Hiding the boiler

LouLouHelen

Are there regulations/restrictions on the space around your boiler if you build a cupboard around it to hide it when refitting the kitchen?

Any experience/advice would be great.

crossleydd42

This is what I did. You really need to look at the maker's installation instructions first. I never had mine, although it was only installed 18 months before. I first looked on their website as they often put them online. Mine hadn't, so I emailed them with the query and they sent the instructions by return of post. Turned out that mine only needed about 1.5" at each side and 2" at the bottom and heat was no problem, for, even in its uncovered state, the casing never got beyond being slightly warm. The wall cabinet was a double one and I left the top open. I also left the centre pillar (between and behind the doors out of the cupboard, to give enough through ventilation. I could have drilled a few holes in the base, but felt that my solution was better. Don't forget to consider that the cupboard will have to be dismantled every couple of years to allow for the boiler to be serviced. If not recently done, have this done before you start!
I hope this is useful - good luck! Doing mine was well worth the effort.

moneysavingplumber

crossleydd42 wrote:

The wall cabinet was a double one and I left the top open. I also left the centre pillar (between and behind the doors out of the cupboard, to give enough through ventilation. I could have drilled a few holes in the base, but felt that my solution was better.

My Corgi Inspector last year told me that leaving top and bottom panels off of wall units or drilling holes was no longer an acceptable way to provide ventilation for boilers situated in cupboards, that a purpose made grill had to be provided and preferably labelled as such, the theory being that a new owner buying the house from you would be less likely to deliberately block a purpose made vent. Crazy but true.