Yet another question about regulations

[Moo]

The gas boiler in my little terrace house (the one with the lovely tenants) is well over a dozen years old and is beginning to show its age. Bills for minor repairs have been occurring with increasing frequency, culminating in the most recent one which swallowed up most of the month's rent. So I have decided that it will be replaced when the tenants are away on their summer holidays, most likely by a combi model. That way I will be able to dismantle the huge cupboard in the back bedroom that houses the hot water tank.

At the moment the boiler is in the shower room at the end of the back extension and there is some debate about where it should be.
My agent thinks there is now some rule about gas boilers not being allowed in shower or bathrooms, but isn't sure.

Can anyone explain (in very simple language) what the situation is?

 

[Flyfisher]

This might be of interest, although it's a couple of years old now: http://www.ebuild.co.uk/forums/messages/3322/3703.html

It's probably best to discuss with whoever you choose to do the installation, they'll be the ones approving the work (I assume).

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Moo - I don't know what the latest regs say, but there would be two areas to consider when putting a boiler in a bathroom:

a) electrical regs and safety. The boiler will needs regs-compliant mains supply, and for people with wet hands not to be able to touch switches. I guess condensation might also be an issue.

b) flue - either vertical or horizontal if bathroom has an external wall.

I would imagine all of these could be accommodated within a bathroom - possibly by boxing in or putting it in an airing cupboard?

 

[Pford75]

Moo - We are landlords also and rely upon the Health & Safety Executive for guidance.

See the attached link on gas safety for landlords. No mention of restrictions on bathrooms (although there are restrictions on gas appliances in bedrooms. As has been pointed out...perhaps the electrical supply may prove more problematic (assuming you want the work Part P'd)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqlandlord.htm#faq2

 

[robgil]

from what i gather its not where you install the boiler , its the type of boiler you install.
basically it needs to be sealed and in this day and age its best to fit a condensing boiler.

http://www.idhee.org.uk/ExceptionsGuide.pdf

the boiler does not need to be against an external wall but it would help greatly if it were as you will have to suit the boiler and flue to its location.
i have a hot water boiler in my bathroom (central heating boiler is in the kitchen), its against an external wall at low level and the flue goes straight into the garden , it should have a guard around it out side as its melting the guttering above it but we are renting so we dont have one , even though several gas engineers recommended it to our land lord, one bg engineer unofficially condemned both boilers , not because of where they are situated but because the flues are not guarded properly and because the kitchen boiler doesn't have proper ventilation (its in a kitchen cupboard and the flue from the bathroom is melting the guttering above it). be careful who does the installation , the plumbers who did this house need to have their licence revoked and although they may tell you they can do it cheaply the onus is on you to make sure its done properly.

anyhow , the boiler in the bathroom as with every boiler i know of has an isolating switch to switch it off. this switch is not in the bathroom , in fact i am not sure where it actually is as i have never found it but i am sure its got one , somewhere.
i am not up on my present regs but i lived in a flat in london several years back and it had the combi in the bed room. i was worried so i enquired, partly because of the boiler but mostly because the land lord was a real toad (when we asked for our deposit back he shouted , swore and threatened to kill us if we took him to court :shock: we never did get our money back). the hse told me that so long as it is a sealed boiler it should be ok but it would be a good idea to fit a co2 alarm.

basically get an engineer out to have a look but make sure they are reputable , british gas will do it properly but will cost so get them out to give you a quote and an idea of what is involved and let this set the standard , then get a few quotes from different gas engineers and go with the cheapest/best but dont let them cut corners and for the sake of 20 quid think about fitting a co2 alarm :wink: .

 

[robgil]

here are some more links for you to muse over.

http://www.abacusgas.com/building_regulations.htm

i think its documents J and L you need to look at..
part L is in two sections , existing dwellings and new dwellings.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/1115314110382.html

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Surely CO2 is carbon dioxide? Carbon monoxide is CO, but I wouldn't want you fitting an alarm that goes off everytime the conservation officer comes to call.

 

[robgil]

yes you are right Gareth ,sorry ive got my sunday morning head on this morning.

 

[Moo]

Belated but fulsome thanks for all that information. Good old PPUK.

However did we manage to live our lives without access to this encyclopaedia of all things ancient and modern?

xxx