position where someone will see it.

 

[SimonH2]

Simply redirect the pipe into his garage gutter instead.

... or just have it exit the building, turn down or 6" and leave at that ...

See above, neither of those are legal (or safe) for the safety drain connection off an unvented cylinder.
You really do not want to be pouring scalding hot water down on people.

They get away with it on sealed heating systems be virtue of the low water volume in the system - if the boiler overheats then typically you only have to empty the heat exchanger (couple of litres) before the boiler loses it's ability to make more steam. Where these "just stick through the wall" you'll see that they turn the pipe back with two elbows so the water is directed onto the wall first (so will mostly tend to spray along/down the wall) rather than sticking out/down where they could spray directly onto people.

 

[gasanstuff]

Even though your neighbour does sound like a £@&?, he is correct. The pipe from the uv cylinder has nOt been installed correctly, corgi cert or not. Save yourself the grief and get it rerouted and forget it.

 

[SaladFingers]

If your plumber had just followed the line of the lead flashing and dropped it in the gutter you may not be having this discussion.

Can't do that, not allowed. If it discharges high pressure water at 90 degrees, which could happen if the thermostat failed, it could splash out and scald someone.

Also, the pipe hasn't been installed in accordance with regs, should have a continuous fall, where the pipe is horizontal, it's not continually falling.