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Oil Tank & Boiler Position

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  • 25-03-2008 9:52am
    #1
    Cmar-Ireland
    Registered Users Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭


    I searched for an answer on this and couldn't find any info, so hopefully someone on here can help!
    I want to relocate the boiler to the bottom of the garden, beside the oil tank. The tank is currently supported on three walls and what I'd like to do is move the boiler to the space beside them.
    The boiler would be approx 500mm from the tank. Would this be an issue? (This is outdoor, not in a shed/garage BTW)

    The boiler would be approx 10m from the house. I was going to use lagged qualpex pipes inside a 4" pipe, for the run. Is this going to be an inefficient way to pipe it? I have read about "district piping" which is better insulated, but expensive. Would I need this?

    It is a grant 50/90 condensing boiler.

    Thanks


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    #2
    MickLimk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 188 ✭✭MickLimk


    I think you have a problem there with the proximity of the boiler to the tank.

    Part J of the building regs covers heat producing appliances and oil tanks but it refers to BS 5410 as the recommended source for separation distances. At a minimum, I'd say you will have to have a concrete wall between them that would prevent spread of fire. I'm sure others on here will be able to give you better info but I'd say no to what you're proposing...


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    #3
    Cmar-Ireland
    Registered Users Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭Cmar-Ireland


    MickLimk wrote: »
    I think you have a problem there with the proximity of the boiler to the tank.

    Part J of the building regs covers heat producing appliances and oil tanks but it refers to BS 5410 as the recommended source for separation distances. At a minimum, I'd say you will have to have a concrete wall between them that would prevent spread of fire. I'm sure others on here will be able to give you better info but I'd say no to what you're proposing...

    Are the building regs available to view online?


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    #4
    MickLimk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 188 ✭✭MickLimk


    Took me a while to find the link again. They're all available here for download as PDFs. Not sure how much benefit this will be to you for this particular question though as it doesn't give much detail. My opinion was purely based on safety regarding a heat source and an oil tank...

    http://www.environ.ie/en/TGD/


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    #5
    Cmar-Ireland
    Registered Users Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭Cmar-Ireland


    MickLimk wrote: »
    Took me a while to find the link again. They're all available here for download as PDFs. Not sure how much benefit this will be to you for this particular question though as it doesn't give much detail. My opinion was purely based on safety regarding a heat source and an oil tank...

    http://www.environ.ie/en/TGD/


    Thanks for the link.

    That's my concern too. It's not a big problem to build a wall between them for safety's sake, But I have seen plenty of houses with the tank and boiler within a meter of each other.

    Any opinions on the distance of the run for the pipes? Would lagging be enough?


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    #6
    youtheman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,285 ✭✭✭youtheman


    I’m no expert on the building regulations, though I’m an engineer who is used to reading and interpreting regulations.

    I had a look at Document J, see page 18 here:
    http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1650,en.pdf

    The main thrust of the regulation (in my opinion) is protecting the oil tank from a house fire, not the other way round. If you plan to move the boiler, and not the tank, then nothing has changed. It does recommend an automatic fuel cut off valve, which I presume is a spring loaded valve with a frangible link that melts when it reaches a certain temperature (seems like a good idea, if you get a fire in the boiler then at least you don’t continue to feed it with fuel). There could already be one fitted..

    Having an internal combustion engine next to its fuel tank is not unduly risky in my opinion, we sit in one every day on the way to work.

    Running hot pipes under ground (externally) is no worse than running them under the floor. Points to note are:
    • the external ground temperature will be lower than say the internal floor temperature, so you will have more heat loss for a given insulation thickness. So double up on the insulation.
    • The ground will be liable to be wet, so if you run the pipes in a conduit then you need to ensure that it is totally water tight. If you get water in the conduit then it will have a detrimental effect on your insulation.
    • You will also have to run electrical power to the boiler, but you can always run this over-ground.
    • If you bury pipes (and/or wires) in the back yard then you’ll have to assess the risk of some one damaging them, and take appropriate counter measures.
    • If it was me then I’d do a regular check to confirm the temperature loss across thr buried section, i.e. check the temperature at both ends of the system (to check that your insulation is working).


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    #7
    Cmar-Ireland
    Registered Users Posts: 2,340 ✭✭✭Cmar-Ireland


    Thanks for the link and info.

    I got some info on insulated district heating pipes. The dual pipe version is approx €35 per meter. Heat loss is virtually nil for my length of run, but is it worth approx €350 for piping? My brother is a plumber and he says double lagged qualpex in a wavin pipe would be adquate and about 1/4 the price.


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