New Oil Boiler - Listed thatched house

[dontknowitall]

I'm soon going to replace an oil boiler (minor, becoming major water leak) in a Grade II listed, thatched house - built in the 15th century. A beautiful house which would look great on a jigsaw puzzle.

Simples.

Except the boiler isn't made anymore so I can't do a direct replacement. It has to be a non condensing boiler as it's in the middle of the house and nowhere else to site it without a major re-building exercise. The flue size is a problem and the flue has probably never been cleaned so will probably have to be replaced.

I'm primarily worried about fire safety and want to cover as much as possible. To this end, I've contacted OFTEC who told me which regulations I need to check. I've asked the customer to contact their insurance company to find out if there's anything they're going to insist upon.

I've contacted my local building control who told me that as I'm a competent person (cough - did I hear that right?) that I should be fine. I suspect, the way I was talking about the job, that they didn't want to know.

I'm in the process of contacting the listed buildings dept to find out if they want a site visit before I start as it probably needs a new flue.

Have I covered all bases or is there anything else I should be doing (apart from a proper job of course).

 

[Bartdude]

What sort of flue is there now? If it's a chimney then Worcester make a flue liner to be used with their condensing Greenstar boilers.

Is an external boiler out of the question?That would solve the flueing issue!

 

[oiley]

I would suggest you fit a condensing model if possible as you will save approx 15% - 20% on your fuel bill. Warmflow do a large range of oil fired condensing boilers and they have a plastic flexible balanced flue system which is designed to go up an existing chimney or liner, good luck.

 

[dontknowitall]

Thank you for your ideas.

Existing flue is a 5" Worcester (and I assume conventional) with a terminal at the top of the chimney. Thank you for thinking of an external boiler - must admit I was wondering if it was worth relocating one and hadn't really thought about external although I usually do. Plumbing would still be one heck of a job and I'm not sure the Listed Buildings Dept would be that pleased. I'll have a think though.

The existing boiler is in the hall with a passage on one side and room on the other and is slap bang in the middle of the house. The oil line is concreted into the floor and there's no way to condense - big shame because all these questions would have been solved!

I've also trawled ebay and other sites for second hand boilers but no luck so far as then I could do a straight swap and keep the burner for spares.

 

[gpbeck]

Why no way to condense? Low flue temperatures a very good idea in a thatched house...

 

[Bartdude]

What about one of these??

Grundfos Conlift L Automatic Condensate Pump

 

[dontknowitall]

gpbeck - I'd love to put a condensing boiler in. North of the boiler is a chimney then sitting room. South of the boiler is the hall. West of the boiler is a small downstairs bathroom but nowhere to link into waste unless they want a surface mounted condensate pipe on two sides of the room. East of the boiler is the corridor from the hall to the sitting room.

I suppose I could fit a pipe across the corridor and box it in with something and create a little step and up and down banister for the elderly customer ... maybe not!!

I've looked at loads of ways of doing this but apart from a possible external boiler it's impossible to fit a condensing one.

Bartdude - many thanks for that one! I'd not thought about that possibility at all as I'd no idea those were made. That'll get me thinking.

gpbeck - maybe it will be condensing after all!!

 

[gpbeck]

And a spill over T in the condensate pipe in case pump fails.

 

[kimbo]

Cant believe you didnt know external boilers were made. If you fit a firebird condensing boiler they come with a condensate pump which uses 10mm pipe to take the condensate away. Also if you want to go down the non condensing route Firebird and grant do them and they will make them if they have non in stock.

 

[dontknowitall]

Thanks, Kimbo. Too late now as it's been replaced. (The first boiler I serviced was an external boiler!)