old back boiler

ted1

Just a quick question. I have a old back boiler that I think has been decommissoned.

We get quite a bad draft comign down from the chimney when the gas fire is not light.
I saw a lever the other day which i thought may close the fireplace when not in use. but now i realise I though wrong.

what does the lever and plate in red do and whats it called.

Dtp79

ted1 wrote: »

Just a quick question. I have a old back boiler that I think has been decommissoned.

We get quite a bad draft comign down from the chimney when the gas fire is not light.
I saw a lever the other day which i thought may close the fireplace when not in use. but now i realise I though wrong.

what does the lever and plate in red do and whats it called.

That lever controls the heat. Pulling it out gives heat to the boiler. Pushing it in gives heat to the room. Was your gas fire fitted in against an old back boiler?

ted1

i brought the hose in June and havn't touched the fire.
I think it was all fitted at the same time. When I check the cabinet at the side it looks liek the pipes coming and going to the boiler have been cut and capped.

the plan is to replace both with an inset stove. but that won't happen for a few months.

Dtp79

ted1 wrote: »

i brought the hose in June and havn't touched the fire.
I think it was all fitted at the same time. When I check the cabinet at the side it looks liek the pipes coming and going to the boiler have been cut and capped.

the plan is to replace both with an inset stove. but that won't happen for a few months.

What u mean you brought the hose in?

ted1

Dtp79 wrote: »

What u mean you brought the hose in?

I mean i should have checked my spelling. I bought the house in June. It was built in 1984.

Dtp79

ted1 wrote: »

I mean i should have checked my spelling. I bought the house in June. It was built in 1984.

I think you should get an RGI to check the fire. Maybe I'm wrong but I've never seen a fire fitted to a back boiler. That damper lever shouldn't be there as it would effect the draw on the chimney and there could be spillage of fumes into the room.

Robbie.G

Do not light your fire by what you are ssying it looks like the back boiler may be left in a sealed state .This id highly dangerous get s decent plumber that knows about solid fuel to have a look at it Do Not Use Until Checked Out. http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/localgovernment/boilers.htm

Irish Steve

Robbie.G wrote: »

Do not light your fire by what you are ssying it looks like the back boiler may be left in a sealed state .This id highly dangerous get s decent plumber that knows about solid fuel to have a look at it Do Not Use Until Checked Out. http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/localgovernment/boilers.htm

HSE is issuing this safety alert for the attention of individual homeowners, tenants, landlords and the plumbing/heating industry. This is to raise awareness of the potential dangers of lighting a solid fuel fire when a redundant solid fuel back boiler has been left within the fireplace.

The OP asked in relation to a GAS fire, not a solid fuel.

While there may be some significant and possibly dangerous issues relating to the flue, especially if the room ventilation is inadequate, the gas fire will not have the capability to overheat the back boiler and cause the issue that the HSE warning relates to.

Robbie.G

Irish Steve wrote: »

The OP asked in relation to a GAS fire, not a solid fuel.

While there may be some significant and possibly dangerous issues relating to the flue, especially if the room ventilation is inadequate, the gas fire will not have the capability to overheat the back boiler and cause the issue that the HSE warning relates to.

My apologies i didn't read it right I just seen fire and back boiler.I don't understand why people don't remove the old back boiler.The damper should be removed for the fire to be used it could effect the correct operation of the flue

johnytwentyten

have the exact same setup in my house, pull the lever open when i start the fire to get it going then close again when up and running, been in the house for 15 years and no issues with gases or whatever, think its just to heaten the back boiler when open or the room when closed. have to say that we have a very good draw on the chimney so im sure that helps. when i leave the lever open it would burn the fire out twice as quick

Dtp79

johnytwentyten wrote: »

have the exact same setup in my house, pull the lever open when i start the fire to get it going then close again when up and running, been in the house for 15 years and no issues with gases or whatever, think its just to heaten the back boiler when open or the room when closed. have to say that we have a very good draw on the chimney so im sure that helps. when i leave the lever open it would burn the fire out twice as quick

But yours isn't a gas fire!

johnytwentyten

yep, but one of his questions was what it was for

Robbie.G

johnytwentyten wrote: »

yep, but one of his questions was what it was for

It is called a damper and it does just what you said but for a gas fire it has no purpose and should be removed as if the damper is pull forward when the fire is lit it can cause the flue gases not to expel properly which can be dangerous.

ted1

I'll take out the damper tomorrow, I presume I'll lose even more heat as a result.

I'll post some pictures of the side pipes. To see its possible to tell if the boiler is just sealed.

Dtp79

ted1 wrote: »

I'll take out the damper tomorrow, I presume I'll lose even more heat as a result.

I'll post some pictures of the side pipes. To see its possible to tell if the boiler is just sealed.

Get an RGI to check it out and do a spillage test