Position of boiler flue in relation to velux window, advice pleas

[Sharp Point]

Have you actually had a sit down and chat with your neighbours? Maybe asked them for a contribution to the cost of a vertical flue.

 

[Riley]

Have you actually had a sit down and chat with your neighbours? Maybe asked them for a contribution to the cost of a vertical flue.

What we both said at the start

 

[Aire]

I'd still, for how long it will take, email a picture to ideal. You can easily misunderstand someone when talking over the phone. They will also advise you of your best option to safely terminate the flue.

Out of curiosity what was patched up below the flue? It looks like the same bricks as the extention so was this done at the same time the extention was been built?

 

[Riley]

Good spot

 

[Sharp Point]

What we both said at the start

You did say it mate and imitation is the nicest form of flattery

 

[Murdoch]

Did you have a party wall agreement signed before the extension was undertaken? and if so what does it say?

 

[Debra Beagle]

Craig Watson the bricks from an extension of ours we had a couple of months before boiler was fitted years ago.

 

[Debra Beagle]

Is that correct?
I would have thought which ever was in place first has the right to be there (if installed st correct distances)

According to gas safe whichever was there first has the right to be there

 

[Debra Beagle]

I’m afraid it’s your problem, not theirs. Your boiler terminates over into their boundary. They can have you move it as a nuisance.
I would just get yours altered to a vertical flue. This should cost around the £500 mark, depending on access to the roof.

boiler does not terminate over their property

 

[Riley]

You said it’s on the boundary?

 

[Debra Beagle]

You said it’s on the boundary?

The flue measures more than 300mm away running parallel to the boundary line

 

[Riley]

It’s another grey area, is the end of the flue 300mm away from the boundary, although it’s not facing the boundary I’d argue that it could still effectively be classed as a nuisance

 

[Debra Beagle]

It’s another grey area, is the end of the flue 300mm away from the boundary, although it’s not facing the boundary I’d argue that it could still effectively be classed as a nuisance

Yes the end of the flue is 300mm away. We have measured again for reassurance.
With respect, the boiler has been fitted correctly according to the regulations at the time when it was. fitted,the nuisance scenario has only occurred since the erection of their building, and as gas safe have said, the boiler was situated first.
Regarding the neighbours, we have informed them that it could be potentially dangerous to them but we believe that the builder has reassured them that all is ok and pointed out to them that our bedroom window is closer to the flue than their velux!......obviously he has not really taken into consideration that it is over 300mm away from,and projecting out away from our window( and because heat rises) being directly blown into the open velux window. There are a few of us living in our house and if we all have a shower straight after one another then that is producing a lot of waste gases consistently for a good while.
I Find it quite shocking that this scenario can occur and it appears that it is down to us to change things on our property when we have abided by regulations.
Again thank you for all of the input, I think the next step is to speak to environmental health as was suggested by gas safe

 

[Murdoch]

I Find it quite shocking that this scenario can occur and it appears that it is down to us to change things on our property when we have abided by regulations.

I note you didn't respond to my point about the party wall agreement ........ had you had one, this would probably have flagged up the issue with the boiler ......... and remember the party wall agreement costs are ALL paid for by the neighbour doing the work!

 

[Debra Beagle]

I note you didn't respond to my point about the party wall agreement . had you had one, this would probably have flagged up the issue with the boiler ... and remember the party wall agreement costs are ALL paid for by the neighbour doing the work!

No party wall agreement. In fact not much communication by neighbours about the whole process. They asked for permission for the builder on our property to which we agreed on the condition that the discussed with us what they were going to do.......to cut a long story short I had a visit from the scaffolder on the day to tell me what he was going to do to my property to enable the build to go ahead. Unfortunately I was not prepared to let them drill holes into my walls for them to fix the scaffolding to.........to which I got a mouthful of abuse. Five days later and no communication from anyone I came home to scaffolding on my property which I was not too thrilled about as had no communication from anyone. Due to the fact that my husband is in the construction trade we allowed them to keep it as it was so they could get the job done as quickly as possible.
The fascinating thing is that the bricklayer would have had boiler fumes continually blowing in his face while working because it was winter and our heating would have been on continually.........you would have thought that it may have been noticed then!

 

[Murdoch]

^^ if you husband is in the trade I'm amazed that he didn't insist on a party wall agreement ...................

 

[Riley]

I understand the frustration but the positioning of your flue cannot prevent your neighbour making alterations to the house, granted it could’ve been handled very differently, as above with the party wall arrangement.

Please give consideration as was previously mentioned in this thread that within centimetres of the end of the flue any of the gases are massively massively diluted down by contact with their air.

I would still say that the best answer here is to talk properly with your neighbour. So many of these things can be solved with proper communication rather than just flying off the handle or going heavy handed.

And also a brick layer lays bricks. He is not going to know about flue positioning etc. I make this argument so many times that builders build plumbers plumb electricians to electric stick to our own tasks and things get done better generally

 

[Debra Beagle]

^^ if you husband is in the trade I'm amazed that he didn't insist on a party wall agreement ....

Forgive me for my ignorance but what would a party wall agreement have changed , we knew they were building which we didn’t have a problem with, however they were building to a planning notice that lacked definite written dimensions ( as I’m sure you’re aware that means that the builder and the home owner are left to hopefully produce a build that visually matches the plan,) in this case the lack of measurements has, in my opinion , lead to the window matching the drawings but potentially not matching building regs ( planning portal part j ).

 

[Riley]

I would ask Gas Safe to come out and do an inspection if you are that concerned. You have been reassured on here you have been told by manufacturers that the spec sounds okay I’m not sure what else we can tell you. The pluming whilst most likely is safe could be deemed a nuisance but as your neighbour has built an extension and you’ve been accommodating I can’t see them complaining however if they sell in the future and your new neighbours complain this is where the issue arises

 

[Scott_D]

Can you get to the end of your flue or is the conservatory preventing access?

 

[Debra Beagle]

I would ask Gas Safe to come out and do an inspection if you are that concerned. You have been reassured on here you have been told by manufacturers that the spec sounds okay I’m not sure what else we can tell you. The pluming whilst most likely is safe could be deemed a nuisance but as your neighbour has built an extension and you’ve been accommodating I can’t see them complaining however if they sell in the future and your new neighbours complain this is where the issue arises

Gas safe refuse to come out, even though our gas fitter has submitted a concern and also a requested a visit

 

[Debra Beagle]

Can you get to the end of your flue or is the conservatory preventing access?

Yes we can

 

[Scott_D]

Yes we can

Get a gas safe engineer to fit one of these

 

[Stu-B]

Get a gas safe engineer to fit one of these

That won’t make any difference, flue terminal, position does not change by fitting a plume kit.

 

[Scott_D]

That won’t make any difference, flue terminal, position does not change by fitting a plume kit.

True but it will direct it up and away.
As this isn’t clear cut right/wrong case it’s a step in the right direction.