Woodburner regs

Canucklehead

suki1964 wrote: »

We have a vent in out sitting room just above the skiting board and we dont get any draughts from it - well not any that would bother you

We have one like this that we can open and close

http://www.inbrass.co.uk/acatalog/Closeable_vents.html

You will find the term 'permanent' ventilation is used.

A closable vent is therefore not suitable.

Canucklehead

grahamc2003 wrote: »

I was told such closable vents didn't meet the regs (effin regs, I'm sick of them!).

What they'd install are (cheap) white plastic vents with no closing possible, although the salesman did tell me most people block them up as soon as the installers have left!

It's madness really - regs after regs to make house airtight, then regs to put big holes in the wall to make them draughty again! I understand the theoretical reason, but in practice, I bet no house over 20 years old would have any problem getting sufficient air to any sized domestic woodburner.

If regulations were relaxed or not implemented there would be quite a few deaths and injury as a result.
Sadly it is not always the Darwin award candidate who suffers, but some innocent house buyer who has no idea they have bought a death trap.

GSR

suki1964

Canucklehead wrote: »

You will find the term 'permanent' ventilation is used.

A closable vent is therefore not suitable.

You think Im sitting with that open and the fire not lit you have to be sadly mistaken. Its closed when the fire is not lit - and opened when we do. The coal bucket sits in front of it so its not like we cant remember it

Sometimes common sense can be relied on

A._Badger

No amount of shroud-waving by HETAS members, who directly benefit from increasing regulation, will convince me that these make-work projects achieve anything. The fact is that they are 'one size (doesn't) fit all' rules imposed by a private limited company which has been granted privileged status by a complacent government. Private companies should never be allowed to, in effect, make laws.

Install a 5.1 kw stove in a baronial mansion with umpteen thousand squaree feet of space, draughty windows and two inch gaps between the walls and still you are made to install these devices.

grahamc2003

Canucklehead wrote: »

If regulations were relaxed or not implemented there would be quite a few deaths and injury as a result.
Sadly it is not always the Darwin award candidate who suffers, but some innocent house buyer who has no idea they have bought a death trap.

GSR

tbc, we're talking about wood burning stoves here - I wouldn't think blocking up a vent supplying a gas boiler would be such a great idea!

My problem is my house is already too draughty, so in my case, installing a vent will make the matters worse, unless I do what most do, and block it up, and then what use is it?. (and I know regs aren't made just for me, but if most block up the vent anyhow, then how are lives saved?)

These things are never quantified. How many people would die/get maimed by having a woodburner, say of 8kw, which burns as it should (so it's getting enough air) even though a vent isn't fitted? Woudln't the only way that could happen be for CO reasons? I'd bet probably that more would die driving to the job to fit it, than lives saved by the vent (in the case of woodburners), oparticularly if most block the vent anyhow. I think we have to accept that people die all the time for all sorts of reasons, and if the rate is exceptionally low, then regs taking measures against that particular aspect can result in more deaths by exposure to greater risks. (A good exmple of this is the crash which finished off the Concorde era).

So ... sensible regs, great. Regs which achieve nothing (or very very little), not so great.

Canucklehead

suki1964 wrote: »

You think Im sitting with that open and the fire not lit you have to be sadly mistaken. Its closed when the fire is not lit - and opened when we do. The coal bucket sits in front of it so its not like we cant remember it

Sometimes common sense can be relied on

What happens when you sell on and the new owner 'forgets' or has a visitor who knows no different. It stays shut doesn't it?
Can you grasp that concept?

Use one of these and be safe.

GSR

Canucklehead

[QUOTE=grahamc2003;44781052]tbc, we're talking about wood burning stoves here - I wouldn't think blocking up a vent supplying a gas boiler would be such a great idea!

My problem is my house is already too draughty, so in my case, installing a vent will make the matters worse, unless I do what most do, and block it up, and then what use is it?. (and I know regs aren't made just for me, but if most block up the vent anyhow, then how are lives saved?)

These things are never quantified. How many people would die/get maimed by having a woodburner, say of 8kw, which burns as it should (so it's getting enough air) even though a vent isn't fitted? Woudln't the only way that could happen be for CO reasons? I'd bet probably that more would die driving to the job to fit it, than lives saved by the vent (in the case of woodburners), oparticularly if most block the vent anyhow. I think we have to accept that people die all the time for all sorts of reasons, and if the rate is exceptionally low, then regs taking measures against that particular aspect can result in more deaths by exposure to greater risks. (A good exmple of this is the crash which finished off the Concorde era).

So ... sensible regs, great. Regs which achieve nothing (or very very little), not so great.[/QUOTE]


Failure to provide air for combustion on any appliance is a very bad thing.



GSR

grahamc2003

Canucklehead wrote: »

[QUOTE=grahamc2003;44781052]tbc, we're talking about wood burning stoves here - I wouldn't think blocking up a vent supplying a gas boiler would be such a great idea!

My problem is my house is already too draughty, so in my case, installing a vent will make the matters worse, unless I do what most do, and block it up, and then what use is it?. (and I know regs aren't made just for me, but if most block up the vent anyhow, then how are lives saved?)

These things are never quantified. How many people would die/get maimed by having a woodburner, say of 8kw, which burns as it should (so it's getting enough air) even though a vent isn't fitted? Woudln't the only way that could happen be for CO reasons? I'd bet probably that more would die driving to the job to fit it, than lives saved by the vent (in the case of woodburners), oparticularly if most block the vent anyhow. I think we have to accept that people die all the time for all sorts of reasons, and if the rate is exceptionally low, then regs taking measures against that particular aspect can result in more deaths by exposure to greater risks. (A good exmple of this is the crash which finished off the Concorde era).

So ... sensible regs, great. Regs which achieve nothing (or very very little), not so great.

Failure to provide air for combustion on any appliance is a very bad thing.



GSR[/QUOTE]

Yes, I know. But how is that any sort of answer to the text of mine you copied before your answer?

suki1964

Canucklehead wrote: »

What happens when you sell on and the new owner 'forgets' or has a visitor who knows no different. It stays shut doesn't it?
Can you grasp that concept?

Use one of these and be safe.

GSR

Erm why would I be selling my house?

Secondly we aren't dictated to by hetas here.

Thirdly whilst I not selling this house I am having another house built and this stove is being put in to it and guess what? Even though the builders and fitters have the measurements and output of the stove they aren't putting in a vent

Ben84

The regulations may be frustrating as many houses have more than adequate air flow to keep an open flue appliance working fine, but things may change after the appliance is installed. You might fit secondary glazing or replace the windows and start sealing up the other gaps. Relying on air flow from many undefined small leaks around the building isn't reliable in the long term, which is why a fixed vent that ensures the correct amount of air flow for any open flue appliance will always be available is the best option.

On the good side, with a proper air vent you can seal up all those other air leaks around the house without any potential air supply problems occurring with the wood burner. At least this way the air supply in to the room is largely restricted to one location that you get to choose.