Building inspector - Extractor fan with unvented water cylinder

HelpMeMove

Hi,

we have had a small extension to our house which has a new heating ssytem, the boiler is located in the kitchen and the unvented water cylinder is in a store room along with the washing machine under the stairs which is off the kitchen.

An inspector has requested an extractor fan be fitted in the room. Not an easy task as it's not on an external wall, the vent pipe will need to go into the bedroom above then into the loft and out to an external wall there.

What could be the reason for the fan? The room does get warm, it's effectively an airing cupboard.

Annoyingly he has also requested a fire escape in a window which had never been picked up on earlier visits and we've fully decorated now.

Appreciate all comments.

Thanks

Furts

I am unclear on your room layouts. An extract fan on a kitchen would be normal. If the fan is requested under the stairs I am assuming this is to alleviate damp caused by condensation. This condensation will be detrimental to the house structure and stairs above. As I understand it these stairs are part of the above bedroom.

With regards the window, you are viewing this in the wrong light - no pun intended! It is your responsibility to build correctly and legally at all times. Hence it is your fault that this situation has arisen. The inspector cannot be blamed if this was not spotted before, indeed this may not have been part of those particular inspections.

Put this a different way. Did you take the Inspector to this window on a previous visit and ask if it fully complied with all Regulations? If not, why did you go ahead with decoration. It is therefore unreasonable to now complain about the Inspector undertaking their role.

Were I in your position I would accept both requirements and offer a humble apology for having done the defective work. I would then get the work rectified in a speedy manner.

Johnandabby

HelpMeMove wrote: »

Hi,

we have had a small extension to our house which has a new heating ssytem, the boiler is located in the kitchen and the unvented water cylinder is in a store room along with the washing machine under the stairs which is off the kitchen.

An inspector has requested an extractor fan be fitted in the room. Not an easy task as it's not on an external wall, the vent pipe will need to go into the bedroom above then into the loft and out to an external wall there.

What could be the reason for the fan? The room does get warm, it's effectively an airing cupboard.

Annoyingly he has also requested a fire escape in a window which had never been picked up on earlier visits and we've fully decorated now.

Appreciate all comments.

Thanks

It's because with the washing machine located in the store room it becomes an utility room in the inspector's opinion, and there is a requirement for mechanical extract in an utility room under Part F of the Bldg Regs. Nothing to do with the cylinder.


The mechanical extract is there to remove excess moisture from the room due to operation of the washing machine. Particularly when you don't have an openable window.

muckybutt

You have to have a fan in a utility room or bathroom where there is no openable window.

Unfortunately for you it's now your problem how you go about installing it, who ever did your plans or building work should have known this and it been installed when the building work was done. No fan means you will not get building regs signed off.

If installing it upwards or downwards if that's an easier option, I would suggest an in line fan as a wall type fan wouldn't be powerful enough to expel the humid air.

Do you have a void under your floors ? only reason I ask there is you could install fan under the floor if easier and duct out that way. Whichever way you go though with the length of run etc you will need insulated ducting and a vapor trap installing along the upright or horizontal sections to drain away any condensation.

HelpMeMove

Thanks for your replies. Furts, you made a good point here, I certainly won't be rocking the boat.

I've been looking at in line centrifugal fans. Due to the layout of the house the vent will have to go into the bedroom above along a wall into the loft and then out of the back wall. We'll then have to box up the vent, shame but I can't see any other way.

Should the fan be switched on with the light switch or a pull chord switch do?

Merry Christmas.

bryanb

Couldn't you take out the washing machine?

Tomm20

Re- the extension,

did you go for a Full Plans application or go for a Building Notice?

MX5huggy

bryanb wrote: »

Couldn't you take out the washing machine?

Do this, maybe remove the plumbing for it as well to show it's gone.

From Part F

Utility room is a room containing a sink or other
feature or equipment which may reasonably be
expected to produce water vapour in significant
quantities.

Wet room is a room used for domestic activities
(such as cooking, clothes washing and bathing)
which give rise to significant production of
airborne moisture, e.g. a kitchen,utility room
or bathroom. For the purposes of Part F,
sanitary accommodation is also regarded as a wet room.

But a modern cold fill washing machine does not produce much water vapour.