Chimneys & flues


www.heatingandventilating.net


Compliant flue puts safety first


With its latest update to building regulations, the government effectively ruled out new gas boiler installations or replacements in high-rise buildings. Dr Elaine Lancaster, chief technical officer at Ideal Boilers, explains the situation and why the company invested in a new, compliant solution


government has been working hard to review and update the regulations that apply to high-rise buildings, in order to ensure the same mistakes aren’t repeated. At the end of 2018, an update to the Building


S


Regulations was implemented – The Building (Amendment) Regulations SI 2018/1230. The key change at the heart of the update was a ban on the use of combustible materials in the external walls of buildings more than 18 metres high – which presents an important consequence when it comes to gas boiler flues (the ducts or pipes that carry the exhaust gases from boilers out of the building).


An outright ban


Following the update, all of the modern gas boiler flue systems available at the time were suddenly rendered non-compliant. This was because at the time, the latest flue


systems comprised an internal polypropylene plastic inner flue duct, chosen for its mouldability and resistance to corrosion. Polypropylene is deemed to be a combustible material under the new regulations – despite the fact that in boiler flues, it is encased in fire-proof high-temperature painted steel, which has been shown in many tests to be safe, and which complies with all European regulations. The change meant that gas boilers – whether new


or replacement – could not be installed in high-rise buildings and created a good deal of alarm and confusion among developers, manufacturers, installers and residents, especially with winter approaching.


Case-by-case exemptions


Since making the amendments, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has allowed local authorities to waive some of the regulations at their discretion. In several instances, senior fire officers have determined that it is acceptable to use pre-existing


18 December 2019


ince the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 – and the subsequent publication of the Hackitt Report into the causes of the disaster – the


An update to the Building Regulations in 2018 resulted in a ban on the use of combustible materials in external walls of buildings more than 18m high. The change meant that gas boilers, whether new or replacement, could not be installed in high-rise buildings


requirements, whether these are determined by shifts in market forces or changes in regulations. So, to allow boiler installations to continue as soon as possible, we at Ideal Boilers have developed a new, compliant solution.


Compliant and compatible


In October we introduced a gas boiler flue that is both compliant with the new regulations, and with the latest, most efficient boiler technology. Rather than the previous polypropylene plastic


version, the newly-developed flue solution uses aluminium for the inner flue duct, which has been already classified as an A1 material and is therefore fully compliant. The fire-resistant properties of aluminium, and its ability to be cut in a way which doesn’t risk damage to the flue seals, makes it one of the best materials to use. It also has good corrosion resistance and life expectancy.


The new flue can be used with all Ideal Logic and


Vogue boilers, and is particularly suitable for the Logic Combi C, ESP1 and Code Combi, which are often used in high rise buildings. It is also designed to last the lifetime of the boiler and is covered by our best-in-class warranties. This means that boiler installations and


replacements can continue with no delay – and with no compromise in terms of performance.


Investing in compliance Dr Elaine Lancaster, Ideal Boilers


flues with polypropylene inner ducts for high rise buildings, under the clause 8 opt-out for public buildings. However, obtaining exemptions or seeking changes to regulations can be a lengthy process – and it is only possible in this case with the express say-so of the council. As a manufacturer, it is our responsibility to offer our customers solutions that keep pace with their


While we believe it’s important to reassure residents with existing boiler flues featuring the inner polypropylene layer that there is no evidence that this presents any kind of safety issue, we are also fully behind the government’s efforts to make changes following Grenfell to ensure a tragedy of this sort does not happen again. There is a clear onus on all members of the building supply chain to take steps to ensure the products they make – and the overall solutions they install – are in line with new regulations. Ultimately, no concern is more important than


protecting the safety of the residents of high-rise buildings and we are happy to have invested in developing a compliant solution with that goal in mind.


www.heatingandventilating.net


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40