or whatever it's called now???

 

its Gas Safe now mate

what do you need to know ?

 

and the question is????

 

had a gas fire fitted, by a qualified bloke although it 'failed' the smoke/spill/draw test once all fitted. So he disconnected it again. Recommended that we get the flue spigot extension from the fires manufacturers (Flavel Rennaisance retro 6.9kw). Which we did, and I fitted it. Had another qualified bloke round (original not available) - STILL failed.


Ripped it all out again

When first fitted we had to raise the lintle a bricks height to enable the flue spigot to pass under it.

He had a look and reckoned where we had raised the lintle up it had narrowed the chimney due to the remains of the old back boiler installation, so it could be that causing it.

I soon rectified that!!


Checked chimney with smoke pellet - all fine.

refitted and sealed the fires backplate.

fitted fire, connected up etc.

fire on full welly for 10 odd mins, spill test - FAIL (although better than before)

Read the manual and it says for the spill test "Ensure that MOST of the smoke is drawn into the flue aperture"

Our guy is under the impression that there should be NO spill into the room. Although he has his ticket, on his own admission he doesn't work on gas fires and wants to make sure he gets it right obviously (and quite rightly!!)

So what sort of a stipulation is "MOST" ??

As I was present during the test and 'not much' spilled. So according to the manufacturers instructions I believe it's ok.

Any experience of this at all??

sorry it's a bit of a story, this is the short version

 

Do you have an air brick in the room and have all the doors ect shut when doing the test????

 

As for the spill test..........lets say you want 95% to go up the chimney............

 

No air brick Tiff thats the next option, all windows/ doors shut. Apparently the fire is 6.9kw so shouldn't need additional ventilation.

The bit I, (and steph the gas bloke) am worried about is the "MOST" bit as I reckon 'most' of the smoke is being drawn up.

 

Would you be happy to sit in the room with what is spilling out staying there and dissolving away......

Ie, if you had a never ending smoke pellet and left it smoking and spilling what it is spilling into the room.....

Without seeing it , it is hard..

 

you can have whisps blowing back but not a lot, is he holding the smoke tube in the correct place on the fire as just running it along the front dosent count, check the instructions they will tell you exactly where to carry out the test, if still failing open a window slightly, if it passes then you will need extra ventilation

 

It has to draw 100%, If it doesn't and you use it, the Gas Safe engineer that commisioned it will be liable for any deaths/ injuries from the appliance, Gas fires all produce CO due to how they burn, so it must pass the test 100%,

I would never allow anybody to use it on any of my installations unless it passed.

How does the flue terminate ? (ridge vent or normal chimney?)

Have you swept the chimney before installation ?

 

Chimney was swept before the last gas fire was fitted, probably 2 years ago. It's a normal old style proper chimney. smoke pellet test was fine all drawn up fine with no spillage into the room.

I think there is too much ambiguity about the instructions, i.e. gas safe training/manufacturers instructions.

Especially with something as important as CO. How can you leave that to opinion? 'MOST' is like saying 'Tight' for a bolt torque setting!!!


We are not using the fire until it is sorted. We need to ring the manufacturers although they are shut over xmas!!

 

As your'e gas fire is rated to 6.9kw, you are just under the legal requirement for additional ventilation from the outside!

If you do a smoke pellet test with all the doors and windows shut around the room and it fails the test, try opening a small fan light window (only one and make sure its the smallest window too) does the smoke pellet test now pass?

You might just need a little more ventilation, regardless of what the manufactures instructions say.