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How to sort this plumbing/venting problem

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Hello

 

I have a Bosch Worcester boiler exhausting with the flume just outside my kitchen window. Later had a hood installed in the kitchen, with its venting cowl on the same wall as the boiler flume.

 

It turns out that they are less than 30cm from each other (as required by regs). Those positions cannot be changed, and am looking for a way to sort this on the outside.

 

Builder suggests to mount like a periscope-shaped 150mm x 350mm extension of the venting duct, to bring the vent cowl above and away from the flume.

 

I would have thought that the Bosch flume could be extended another 300mm horizontally, so that it is away from the existing vent.

 

Any suggestions? Or even better, any qualified plumber that can fix it in a way to satisfy current regs?

 

Thanks

MV

Edited by MaxVinella

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If the hood was installed after the boiler then the person who fitted it has breached gas regulations, hence they should resolve your problem. Currently you have a vent and boiler flue in illegal positions, fitting a plume-kit (periscope) will take the flue gases away BUT a plume-kit is ONLY for nuisance plume, regulations state it CAN NOT be used to turn an illegal terminal position into a legal one. Difficult to give a definitive solution to your problem without seeing it as it is usually possible to relocate a terminal position

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Thanks, I would rather not get involved again with that installer. I have sent you a PM

MV

 

---------- Post added 16-02-2017 at 16:24 ----------

 

..... fitting a plume-kit (periscope) will take the flue gases away BUT a plume-kit is ONLY for nuisance plume, regulations state it CAN NOT be used to turn an illegal terminal position into a legal one.

 

 

The periscope would be installed to the hood vent, the flume from the boiler would stay exactly the same . Does it make it possible?

Edited by MaxVinella

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you can fit a plume management kit to the Worcester Bosch boiler.

 

By fitting a plume management kit you can take the air inlet down to 150mm to the vent as the exhaust will then be over 300mm then it will not be an illegal flue position.

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you can fit a plume management kit to the Worcester Bosch boiler.

 

By fitting a plume management kit you can take the air inlet down to 150mm to the vent as the exhaust will then be over 300mm then it will not be an illegal flue position.

 

But CGM above just said that you can't intervene with a plume-kit to turn an illegal situation in a legal one ....

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So Worcester Bosch design a plume management kit to be used on the appropriate flues , that states when used the air Inlet can be reduced down to 150mm to any openings into the building.

e.g an openable window,door or air vent but because someone has fitted an air vent to close to the flue then it now cannot be used as the flue was fitted first.

 

Then why did Worcester design it so it can be retrofitted to existing flues?

 

A plume management cannot be fitted to reduce the boundary clearance from 300mm to 150mm but that is the only time I can think that it would not be off use.

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So Worcester Bosch design a plume management kit to be used on the appropriate flues , that states when used the air Inlet can be reduced down to 150mm to any openings into the building.

e.g an openable window,door or air vent but because someone has fitted an air vent to close to the flue then it now cannot be used as the flue was fitted first.

 

Then why did Worcester design it so it can be retrofitted to existing flues?

 

A plume management cannot be fitted to reduce the boundary clearance from 300mm to 150mm but that is the only time I can think that it would not be off use.

 

Indeed. Gas regs state a plume-kit can not be used to turn an illegal flue position INTO a legal one. Worcester have recently updated their own criteria (possibly under BG persuasion??) to defy these regulations. Manufacturer's Instructions APPARENTLY over-rule general gas regs ?? So for 12yrs I have told customers 'you can't have a flue there'........now Worcester (and BG) move the goal posts.

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Indeed. Gas regs state a plume-kit can not be used to turn an illegal flue position INTO a legal one. Worcester have recently updated their own criteria (possibly under BG persuasion??) to defy these regulations. Manufacturer's Instructions APPARENTLY over-rule general gas regs ?? So for 12yrs I have told customers 'you can't have a flue there'........now Worcester (and BG) move the goal posts.

 

Problem is we all read and interpret the rules slightly different.

 

So would a flue fitted with a plume management with the manufacturers recommended minimum clearances be classed as an illegal placement.

 

I would say no.

 

The only times I would think that rule would apply would be boundary clearances and flues onto public spaces ( min height of 2.4m) so fitting a plume management would still mean the flue was a contravention to the rules.

 

In the absence of the manufacturers instructions gas safe guidelines must be followed so in this case following the Worcester Bosch instructions would over rule.

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Yes, Storey 1984 concludes this correctly, regulations are open to interpretation, which is wrong, it should be black and white. Manufacturers Instructions apparently over-rule general gas regs (don't agree with myself).....why should a WB flue that previously followed gas regs SUDDENLY differ from a Baxi/Vaillant/Ideal etc flue ? Total BS. Nothing to do with the fact that BG fit almost entirely WB boilers and BG have a BIG influence over WB regs and gas regs in general. Big companies SEEM to make their OWN rules. I have been told in no uncertain terms previously by my LOCAL GAS INSPECTOR that plume kits could not be used this way. Apparently regs change.....with WB and BG persuasion

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