Advice on flue through fake window

[Nick88]

Good afternoon,

I was hoping someone could advise regarding the regulations around flue terminations through a 'fake' window.

We have a mixed-use development with a ground floor commercial unit and residential above. To keep with the style, a 'fake' window has been installed to the rear of the commercial unit - essentially a window shape but infilled with panelling rather than a window. The idea was to utilise this panelling for the flue termination to avoid core drilling the new brickwork as the next tenant may not require a flue, however it appears this may be in contradiction with Approved Document J, diagram 34 Note 1, where a flue shouldn't be within 150/300mm of "an opening into the building fabric formed for the purpose of accommodating a built-in element, such as a window frame".

This opening will never house a window whilst the flue is installed, it was purely for aesthetics. Has anyone come across this before, and what are our options? Is there a certain product/sealing process that needs to be carried out to allow the flue to pass through the panelling? So long as the panelling is of a suitable heat resistance, I can't personally see an issue with this other than not conforming with this Note - we have sufficient distance to all other restrictions shown on diagram 34.

Thanks in advance, Nick.

 

[king of pipes]

We don't know what it is do we ? what's the panel made of we don't know ? there's no pictures so airing on the side of caution get it clarified by the boiler manufacturer or gas safe what you plan to do and why , we can't just say yeah fit it that's ok because it may not be ? Then we are giving incorrect information . Kop

 

[Knappers]

We don't know what it is do we ? what's the panel made of we don't know ? there's no pictures so airing on the side of caution get it clarified by the boiler manufacturer or gas safe what you plan to do and why , we can't just say yeah fit it that's ok because it may not be ? Then we are giving incorrect information . Kop

Agreed.
Just my opinion boss - like yours to brick it up.
I'm curious about what building materials wouldn't be suitable to terminate through?
(Anxiously expecting a fall - feels like questioning god🙂)

 

[king of pipes]

Agreed.
Just my opinion boss - like yours to brick it up.
I'm curious about what building materials wouldn't be suitable to terminate through?
(Anxiously expecting a fall - feels like questioning god🙂)

Exactly it's our opinions but that opinion might be wrong we don't know ? we as engineers can work and even bend the regulation to suit our own installations i do and I'm sure you do ?, I've been on the end of being reported to gas safe for nuisance plumeing into a communal passage way, there was a boiler there for 25 years soon as I swapped it out for a modern combi it then became a issue 🙁 , the neighbor had British Gas fit a boiler 2 weeks prior to me doing my work and they said it couldn't go there ? but it was within the regs they just took the easiest and cheapest option but their customer reported me 🙁 it all turned out ok in the end but it's the hassle and time wasted time I didn't have , a visit from the inspector and then 2 other installs to provide evidence i was working within the Regs and competent FFS I've been registered since Corgi came into existence, but you can and do become complacent and when it happens to you its a pita.
I'm not saying your wrong in your interpretation a gas boiler flue can be fitted through most materials now but it's where those products of combustion go and how it's terminated that could be a problem? and cause issues so when we're asked to provide guidance on flueing then I'd always advise taking further advice because there so many variables and truthfully we don't know because we haven't seen it . Regards Kop