[Closed] Gas flue regulations - any knowledgable folk around?

http://www.diynot.com/network/Axel/albums/5674/22912

Try here for a start, or get a gas safe engineer to carry out a service, if it's not legal he will not sign the service sheet

Our new neighbour says our flue is illegal and we have to block it off. It's been there for about 20+ years and was installed by professionals at the time.

There's a lot of building stuff that wouldn't meet current regs, but was fine at the time (and is therefore still fine). Doesn't mean you need to rip it out though. No idea about gas stuff mind.

I'm sure the answer is in [url= http://www.installeronline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Terminal-problems.pdf ]here[/url] somewhere....

I know it needs to be 150mm from a drainpipe. Because I'm having to move a drainpipe...!

DrP

..seems to be 2m form a window, or 600mm from boundary. But this is modern regs, as stated.

Hoof them in the slats, I think, Is the answer to any neighbourly dispute.

DrP

Most boiler instructions have a couple of pages of this stuff, distance to nearest window and so on. Mine says 600mm to boundary line if flue is horizontal, 300mm if vertical. You would always defer to the manufacturers instructions but they are all pretty similar for standard domestic gas boilers. You'll easily find instuctions for most common gas fires online.

Edit: if it's discharging straight over the boundary into their property, then regardless of whether it's a safe installation, they can ask you to stop using it.

Thanks all. I think I'll get a gas safe engineer in to service it and if he signs it off I'll leave it at that.

Edit: if it's discharging straight over the boundary into their property, then regardless of whether it's a safe installation, they can ask you to stop using it.

i commented on a similar thing a few months ago, builder does up house, comes back a few days latter to find heating not working, neighbour had smashed flu off wall and injected foam into hole ruining boiler.

also where would the condensate pipe ruin to.

Photos would help, but they are probably referring to a classification of 'Not to current standards'.

This means that it did comply when installed but doesn't now, probably because you are not allowed to discharge your products of combustion at low level over a property boundary.

read this

http://www.partywalladvice.com/2011/06/21/neighbours-flue-projects-over-my-land-what-are-the-implications-for-my-planned-kitchen-extension/

Pic:

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Distance between the walls is about 1.2m. Flue is completely over my property.

Not sure what I can do really. I don't mind adding an extra bit of flue upwards if it's not expensive, but don't want to replace the fire really.

How is the access split boundary wise half and half?

I think I own about 300mm on the left.

What's given rise to your neighbours interest? Is that his building work? Maybe it interferes with his plans for something?

They've extended their extension - hasn't changed anything but they are being petty as we objected against their initial PP app.
Flue has been there 20+ years before they moved in.

well as a gas safe registered engineer. i say i dont like it im not sure it meets current regs BUT it was there long before the building on the right was there you own the property directly underneath the flue and at the time of installation it probably met the then current regs so id classify it ''NOT TO CURRENT STANDARDS'' wich simply means the above if it were the only thing of the the applince to be noted as NTC then leave alone and stick two fingers up at your neighbour..the ideal solution and you are best placed to do this is seek out a copy paper or interweb of the installation instructions for the appliance. these 'manufacturers instructions' actually stand over building and other gas regs which are general but the manufacturers own instructions are specific to the appliance in your home. a typical distance for a natural draght flue like yours from a facing wall is 600mm.

Were these issues covered by the Party Wall Agreement he set up prior to commencing building work? Seems a bit late to be whining about it now if not.

I didn't insist on a party wall agreement as I am trying my best to get along with them. The builders are good.

The part of their building which the flue faces has been there for decades anyway, the new bit they built hasn't changed anything in respect to this issue.

Thanks for the help all.

Bit of an update. I've checked the planning permission for our extension (which has our gas fire in with the flue in question on the side) and that's ok, it was granted in the early 1990's. I can also check building control online and out extension was signed off at a similar time. As that includes all "heat producing appliances" it would include the gas fire. So I think I'm ok but I've asked for a copy of the certificate from the council to make sure it's all ok.
I am going to get a gas safe person to service the fire and get a safety certicate for it - I was going to do this for the new owners anyway.
So I will present our neighbour with copies of the planning permission, building control certificate and gas safe certificate and they can't say anything then, it will be proven safe and lawful.

Just ask for a free gas safety inspection from gas safe. Its free and theyll tell you how it is.

Just ask for a free gas safety inspection from gas safe. Its free and theyll tell you how it is.

Just looked into that and it's only potentially free if installed in the last 6 months unfortunately.

Is that your white door at the back? That looks nice and safe to get through in an emergency.

assuming that the alley way is your neighbours... I bet the root cause for this agro is they plan to cover it over with some crinkly plastic.....

Is that your white door at the back? That looks nice and safe to get through in an emergency.

No, it's my neighbours and it's only the entrance to the short alley between the two houses. Not connected to inside of house as such. It's normally clear but they are in the middle of the building work so have some stuff down there daily. No issues there.

assuming that the alley way is your neighbours... I bet the root cause for this agro is they plan to cover it over with some crinkly plastic.....

Yeah I know what you mean! 😉

They don't plan to do that as far as I know, any work down that alley was stopped by planning as access was required. The way they have done their extension means that this door is unlikely to be used very often, if at all, as they have made a new entrance behind and to the right of where I took the picture.

I have found the building regs applicable to "heat producing appliances" which I think were in force in 1992 when the extension was built (and signed off):

PLANNINGPORTAL.GOV.UK "http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADJ_1992.pdf"

My installation seems to be ok with these - and they were signed off at the time so there should be no issues.

Thanks again for the help received!

Bit of an update. I got a text from our new neighbour asking "what are your proposals for making the gas flue confirm to legislation?"

Had a friendly but difficult chat with her to explain that it conformed to building regs when built so we don't have to change anything now. I said I am getting all the gas appliances checked anyway to assure her safety and will provide her with copies for her peace of mind.

I think I may have won the argument but I feel crap about it tbh. I don't like not getting on with neighbours but they are trying their best to be petty after not getting the extension they wanted.

I don't like not getting on with neighbours but they are trying their best to be petty after not getting the extension they wanted.

Not a lot you can do other than ignore them.

Interesting twist!

Looks like our neighbours called Northern Gas Network who deal with the gas network (durrr!), safety etc etc. I don't know why, maybe they are trying everything to annoy us. Anyway the bloke popped round to look at the flue and my wife let him look at our fire and he said "everything is fine, you are doing everything right". So that tactic didn't work then!!!!

I don't know whether to tell our new neighbours the shed they put up to hold their washing machine and dryer and other stuff is almost certainly going to be broken into as have any others in our street (which is why no one has one, we all have cellars to store stuff in anyway). Or maybe they can enjoy learning that lesson by themselves. 😀

A textbook lesson in how not to make your life easier when you move into a new house. 🙂

Belt and braces, worth having a quick chat with Building Control to make sure that box has been ticked before your neighbour phones them up for a whinge?

I have checked the building control register and our extension was signed off by then when it was built - fire was installed at the same time. So all ok BUT I am paying £15 to get a copy of the sign off as I don't have it myself.

Hate to say it but it sounds like they're just going to push and push until they get what they want....

You may have to stop being so nice

I think at this juncture I'd be referring them to the previous case of Arkell v. Pressdram.

Hate to say it but it sounds like they're just going to push and push until they get what they [s]want....[/s] deserve...

I don't actually know what they want to be honest. I think the only reason they are pushing back about this flue is that a builder came round and said it was illegal. Yes it doesn't conform to current standards which is what I think the angle was they were coming from but as we know that doesn't matter. As it's the only thing they have to annoy us with in retribution for us objecting against their planning permission they have kept badgering us. But now an official from Northern Gas networks has said its ok and I am armed with the correct info so we don't need to do anything and I have been nice and educated/reassured them as calmly as possible.

I was going to get the gas appliances checked anyway for the new owners so it's no skin off my nose to give the neighbours a copy of the safety report that I'll be sending to my conveyancer anyway.

So their builder says it's illegal. Yet a qualified gas engineer says it's fine.

In summary their builder knows the square root of naff all about gas and maybe he should stick to bricks and blocks.

It sounds like you've been more than diligent, polite and respectful to their concerns and have gone over and above in terms of ensuring the installation was and is still regarded as safe. Given that the gas company have inspected it at primarily your neighbours request and have given it the green light, I suggest don't say anything to them about their shed.

Washing machines are quite heavy, can you leave a sack truck out in your garden?

builder came round and said it was illegal.

Well he's completely wrong.

Just ignore them.

Washing machines are quite heavy, can you leave a sack truck out in your garden?

I love this, underhanded passive revenge 🙂

Would be massively satisfying.

If they have had the courtesy to come round and chat to us when they bought the place and discussed the extension with us they may have saved loads of money in having to change plans and we could have given them advice on the area. However they have just sought to antagonise us at every step and I won't rise to it. It's only them who are getting all hot and bothered about things.