come across a boiler in a cupboard with a wire cage built in front of it

[hammers4spanner]

can someone explain why once in a while i come across a boiler in a cupboard with a wire cage built in front of it? The only reason i can think of is to stop washing being dumped on top of the boiler and if this was the case why not have it as a reg?
however i came across one yesterday where i could not get at the boiler to service it so ended up spending half hour dismantling this cage which would have been more suited for a zoo !!!

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

its actually in the regs somewhere even gives the min dimensions of the holes

had too much single malt to dig it out now, im sure someone else will

 

[villa_tom]

I've never seen anything like this.

Have you got any pictures mate?

 

[hammers4spanner]

No mate never thought of taking pics as seen it several times so presumed it was for some sort of reason but dont know what however yesterdays debacle beggard belief and was to busy dismantling it to think of pics .i cant see how some of them are allowed due to access to boiler etc

 

[Dotty]

I remember this was discussed during my CCN1. I was too busy being confused by how tiny the boilers were to pay proper attention!

 

[lgastec]

If a boiler is installed in a cupboard/compartment, and that space is to be used for storage, there should be a purpose provided partition to prevent objects coming into contact with it. The boiler should also have a sticker applied to the case/compartment/cupboard door, like this to advise the customer regarding this.

[DLMURL="http://www.reginproducts.co.uk/stickersandtags/REGP15"]REGP15 - Important - Compartment Sticker | Regin[/DLMURL]

 

[kirkgas]

This is covered in theory CCN, and in the Regs, you cannot store flammable material in a boiler cupboard, and if clothing etc is stored there then you need a separation between the boiler and the shelving, it goes back to when boilers had single wall flues that were red hot and if clothing fell onto the flue it could have went on fire, and old boilers being open flued there was a risk of stuff falling off the boiler and blocking air intake, most boilers are now room sealed and no real risk with twin wall, and certainly no risk with condensing, but the regs haven't caught up yet,
BS5440 part 1 has diagrams of what is required, but basically timber studs and chicken wire does it

 

[AlexGas]

It’s in BS 6798:2009

Here it is:

From current BS 6798:2009

Specification for installation
and maintenance of gas-fired
boilers of rated input not
exceeding 70 kW net

5.3.3 Airing cupboard installations
5.3.3.1 An airing cupboard adapted to house a boiler shall conform to 5.3.2. Additionally, the airing spaces shall be separated from the boiler compartment by a non-combustible partition, which may be perforated, if necessary, by apertures having a major dimension no greater than 13 mm.

5.3.3.2 Any flue duct which passes through the airing space shall be double-walled or thermally insulated, unless the duct is surrounded by an air inlet duct.

5.3.3.3 Where the boiler is of the open-flued type, the draught diverter and the air vents shall be in the boiler compartment and shall connect to the room and not the airing space.

COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON 5.3.3.2 and 5.3.3.3
For a double-wall chimney conforming to BS EN 1856-1, or for a flue duct concentric with an air inlet duct, the external skin and the air gap provide sufficient insulation and no extra precautions are necessary other than normal installation tolerances.
A single-wall chimney should be protected by an air gap of at least 25 mm for a distance of at least 1 m from the draught diverter outlet connection.
This air gap can be provided by a non-combustible guard which forms an annular space around the chimney of not less than 25 mm.
Any clearance between the chimney guard and the compartment partition where the chimney passes through should not exceed 13 mm. (See Figure 5.)
Expanded metal or rigid wire meshes are suitable materials for the partition and guard.

 

[AlexGas]

Figure 5.