Neighbour Complaint About Gas Flue

Soldato
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22 Jul 2004
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Up north in Sunderland
Yeah, if they sit the other side of that fence then they will smell it when your boiler fires up, might just of been the off chance they were sitting there when it fired up after fitting. That smell should go away after a few seconds.
 
Caporegime
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21 Jun 2006
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How high up is that flue? I dont see how your neighbour's are being effected by it by anything other than noise. It's high up and miles away from them. Mine is facing my own back garden and unless I'm standing facing it from 1 foot away it is easily ignored and harmless.

Seriously I would tell them to do one. Plus it should only be turning on when hot water is called for and winter.

I doubt they would be out much in winter. Unless you are taking baths or 30 minute showers regularly it won't be noticeable.
 
Soldato
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9 Apr 2007
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13,453
Just fit a plume control kit. Job done.

It is actually a rule to not allow the flue plume to cause a nuisance. Generally means don't eject it towards someone else's property without control at least.
 
Soldato
OP
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28 Apr 2011
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Barnet, London
Having thought about it, given regulations say it must not be a nuisance, maybe I can get British Gas to correct it as part of the install with no further charge? I would be saying it was not a satisfactory installation, given it doesn't meet requirements as it apparently is a nuisance?
 
Soldato
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Actually, maybe because it's smaller? The air pressure would be higher, right? Like when you cover over the end of a hose with your finger?

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The brickie is yet to come to finish the hole in.

Does the plume expel outwards over the fence? I would have thought it would barely expel a foot before rising to the sky.

Even if it was angled left or right, they're still going to see it/smell it/hear it/<whatever else they're complaining about>.
 
Soldato
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Here and There...
no .. you will get water/rain back into your system ..
it should be going straight out ? and the heat/fumes should only travel a foot or so before dispersing.
is there a foot or 2 between you and there property line ?

Not true almost all boiler flues can have a termination kit installed to direct the plume in a particular direction, I would ask British Gas to come back and discuss it.
 
Soldato
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Here and There...
Does the plume expel outwards over the fence? I would have thought it would barely expel a foot before rising to the sky.

Even if it was angled left or right, they're still going to see it/smell it/hear it/<whatever else they're complaining about>.

The plume on my flue goes a lot further than a foot I think it would be polite to re-direct the plume up into the air in that install.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Jul 2004
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Location
Up north in Sunderland
Does the plume expel outwards over the fence? I would have thought it would barely expel a foot before rising to the sky.

Even if it was angled left or right, they're still going to see it/smell it/hear it/<whatever else they're complaining about>.

Easily clear that fence on fire up, will smell of gas also, Wont last long.

It could have always been an "issue" for them but never bothered to mention it until they saw work getting done to it and thought they would pipe up...
 
Soldato
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City of London
Mines a vertical flue and the condensation easily travels the length of the house when it's going full blast.
The condensation on mine is enough on a cold morning to travel about 5 foot down the path and then set off my Ring floodlight camera which is on the corner of the wall on the other side. I'm moving the boiler at some point so will wait until then before tackling it.
 
Soldato
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7th Level of Hell...
I'm not sure why people are having a go at the neighbour.... a change to a neighbouring house has now created a problem that wasn't there before and they have asked if something can be done to rectify it.

I'm sure if the OP had put up that they were the neighbour in this scenario, the reaction from some on here would have been different.... Is £100 or so a lot to keep the peace when it was the OP's house change that caused the issue in the first place?
 
Associate
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Near to Overclockers
Just fit a plume control kit. Job done.

It is actually a rule to not allow the flue plume to cause a nuisance. Generally means don't eject it towards someone else's property without control at least.
Which rules would those be? If the rule exists, it should also specify what distance is acceptable as most flues will face a neighbours property at some distance. Also do not confuse a condensation plume on a cold morning, with the exhaust gasses, they are two separate things. 12 years working in Environmental Health, I have dealt with enough of these over the years.
 
Soldato
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9 Apr 2007
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13,453
Which rules would those be? If the rule exists, it should also specify what distance is acceptable as most flues will face a neighbours property at some distance. Also do not confuse a condensation plume on a cold morning, with the exhaust gasses, they are two separate things. 12 years working in Environmental Health, I have dealt with enough of these over the years.
You should know this then shouldn't you.

British Standard BS5440-1 "recommends" that condensing boiler flues should not be sited where the plume is "likely to cause a nuisance".

However, "guidance" (not compulsory) in the government document "Guide to the Condensing Boiler Installation Assessment Procedure for Dwellings" extends this 600mm to "a minimum 2·5m from a facing wall, fence, building, or the property boundary" for condensing boilers.
 
Soldato
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Who knows though. I never said it would, I asked what if it did.... The point being, where do you draw the line. I didn't think I needed that much explanation, sorry.
It's what plume kits are for, i was answering your original post, my dad complained about their neighbours new boiler and he just fitted a plume kit after seeing that the plume would on occasion blow into my parents kitchen window.
Problem solved and happy neigbours. Up to you if you don't want to have one fitted.

If cost was an issue, using British Gas was a mistake.
 
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