Is a boiler outside ok?

[Bettyboo]

Morning everybody

I am interested in buying a first (top) floor floor victorian maisonette (one flat only below). The worcester boiler is located in a wooden lean to store, against the downstairs maisonette's wall outside. So you come outside down the backstairs from the flat and the store is located against the downstair flat wall under the stairs.

The 3 walls of the store are ?wooden (definetly not brick)approx 1.5 - 2 inches thick and then there is the stone wall that makes up the last side of the locked store. I think the boiler is mounted on one of the wooden sides.
In this store there is also the washing machine.

The boiler looks in good nick and the store appears well kept. The pipes to the boiler have some foam lagging but not where the pipes bend.

My questions are do you think this is ok? Would it be more costly to run the boiler, more prone to breaking down and is it ok for the boiler to be about 4ft below the flat?

Its tenanted so I would presume the tenants would complain if there was no hot water or heating. I didn't see a hot water tank in the flat.

Your advice would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks

Betty

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

some pics would help boilers can go outside providing the out building its kept in is dry,fitted with a frost stat,pipework well insulated etc

 

[Bettyboo]

Hello gas man
Stupidly didn't think to take pics. It was an open day viewing and likely to go under offer tomorrow. I will try and go back and see if I can speak to tenants this evening.
What is a frost stat please?

 

[Gray0689]

Frost stat
Is a control that will turn the boiler on to heating if the outside temp drops bellow a certain temp
This is used to help prevent any damage to the boiler due to freezing
Hope that helps to explain a little

 

[Puddle]

Many boiler have frost thermostat's built in now however check in MI, if not a pipe frost thermostat should be fitted,do not fit a wall frost thermostat as boiler will come on and stay on as long as temp low in entire boiler room as opposed to in the boiler and surrounding pipe work as required
make sure all pipe work is well lagged and room free from draughts as wind chill factor will/can cause a big problem in cold weather

 

[Bettyboo]

mmm all things to look into once property bought!...just trying to determine whether boiler will be problematic. Is it ok for boiler to be on ground level and flat above., i suppose no different to being in a house
If boiler is cold ie snow outside will it cost more to run incomparison to being inside?
One assume boiler needs a vent?
Thank you

 

[Puddle]

mmm all things to look into once property bought!...just trying to determine whether boiler will be problematic. Is it ok for boiler to be on ground level and flat above., i suppose no different to being in a house
If boiler is cold ie snow outside will it cost more to run incomparison to being inside?
One assume boiler needs a vent?
Thank you

Again a lot of room sealed boilers do not require additional ventilation however depends on type,make and model of boiler you have and checking MI.. manufacturers instructions

If boiler installation done correctly,running costs should not be much more if any

imho

 

[Bettyboo]

Hello all
I have been out to property again and boiler is a worcester greestar 24i junior and it IS stored in abrick store apparently the store is the old loo..it appears to be insulated with wood
So do you think this boiler has an built frost stat please? The flat is 2 beds
Thanks very much again

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

it might have one i will try to find mi,s if it does also a good idea to fit a pipestat as per puddles suggestion

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

just checked mi,s it does have a built in frost stat

 

[Bettyboo]

Many thanks for getting back to me so quickly gas man.
A pipe stat not sure if this is a big or small job? I will wait to hear on whether you think it has frost stat
many thanks again

 

[Bettyboo]

just checked mi,s it does have a built in frost stat

Brillianto!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Brillianto!!

no probs a pipestat is simple to wire in

 

[dontknowitall]

Is this oil or gas?

Only ask as there are a number of external oil boilers and I've never encountered problems with them. (I don't know about gas.) As above, they are fitted with a frost stat.

Additionally (although another £50) anti freeze inhibitor is a sensible option as it's one thing to stop the boiler from freezing but quite another to prevent the flow and return pipes (from and to the boiler) from freezing.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Is this oil or gas?

Only ask as there are a number of external oil boilers and I've never encountered problems with them. (I don't know about gas.) As above, they are fitted with a frost stat.


Additionally (although another £50) anti freeze inhibitor is a sensible option as it's one thing to stop the boiler from freezing but quite another to prevent the flow and return pipes (from and to the boiler) from freezing.

gas dkia

 

[dontknowitall]

Thank you! I obviously couldn't read properly.

Still stand by the anti freeze stuff, though!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Thank you! I obviously couldn't read properly.

Still stand by the anti freeze stuff, though!

its a good idea but this boiler as a aluminum heat exchanger dont know if you can mix certain chemicals and not pinhole it

 

[Bettyboo]

mmm thanks for your thoughts don't now it all
Antifreeze seems very sensible/ essential if it ok to use this