|
Post by Mike the Boilerman on Mar 9, 2013 8:34:23 GMT -5
Most Powermax owners are aware by now that concealed flue pipes are an issue when getting their Powermax serviced and/or repaired. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 place an obligation on gas technicians to check the effectiveness of flues and air supplies on gas appliances we work on. To check a horizontal fan-powered flue, Gas Safe Register say we must visually inspect it. Cameras, endoscopes or other devices to remotely view a flue are NOT acceptable, there must be flue access/inspection panels fitted from 1st January 2013 for direct visual access. A customer of mine had access panels fitted last week. Here is a photo of their flue showing a break in it which may have existed for years on end, allowing flue products to enter the space above the ceilings in their flat. This clearly illustrates why Gas Safe Register insist on inspection panels being fitted. Mike Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by northpole on Mar 12, 2013 13:33:14 GMT -5
Scary! Were there no warning signs from below, e.g. stains on the ceiling, fume smells, etc?
|
|
|
Post by Mike the Boilerman on Apr 26, 2013 7:24:48 GMT -5
No visible signs whatsoever in the ceiling to indicate a problem. No smell of fumes in the flat, but the space above the ceiling must have been slowly filling with exhaust gas when the boiler ran. Scary indeed.
A friend of mine runs a business fitting access panels for concealed flues. He says he discovers this sort of break in flues regularly. Scary indeed.
|
|
|
Post by Katie on Aug 23, 2013 4:17:51 GMT -5
I have a question about concealed flues, apologies if it has already been asked. My powermax is in a cupboard adjacent to a bedroom which in turn is adjacent to the outside wall and I have had inspection hatches fitted in the bedroom ceiling so that the whole flue can be seen. What we have found is that although the air outlet is on the outside wall the air intake is in the ceiling void above the bedroom with a vent on the outside wall to let air in, does anybody happen to know if this is OK? Gas-safe say that I need to speak to the manufacturer but I obviously can't speak to powermax and the two gas engineers who have checked this are not totally sure either.
|
|
|
Post by martiny on Aug 28, 2013 13:54:47 GMT -5
Katie what you describe is what I understand the installation manual to depict.
|
|
|
Post by Mike the Boilerman on Aug 29, 2013 13:32:09 GMT -5
Well Kate's air inlet arrangement isn't correct according to the Manufacturer's Instructions, but equally I see no safety risk either.
When a Powermax is installed with a vertical flue it is acceptable for the air supply tube to terminate in the loft space provided there is an air vent into the loft, and I see no difference between this and the arrangement Kate has.
Mike
|
|
|
Post by Katie on Oct 5, 2013 4:51:07 GMT -5
Thank you. Eventually our boiler service man came back and said it was OK but nice to hear from you too.
|
|