Combi Boiler Cupboard. Air Vents

[Rutts35]

Hi all,

please no abuse for asking a gas/plumbing question!! I'll f*cked if I'm asking on a plumbers forum. Thought some on hear may be knowledgeable or know a plumber?

I have a Combi boiler in an airing cupboard. Been there for 4 years. I'm moving house so I'm getting a gas cert done and the boiler serviced. However the guy doing the cert (friend of my brothers) says that before he can do the cert I have to have vents in the door. Now, I've had a quick look on google but find anything to back this up. Plus if it is required what size? I've bought two vents 225mmX75mm. One for top and bottom. They say for suitable for gas ventialtion. Any ideas?

Cheers

Sorry just realised I meant to post this in the general chat area. Sorry.  :coat

 

[Doc Hudson]

I know of ventilation rules relating to log burners and other open combustion type appliances where they need to take air from the room as part of the combustion process. But I thought most modern boilers used balanced flues that is both air inlet & exhaust outlet, so all air used should be coming from and going back outside.

(Also post moved)

Doc H.

 

[ProDave]

I think it's quite normal for boiler cupboards to need ventilation. apart from anything else to stop it getting too hot in there.

But if your gas engineer is going to certify it, the surely HE will know what size the vents have to be and advise you?

That's a bit like saying an electrician is coming to test my wiring so can someone tell me what the max Zs is for the sockets?

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

If it helps, we have a combi in a cupboard, and one day British gas were here fixing it (It was 12 years old) and the chap had his supervisor checking his work, they spent over an hour deciding if the cupboard doors (which have louvers, and we can not shut anyway) complied or not. In the end they decided a sticker on the boiler would solve the problem.

No idea what the problem was, there is a carbon monoxide detector in the cupboard, and both (Boiler and new co alarm) have been there for 12 years and BG have been umpteen times before in that 12 years. so perhaps you need a sticker to solve your problem too?

I only wish I was joking, i am not, I can't tell you what the sticker said as we have a new boiler.

 

[Blue Duck]

BG also go round putting stickers on bs 4293's... doubt they actually test them.

Can't say about any specific reg but buy and que have a very large selection

 

[Andy™]

anything in the boiler manual?

 

[NozSpark]

Combi boilers are usually room sealed (I.e. will only draw air in from outside and will only vent to outside) so unless there's an issue due to the cupboard being too hot then why do you need them?

But then again I'm not a gas monkey so what would I know

 

[steptoe]

I built a cupboard around my boiler and happened to mention it to a gasman at work,

he said about putting a vent in too, he reckoned a 4"fan vent would do, so I stuck one in at low level,

Ive had it certed since and I dont think the guy even noticed the vent, loada crap in front of it,

original bloke mentioned something about a concentration of fumes/gas if a fault was to occur,

I dunno, but it wasnt exactly a hard job to do, so it keeps the peace.

 

[Sharpend]

They use these on the new builds ?

http://www.sdslondon.co.uk/miscellaneous-vents/ventilation-trim-65-mm.html

 

[NozSpark]

LOL,, they're soffit vents

 

[Rutts35]

He has said about size but waffled on about the free air space but I don't think he was massively sure (are any of them). I'll stick the ones on I bought. They should be good enough. He pointed out my hob was connected with a flexible hose and bayonet which is only allowed for free standing cookers and needs to be changed to copper. I asked why and he said it's in the regs. Couldn't explain why though. When I tell someone they can't do it because of the regs I can explain the reason why not repeat it parrot fashion.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I have heard/seen this from various Corgi/Gas safe 'engineers' . Most modern boilers (inc my mums 20 year old Potterton wall mounted conventional) wont even fire up if the covers off the chamber so a leak will shut it down. I did have this comment on a family house we rent out till i showed the engineer the manufacturers manual stating the minimum sizes of the cupboard it could be fitted in (which were only 25mm bigger than the case).

I also once in the same house have the engineer ( carrying out a landlords cert) wanting to shut off the heating as the gas pressure was too low. I showed him the manual and he replied 'its ok then, its just its lower than i normally would expect' If i had not had the paperwork the tenant would have had no heating and we a large bill for changing all the gas pipework. Incidentally this was 3 years ago and no one since has commented on it.