Combi Boiler Flue fitted wrong way up

SidJ

Hi, Combi boiler was fitted 8 years ago and has been serviced annually since with no problems. This year the engineer happened to look up and said the flue was the wrong way

round with the vent facing upwards.He did not fail the service but advised the flue should be refitted correctly. Is there a legal requirement for this? If so would it be a big job? The engineer thought the brickwork around it would have to be removed to get at it, many thanks

Owain_Moneysaver

It shouldn't be that big a job, the flue might not even have to be removed, just unscrewed at the boiler end, tapped to loosen it from the mortar, and twisted round? Depends on how firmly it's been fixed in. 

Neil_Jones

Gas regulations change every five minutes (figuratively speaking of course) and what was good at the time of the installation isn't what's good now.  But there is no requirement AFAIK to backport the current regulations to existing installations unless its being replaced/upgraded (otherwise you'd never get any new installations done as you'd have to keep changing the existing ones every time the regulations change).

If it was a serious safety issue it would have been picked up long before now I would have thought.

SidJ

Owain and Neil, many thanks for your help.

tacpot12

With a condensing boiler, if the flue is not fitted the correct way up, condensate can flow out through the joints, and not back into the boiler where there is a means to collect and remove it. Condensate is nasty stuff. 

Robin9

I had the same - moved in 1983 had the boiler serviced and it was promptly condemned. It was built in 1972.

The builders went 50/50 with the cost.