Air vent query

[Riley]

Morning all I hope you've all recovered from the Christmas excesses

I have been going over to see a little old lady and servicing her open vented boiler for the last four or five years now.

Ventilation has always been spot on and the boiler works really well because it's been serviced every year bar one since she's had it.

I turned up yesterday and she had a cupboard in front of the vents in her bedroom. Now I have always explained to her what these vents are for and to her credit she had instructed her home help to ensure that the cupboard was a good 4-5 inches off the wall.

I've checked in my literature to see what it says about this and it seems to only mention if the vent is physically blocked or covered so that no air can get in. Is this situation acceptable The boiler itself works absolutely fine but I just wanted to check. It's nice to meet a customer that actually wants to do things the right way

Cheers and happy New Year

Matt

 

[Dotty]

Home help is bound to push it back. I used to look after a little old lady who had a temperamental system. Her home help always used to turn the stat down too far despite her telling them not to and me leaving notes. Ended up fitting the type that you could set maximum and minimum temps in.

She only lived down the road from me, never charged her for those visits except a cup of tea which I'd make for us both.

 

[Atouchofgas]

I would say it's ok as you have a vent that's not blocked, right size and its allowing air in.

 

[Riley]

Thank you both, that was my thinking too as ultimately it is only about air ingress it doesn't matter if it has to change direction. Point noted regarding the home help though croppie

 

[Geyser]

Ye measure free air through cupboard to check. Air vents in bedroom, where's the open flued boiler?

 

[Riley]

In a cupboard just next to her bedroom

 

[ShaunCorbs]

if your worried about them pushing it back put two pieces of 4 x 2 on the wall top and bottom of the air vent (if they push it back they would hit the timbers) thats aslong as your tests are ok

 

[Riley]

Tests are fine mate. Always have been

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tests are fine mate. Always have been

with the cupboard in place as well?

if yes do what i said your covered then

 

[jtsplumbing]

Had this in a residential home, OF boiler in middle of property, could not find a air vent anywhere, owner was away , staff had no idea but been passed every year, owner back next day so went round to see him about vent, it was behind a large painting, asked CORGI at the time and was told it was ok as air could still get around painting as long as it was not fixed back to wall and was hanging on cord (slightly away from wall)

 

[Riley]

Thanks all feel a bit happier with this now

 

[heliotrope]

Combustion and cooling air for open vent appliances is NOT allowed to be taken from
or through a bedroom.

Surprised this has not been noticed long before now.

The vents should be sealed and other safe means of providing air should be made.

 

[Riley]

Combustion and cooling air for open vent appliances is NOT allowed to be taken from
or through a bedroom.

Surprised this has not been noticed long before now.

The vents should be sealed and other safe means of providing air should be made.

Difficult one as the bedroom is actually a converted lounge as the old dear can't make the stairs anymore

 

[firemant]

Had this in a residential home, OF boiler in middle of property, could not find a air vent anywhere, owner was away , staff had no idea but been passed every year, owner back next day so went round to see him about vent, it was behind a large painting, asked CORGI at the time and was told it was ok as air could still get around painting as long as it was not fixed back to wall and was hanging on cord (slightly away from wall)

I would say that is poor advice. You would have to measure the minimum free area between the picture and the vent.

 

[Elgordo]

+1 on firemant, wouldn't a cupboard 2cm close to a 10X10 cm opening only give 4x20=80cm2 free air ?

 

[stevetheplumber]

i had a situation where the vents from a boiler house in a nusery were over grass on the council estate before first they smashed the plasic vents and shoved burning news paper in
so we changed to terracota which they dug the center out of and shoved more burning paper and twigs through
we had allumillium grillls made and they nicked them
in the end the only solution was to bolt and weld steel plate three foot square onto the wall with a suitable gap all round the edge doesnt meet regs regarding the vents being proprietary made and marked etc but sometimes needs must so far they havent managed to remove the 8 welded rawlbolts from the wall