The water heating at my parents house is as follows:

Gravity fed hot water tank, with top-mounted immersion heater
Dedicated gas water heater, condemned a few years ago after it stopped
working!
This is in an airing cupboard entered from the bathroom.

They have been heating the water using the top-mounted cylinder immersion
heater for the past couple of years. This is not ideal as it only heats the
very top of the tank.

They have been told by the plumber that condemned the old gas water heater
that it was no longer allowed to install gas boilers inside a bathroom, and
that a similar system could not be replaced, forcing them to use the
(backup) immersion heater.

Is this true? What are the regulations with regard to siting a new boiler
installation? What are their options?

The house is heated by warm air central heating, so water and room heating
are separate.

--
Dane Koekoek

In article . co.uk,
Dane Koekoek writes:
The water heating at my parents house is as follows:

Gravity fed hot water tank, with top-mounted immersion heater
Dedicated gas water heater, condemned a few years ago after it stopped
working!
This is in an airing cupboard entered from the bathroom.

They have been heating the water using the top-mounted cylinder immersion
heater for the past couple of years. This is not ideal as it only heats the
very top of the tank.

They have been told by the plumber that condemned the old gas water heater
that it was no longer allowed to install gas boilers inside a bathroom, and

I believe open flued multipoint heaters are no longer allowed
in bathrooms. The old Ascot heaters were the classics of this
type, although there were other makes. They were killing rather
a lot of people each year with carbon monoxide.

that a similar system could not be replaced, forcing them to use the
(backup) immersion heater.

Is this true? What are the regulations with regard to siting a new boiler
installation? What are their options?

The house is heated by warm air central heating, so water and room heating
are separate.

Potterton Baxi still make a couple of room-sealed multipoint
water heaters (they now own "Main" which was a well-known maker
of these), and these would be allowed in a bathroom. If you are
happy with the existing heating, this might be worth looking
into. I use one, and have a separate boiler for just the central
heating.

--
Andrew Gabriel

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article . co.uk,
Dane Koekoek writes:
The water heating at my parents house is as follows:

Gravity fed hot water tank, with top-mounted immersion heater
Dedicated gas water heater, condemned a few years ago after it stopped
working!
This is in an airing cupboard entered from the bathroom.

They have been heating the water using the top-mounted cylinder
immersion
heater for the past couple of years. This is not ideal as it only heats
the
very top of the tank.

They have been told by the plumber that condemned the old gas water
heater
that it was no longer allowed to install gas boilers inside a bathroom,
and

I believe open flued multipoint heaters are no longer allowed
in bathrooms. The old Ascot heaters were the classics of this
type, although there were other makes. They were killing rather
a lot of people each year with carbon monoxide.

that a similar system could not be replaced, forcing them to use the
(backup) immersion heater.

Is this true? What are the regulations with regard to siting a new
boiler
installation? What are their options?

The house is heated by warm air central heating, so water and room
heating
are separate.

Potterton Baxi still make a couple of room-sealed multipoint
water heaters (they now own "Main" which was a well-known maker
of these), and these would be allowed in a bathroom. If you are
happy with the existing heating, this might be worth looking
into. I use one, and have a separate boiler for just the central
heating.

The room sealed non-electric models are allowed open on walls in bathrooms.
Those with electrics must be in cupboards. The same with boilers.




_________________________________________
Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server
More than 120,000 groups
Unlimited download
http://www.usenetzone.com to open account

In article . co.uk,
Dane Koekoek wrote:
They have been heating the water using the top-mounted cylinder
immersion heater for the past couple of years. This is not ideal as it
only heats the very top of the tank.

If it's a standard top mounting 'vertical' immersion it should heat near
all of the tank, if it's the correct length. Cowboy plumbers will
sometimes replace it with one which is too short.

--
*Laugh alone and the world thinks you're an idiot.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 20:09:08 +0000, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article . co.uk,
Dane Koekoek wrote:
They have been heating the water using the top-mounted cylinder
immersion heater for the past couple of years. This is not ideal as it
only heats the very top of the tank.

If it's a standard top mounting 'vertical' immersion it should heat near
all of the tank, if it's the correct length. Cowboy plumbers will
sometimes replace it with one which is too short.

True, but I find that a 27" heater in a 42" cylinder will only heat about
1/2 the cylinder. You might say well 27/42 is about 2/3 but the
thermostat is much shorter than 27" (11" IIRC) and that governs the
heating.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html

(Andrew Gabriel) wrote:

In article . co.uk, Dane
Koekoek writes:

[SNIP]

They have been told by the plumber that condemned the old gas water
heater that it was no longer allowed to install gas boilers inside a
bathroom, and

I believe open flued multipoint heaters are no longer allowed in
bathrooms. The old Ascot heaters were the classics of this type, although
there were other makes.

That's the make - couldn't think of it when making the original posting!


They were killing rather a lot of people each year with carbon monoxide.

I'll have to break that news to my parents. Might make them feel rather
better now that it was condemned.


that a similar system could not be replaced, forcing them to use the
(backup) immersion heater.

Is this true? What are the regulations with regard to siting a new
boiler installation? What are their options?

The house is heated by warm air central heating, so water and room
heating are separate.

Potterton Baxi still make a couple of room-sealed multipoint water heaters
(they now own "Main" which was a well-known maker of these), and these
would be allowed in a bathroom.

Would these still be legal to fit after April this year? Presumably they
aren't condensing?


If you are happy with the existing heating, this might be worth looking
into. I use one, and have a separate boiler for just the central heating.

They replaced the aging central heaving boiler with a new unit just over a
year ago, so I guess that's staying!


Dane

--
Dane Koekoek

"Doctor Evil" wrote:

The room sealed non-electric models are allowed open on walls in
bathrooms. Those with electrics must be in cupboards. The same with
boilers.

Can they be in an airing cupboard off the bathroom? Is this allowed?


--
Dane Koekoek

Ed Sirett wrote:

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 20:09:08 +0000, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article . co.uk,
Dane Koekoek wrote:
They have been heating the water using the top-mounted cylinder
immersion heater for the past couple of years. This is not ideal as it
only heats the very top of the tank.

If it's a standard top mounting 'vertical' immersion it should heat near
all of the tank, if it's the correct length. Cowboy plumbers will
sometimes replace it with one which is too short.

True, but I find that a 27" heater in a 42" cylinder will only heat about
1/2 the cylinder. You might say well 27/42 is about 2/3 but the
thermostat is much shorter than 27" (11" IIRC) and that governs the
heating.

Thermostat is 18", and it only manages to heat the top of the tank. The tank
is a big one - used to be enough for at least two good sized baths. With the
electric immersion heater there's just enough water for one bath.

Not sure which sized element has been replaced by (cowboy) plumber in the
past, but am making sure that when it needs replacing in the future it's got
the longest one possible inside of it!


Dane

--
Dane Koekoek

"Dane Koekoek" wrote in message
HIS.co.uk...
"Doctor Evil" wrote:

The room sealed non-electric models are allowed open on walls in
bathrooms. Those with electrics must be in cupboards. The same with
boilers.

Can they be in an airing cupboard off the bathroom? Is this allowed?

yep.


_________________________________________
Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server
More than 120,000 groups
Unlimited download
http://www.usenetzone.com to open account

"Dane Koekoek" wrote in message
HIS.co.uk...
Ed Sirett wrote:

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 20:09:08 +0000, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article . co.uk,
Dane Koekoek wrote:
They have been heating the water using the top-mounted cylinder
immersion heater for the past couple of years. This is not ideal as
it
only heats the very top of the tank.

If it's a standard top mounting 'vertical' immersion it should heat
near
all of the tank, if it's the correct length. Cowboy plumbers will
sometimes replace it with one which is too short.

True, but I find that a 27" heater in a 42" cylinder will only heat
about
1/2 the cylinder. You might say well 27/42 is about 2/3 but the
thermostat is much shorter than 27" (11" IIRC) and that governs the
heating.

Thermostat is 18", and it only manages to heat the top of the tank. The
tank
is a big one - used to be enough for at least two good sized baths. With
the
electric immersion heater there's just enough water for one bath.

Not sure which sized element has been replaced by (cowboy) plumber in the
past, but am making sure that when it needs replacing in the future it's
got
the longest one possible inside of it!

Best have two. One at the bottom and one at the top, and then all the
cylinder is heated. Have an economy switch that switches either:

1. The top one on (make sure this is a short immersion to heat enough for
about 4 sink fulls of hot water)
2. Both immersions and enough for a bath or two. Short immersions are
available that are 4, 5, 6 kW so a quicker heat up.

You may need top get a an immersion bosse fitted in the bottom of the
cylinder to accommodate the second immersion heater.

Alternatively get a 28kW gas condensing boiler and a quick recovery cylinder
and full cylinder of hot water at 1/4 of the cost within minutes.





_________________________________________
Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server
More than 120,000 groups
Unlimited download
http://www.usenetzone.com to open account

They should really put them in the bottom. The Megaflow not only has the immersion at the bottom but it's L shaped so that it reaches the very bottom. The rationalle is that Legionelas disease may form in the tepid water at the bottom of cylinders. I understand from Baxipotterton this new fear of Legionelas is inspiring bottom placement.

The combi cylinder I fitted on Thursday came with just one side mounting hole at the bottom (I'd rather it had two but one it had).

In article .uk,
Ed Sirett wrote:
If it's a standard top mounting 'vertical' immersion it should heat
near all of the tank, if it's the correct length. Cowboy plumbers will
sometimes replace it with one which is too short.

True, but I find that a 27" heater in a 42" cylinder will only heat
about 1/2 the cylinder. You might say well 27/42 is about 2/3 but the
thermostat is much shorter than 27" (11" IIRC) and that governs the
heating.

Yes, but the longer element will cause the water to circulate since hot
rises to the top. Otherwise, those twin length types wouldn't work.

--
*Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.