CO2 alarm with boiler relay

Effects

I'm installing a boiler in a downstairs bathroom. It's mounted on a wall that backs onto the underside of the stairs. Engineer has asked for a fire assessment of placement, which he had designed originally. He's also suggested a carbon monoxide alarm in the unit where it's housed with a relay to cut off the boiler.

Is this overkill? We were going to have a CO alarm anyway as part of the linked smoke and heat detectors. It seems like engineer is covering himself.

I'm also reluctant to pay a fire officer when I've already paid the engineer to spec the system.

Wearb

Installer is covering himself and rightly so. I would ring my house insurers for guidance if I were faced with a similar question.

Effects

So the chain goes Plumber/Installer > Engineer > Fire Officer.

I don't have house insurance yet so can't call them. That said, I've found insurers a pain to deal with, if it's not in a drop down menu in front of them they just say no.

Wearb

"So the chain goes Plumber/Installer > Engineer > Fire Officer.

I don't have house insurance yet so can't call them. That said, I've found insurers a pain to deal with, if it's not in a drop down menu in front of them they just say no. "

Well for a start, I said nothing to prompt your first line, even though it reads as if I did.

Secondly I would put house insurance before everything else except food. But that is me and you are free to do as you wish.

Effects

I was just laying out the chain of command there seems to be on this job.

I also should have clarified that it's a new build house, not completed, so there is no house to insure as of yet!

To be honest, the plumber is the easiest to deal with. I'm finding engineers overspec and request extras that aren't necessary.

Dtp1979

Is the flue concealed or going directly out through the wall?

Tom44

Even new builds should have insurance, I have see a house burned by vandals.
Home owner was covered. (Luckily)

You need to have a word with your enginer & architect if costs are escalating beyond what you were originally told.
That's why you employed them. For their expertise, knowledge and experience, they've been involved in more house building than yourself.

Effects

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Is the flue concealed or going directly out through the wall?

Directly out through the external wall.

Effects

Tom44 wrote: »

Even new builds should have insurance, I have see a house burned by vandals.
Home owner was covered. (Luckily)

You need to have a word with your enginer & architect if costs are escalating beyond what you were originally told.

I have course of construction insurance in place, which covers anything while build is under way. Different from standard house insurance which I'll need after I move in.

There's always unforeseen expenses when building, I'm just trying to keep them under control.

Dtp1979

Effects wrote: »

Directly out through the external wall.

Current gas regs say the appliance only needs to be interlocked to a co alarm if the flue is extended and in a concealed housing. And at that the co alarm should be in the housing. If fitting in the bathroom you should note that certain distances from the boiler need to be adhered to. Your plumber must also be rgi registered so he/she will know all this anyway

Effects

I was going to put a housing/cupboard unit around it rather than leave it exposed. Does this mean alarm is needed in the housing?

Dtp1979

Effects wrote: »

I was going to put a housing/cupboard unit around it rather than leave it exposed. Does this mean alarm is needed in the housing?

No it's when the flue is extended and concealed. Your rgi will have all this in the regs book

tnegun

Can I ask when the concealed flue requirement came in?

Dtp1979

tnegun wrote: »

Can I ask when the concealed flue requirement came in?

Ring RGII and ask them cause I'm not certain.

K.Flyer

tnegun wrote: »

Can I ask when the concealed flue requirement came in?

It was Jan 2014 and was incorporated into the new I.S. 813 (2014) regs.

tnegun

Thanks guys we built an extension in late 2013 and the flue was extended though an attic but no relay fitted so I guess I missed it by a couple of months.

tnegun

tnegun wrote: »

Thanks guys we built an extension in late 2013 and the flue was extended though an attic but no relay fitted so I guess I missed it by a couple of months.

Worth thinking about, there are people dead from defective flues in attics.

Effects

Dtp1979 wrote: »

No it's when the flue is extended and concealed. Your rgi will have all this in the regs book

It's not extended or concealed but plumber/RGI said it needs CO alarm.

Effects

gary71 wrote: »

Worth thinking about, there are people dead from defective flues in attics.

How often does this happen? I can only remember the odd one from the news and always thought it was old equipment. To be fair, any death is still one too many.

Dtp1979

Effects wrote: »

It's not extended or concealed but plumber/RGI said it needs CO alarm.

He's wrong. Simple as that.
But it's not a bad idea to fit one in the same room.

Effects

Effects wrote: »

How often does this happen? I can only remember the odd one from the news and always thought it was old equipment. To be fair, any death is still one too many.

As a ex-British gas emergency first responder I can promise you one is definitely to many especially as every death is very very preventable.