Gas Boilers declared At Risk because flue cannot be inspected?

Gas Boilers declared At Risk because flue cannot be inspected?

16:57 PM, 1st May 2016, About 9 years ago 7

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My gas boiler was recently classified “at risk” by gas engineer because following new 2013 ruling the flue cannot be visibly inspected.flue

Property bought in 2008 is one of a number in a Georgian mansion ,conversion completed 2001. I currently live in the property as an Owner but plan to revert to renting the property again any time soon.

Am I legally able to let the property under an AST with an “at risk” classified gas boiler?

Many thanks

Richard


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Neil Patterson

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16:59 PM, 1st May 2016, About 9 years ago

Good question Richard - Any Gas engineers out there who can answer?

Rob

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17:29 PM, 1st May 2016, About 9 years ago

No you cant, you have to have a valid gas safety certificate and you cant get one of those unless the joins in the flu can be inspected. You need to get inspection hatches fitted so the joins of the flu can be inspected as part of the gas safety check. I assume your flu runs above the ceiling in a void? If so you need 1 hatch fitted every 1.8m. I am not a gas engineer but I have had this done in 10 flats that were built before the reg came in.

Will The Gasman

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11:07 AM, 3rd May 2016, About 9 years ago

The inspection hatch's should be 300mm x 300mm and usually fire rated(i.e metal). They should be positioned no more than 1.5m from joints in the flue. Most straight flue lengths are 1m.

You will need a gas safe registered engineer to advise where they need to be fitted. Your boiler may be safe to use or the flue could have come apart or rusted through making it unsafe. Without a visual check it's not possible to confirm. People have died when flues in ceiling voids have failed, hence the new regulations.

Take a look here for more info http://www.gasltd.co.uk/downloads/Technical%20Bulletin%20008.pdf

TheMaluka

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11:11 AM, 3rd May 2016, About 9 years ago

By 2030 gas will be phased out in the UK. Rather than go to the expense of having inspection points inserted why not convert to electric heating, or if you have the space heat pumps (ground or air source)?
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/626694/Paris-Climate-Change-Agreement-United-Nations-Gas-Boilers-Cookers-Scrapped

Alternatively I would have thought that gas flues could be inspected using a CCTV camera in a similar way to which drains are inspected, no doubt there are experts reading this thread who will confirm or deny this approach.

Lisa Notner

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11:23 AM, 3rd May 2016, About 9 years ago

Rob is correct when he says that you can't rent out the property without a gas certificate and to get one you need to comply with current regulations/legislation and in this case this means creating means of inspecting the flue.
David Price may be right in what he says about gas. However 2030 is 16 years away which is well over the accepted life span of the average boiler. Tenants are often unenthusiastic about electric heating as it is perceived to be more expensive.
Ground or Air source heat pumps are good in properties that lend themselves to this type of technology but as a retro fit to an older building they are rarely suitable. The ground course is often rejected based on cost and the air source required a very high degree of insulation and larger sized radiators in order to effectively heat a home. A good choice for a new build.
I would suggest that the realistic options are either to install hatches to allow inspection or possibly to re-locate the boiler to a location that allows the flue to be routed in an alternative and more suitable way (cost may well be a factor with this).
I used to work as a gas engineer and have seen many properties with this set up. You will not be alone in this predicament.

Fred Flintstone

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11:36 AM, 7th May 2016, About 9 years ago

Had same problem in a Grade2 listed building. I just removed the gas boiler and went electric. Tenants dont mind. The rads are smart with digital display. Also save £350 a year in british gas maintenance/cover and cert.

Bill

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14:31 PM, 7th May 2016, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "David Price" at "03/05/2016 - 11:11":

The UN must live in cloud cuckoo land. Just where is the additional electricity that will be required for home heating to come from, there is barely enough to go around now due to inaction by all governments over the last 30 years. Additionally most generators will still be powered by fossil fuels so where is the CO2 saving?

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