Flue for old atmospheric boiler

[Steve jones]

HI,

I had a new gas meter fitted a year ago and the installer said he wasn't happy with the flue. I have lost the report but would like to correct any faults.
The boiler is an old Thorn floor mounted atmospheric boiler which is located in the corner of a single story flat roofed garage which is attached to 2 floor house. Above the boiler you can see the bottom of the brick chimney which runs up the side of the house to roof level.
A flexible stainless flue liner runs from the top to the bottom of the chimney and connects directly to the boiler. So from the boiler to the ceiling in the garage where it enters the chimney there is an exposed unprotected section of flue liner.
Is this allowable in the gas regs? Should there be a solid section of flue from boiler to the ceiling and if so should it be double skinned.
Thanks very much for any advice
Steve

 

[Riley]

It’s a tricky one. Some pics might help however I think you are going to need to enlist a gas engineer with a little experience of old floor standing open flued appliances. Problem with meter fitters is that most of them are just that. They know how to purge and relight appliances and if they don’t they tend to whack a warning sticker on them until you get someone out with the full ticket

 

[Rob Foster]

HI,

I had a new gas meter fitted a year ago and the installer said he wasn't happy with the flue. I have lost the report but would like to correct any faults.
The boiler is an old Thorn floor mounted atmospheric boiler which is located in the corner of a single story flat roofed garage which is attached to 2 floor house. Above the boiler you can see the bottom of the brick chimney which runs up the side of the house to roof level.
A flexible stainless flue liner runs from the top to the bottom of the chimney and connects directly to the boiler. So from the boiler to the ceiling in the garage where it enters the chimney there is an exposed unprotected section of flue liner.
Is this allowable in the gas regs? Should there be a solid section of flue from boiler to the ceiling and if so should it be double skinned.
Thanks very much for any advice
Steve

Bluntly if the Gsr whom replaced ur meter did not cut you off but id you must not have been too worried at the time. However ...you and your family live in thus buiding and you must feel unsafe otherwise you would not have posted. We can give you advice based in the info you state. I think you should call out a GSR professional to advise you about your flue 1 st hand

and expect to pay ... afterall you do not want to wake up dead

Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Riley]

I’d also prepare to not be able to flue this appliance anymore so if it’s wrong it may be new boiler time

 

[firemant]

The clue is in the name. Flue LINER. No part should be visible. However, without looking it up, I am 99.9% sure that, provided it passes all the safety tests, spillage and smoke, it is classed only as NCS.
To rectify, one would replace the liner with something like Selkirk IL, which is a twin wall flue.

If I was approached to rectify, I would be checking the requirements- it has been years since I fitted Selkirk.

TBH, the cost of rectification may be better spent on a new boiler

 

[DXCross]

NCS doesn’t exist anymore as far as I’m aware so it would infact be an at risk appliance

 

[Riley]

Non compliant, but agreed if it’s the wrong material used for flue then it could be AR

 

[Gasmk1]

AR you need to replace the liner on show with twin wall its at risk because the liner gets very hot and can cause burns if touched when on

 

[Steve jones]

Thanks for the replies. I've tried to attach a picture showing the flue and boiler but it would seem like the section of flexible flue liner from the boiler to ceiling should be replaced with twin wall?

 

[DXCross]

Should definitely be in solid flue.
Also the hole in the liner where they take analyser readings etc shouldn’t be there potential Products of combustion (POC) entering the room

 

[townfanjon]

NCS doesn’t exist anymore as far as I’m aware so it would infact be an at risk appliance

It does exist !!!

 

[Steve jones]

Does the flue have to be twin wall? I'm thinking single wall maybe cheaper and add some heat to the garage rather than in going up the chimney!
Thanks

 

[Aire]

Non compliant, but agreed if it’s the wrong material used for flue then it could be AR

Interesting, I would class a boiler with the wrong flue used as immediately dangerous.

 

[Gasmk1]

h

Does the flue have to be twin wall? I'm thinking single wall maybe cheaper and add some heat to the garage rather than in going up the chimney!
Thanks

as to be twin wall due to heat being dangerous to anyone touching flue when on

 

[Rob Foster]

where does the flue go at the top ....up thro roof or out the wall....looks a bit near the roof
structure to me centralheatking

 

[Steve jones]

Flue goes into bottom of chimney

 

[Riley]

Interesting, I would class a boiler with the wrong flue used as immediately dangerous.

Now I have seen pictures I agree with you

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yep not right

 

[firemant]

NCS doesn’t exist anymore as far as I’m aware so it would infact be an at risk appliance

Wrong. NCS DOES exist, you just do not note it on a Warning Label. You can (and I do/would) nite them on my Invoice/Report sheet.

Are you under the impression that all ex NCS situations are AR?

 

[firemant]

It is not AR due to the bad material - IF it is pulling etc. Just because it looks crap does not nean it is AR. Being a very hot surface does not make it AR.

However, the hole, presumably for an FGA, probably does elevate it to AR.

WTF would someone do that?

 

[Riley]

Ha ha this one again. Not Compliant is the old NCS and should be treated identically

 

[Riley]

It is not AR due to the bad material - IF it is pulling etc. Just because it looks crap does not nean it is AR. Being a very hot surface does not make it AR.

However, the hole, presumably for an FGA, probably does elevate it to AR.

WTF would someone do that?

Agreed once again showing that it’s been in for xx number of years and No ones said a word or it’s never been serviced

 

[Steve jones]

I had the boiler fitted 40+ years ago and it has only ever needed 2 thermocouples hence my reluctance to change it.
I remember a guy sticking a screwdriver in the side of the flue to make a hole for his analyser. His argument being that the draw from the chimney wouldn't let any gas escape.
So if I fill the hole in is it OK?
I was thinking of getting a 1 metre length section of twin wall to fit to the top of the boiler, then connect a 45 degree bend and then a connector to connect to the flexi flue liner ie so most of the flue in the garage is twin wall. Hopefully this will keep any further meter installers happy?
On another subject the 88 year old lady next door had a new boiler fitted by the gas board 5 years ago and also pays for an annual service/callout plan. Last year when it was serviced they frightened her by saying that it was getting a bit old, parts maybe hard to find and she could be left without heating. They said the same about the gas fire in the front room. They made her pay best part of £10,000 for another new boiler and a fire. Then in winter during a cold spell the boiler broke so she rang the gas board and they said they were too busy to take any more calls. I had a look and the condensate pipe was frozen.
This is the reason I try and keep my old reliable boiler going for as long as possible.

 

[Aire]

I remember a guy sticking a screwdriver in the side of the flue to make a hole for his analyser. His argument being that the draw from the chimney wouldn't let any gas escape.

 

[Riley]

I had the boiler fitted 40+ years ago and it has only ever needed 2 thermocouples hence my reluctance to change it.
I remember a guy sticking a screwdriver in the side of the flue to make a hole for his analyser. His argument being that the draw from the chimney wouldn't let any gas escape.
So if I fill the hole in is it OK?
I was thinking of getting a 1 metre length section of twin wall to fit to the top of the boiler, then connect a 45 degree bend and then a connector to connect to the flexi flue liner ie so most of the flue in the garage is twin wall. Hopefully this will keep any further meter installers happy?
On another subject the 88 year old lady next door had a new boiler fitted by the gas board 5 years ago and also pays for an annual service/callout plan. Last year when it was serviced they frightened her by saying that it was getting a bit old, parts maybe hard to find and she could be left without heating. They said the same about the gas fire in the front room. They made her pay best part of £10,000 for another new boiler and a fire. Then in winter during a cold spell the boiler broke so she rang the gas board and they said they were too busy to take any more calls. I had a look and the condensate pipe was frozen.
This is the reason I try and keep my old reliable boiler going for as long as possible.

Please please stop right there. What you are proposing is illegal and dangerous. Do you not understand what an integral part a correctly installed flue is. It’s not in any way shape or form a DIY venture. The boiler shouldn’t even be on at the moment. Please seek the guidance of a properly trained gas engineer who can sort that mess.