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Chimneys & flues


be further emission reductions and this will mean that manufacturers and installers will need to increasingly treat the flue and the appliance as an integrated system, working together to provide the optimal solution.


In addition, the Ecodesign Emission limits could


spell the end of the traditional open fire and this could bring about a change for housing developers who have tended to build 200mm flues and a standard fire opening in their detached houses. They may now decide to install smaller flue diameters for wood burning stoves. This will also benefit developers in the air loss


calculation in SAP. The general opinion is that new open fires will not be able to meet the new Ecodesign emission limits and HETAS have advised their installers to check the emissions test results before installing a new open fire. There is still some confusion over decorative solid fuel appliances which are not designed to give heat to the room, like a basket or firedog in an open chimney with no restrictions. At the time of writing, it is unclear if they will have to meet the Ecodesign limits.


UKCA marking


After a number of false dawns, the UKCA mark will be mandatory in Great Britain from 1st January 2023. As part of the Brexit deal, products sold in Northern


Ireland will still have to bear the CE mark. The CE mark and now the UKCA mark are particularly important for


flues - the UKCA mark confirms that the flue meets all the relevant chimney standards and has been tested in accordance with these standards. Chimneys and flues are required to discharge a


variety of combustion gases and different types of flue will be required to safely handle the different gases. Linked to the UKCA mark is a user-readable classification system that designates the features of the flue components. The features covered include temperature and pressure rating, fire, condensate, corrosion resistance and distance to combustibles. With stainless steel components, a label showing the classification must go with each flue component so that it’s specification can be easily verified. The UKCA mark applies to both flue components and to system chimneys and it is worth pointing out that a CE/UKCA mark for a system chimney applies to the complete flue system, including add on components like rain caps. The use of components that have not been tested with the flue invalidates the CE/UKCA mark and turns the system chimney into a custom flue.


Regulations


The government continues to be active in changing the regulatory landscape for construction. The progress of the Building Safety Bill continues at


a pace in parliament and the bill will put in place new and enhanced regulatory regimes for building safety and construction products. A working group, including organisations like


OFTEC and HETAS, has been established to review the technical competences for the Competent Persons Schemes. A review of the Approved Documents is also under way with amendments to Parts F, L, O and S coming in June 2022. Approved Document J, Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems, is near the end of the list and it could be up to five years before the review is published. In the meantime, up-to- date information on product standards can be found in the BFCMA guides, downloadable from the website - www.bfcma.co.uk. The BFCMA represents the chimney and flue industry and works closely with government, public bodies and other organisations to further the interest of the industry. It represents the majority of manufacturers and sole distributors in the industry.


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