What does "at risk?" mean on a boiler
Gas board came to service my boiler today, and have stuck an "at risk" sticker on due to ventilation "that's not up to current
specification"
He said he would turn it off but I could turn it back on when he went but use would be "at my own risk"
(Ventilation is just as it was when the boiler was installed 20 years ago and boiler is not giving out fumes)
What does this all mean?
May have something to do with the flu, if no one answers ill bell me dad hes in the gas board
It means that it does not comply with the current regulations although it may have done at the time it was installed.
This could be due to lots of things. Even as simple as the flu being too close to an opening window. Impossible to say what the problem is without
seeing the installation.
Also I'm not up to date with current regs as my corgi has lapsed due to my company no longer requiring me to service gas appliences.
it probably means that the regs have changed, rather than your boiler. The room needs to be ventilated in case of a leak. I would not be at all
concerned myself, but the usual disclaimer applies - dont believe everything you read on the internet!
As above reg changes probably. Guy came to service mine and the vent (on the floor next to the fire) was closable. He said he'd have to shut it
down and do the at risk thing unless I let him 'modify' it to be non opening. He just stuck a woodscrew through it 
Replaced it myself
later with a larger non-closable vent - it's not worth the risk of CO poisoning! (bl**dy Mk2 Escort tried that one on me once 
)
You really need to talk to the engineer to find out what he didn't like.
I had to fit a double brick sized non closing vent a few years ago when the regs changed. The gaps round the door were letting enough air in but the rules rule and they have to see the vent every time
ive got no ventilation at all in my kitchen, but i guess thats what happens when you get a mate to fit your boiler! Maybe regs are different on new ones?
The 'at risk' thing is the good sticker to have. The 'condemed, do not use' sticker is the nasty one!
It's all down to liability and the aforementioned regs. If the gassy man thought your equipment was endangering to life, he would have to switch
off your gas supply. As it is, you can use the equipment but it 'is at your own risk'. Thats why he probably turned your appliance off so
that when he left it, it was in a safe condition.
Just sat my domestic Corgi but without seeing the instalation and all of the paperwork its hard to say....
The correct term is "not to current standards" which can cover lots of very minor things and is usually just an advisory not to cover the
engineers back.
However should the be 2 "not to current standards" on either the Ventialtion or the Flue this is upgraded to "At Risk".
Should the be the case then the faults should really be rectified although it does sound like there maybe being a bit petty if its worked fine for so
long.
Feel free to post any further information but if its your only source of hot water then i'd say its safe enough to use in the mean time as your
not likely to be running the heating at this time of year.
OK...
House was built mid-early 80s and has a boiler that does both heating and water. Boiler is installed on a stud wall in an airing cupboard in the
middle of the house.
Sticker was purely down to ventilation:
flu apparently needs a bracket for current standards
ventilation in / out of the airing cupboard is not up to current standards
Engineer didn't seem all that bothered and said "I'm going to turn it off but you can turn it on again once I've left but
it's at your risk"
Want to replace the boiler with a loft one at some point and reclaim the airing cupboard as living space, but would like to avoid doing so for a year
or 2 if I can...
As I understand it, I can legally still use the boiler but the engineer is covering his Corgi-qualified back in case some-one dies of CO poisoning due
to insufficient ventillation....
(flippant point: lack of ventillation in airing cupboard is fair enough, but I have no intention of allowing children to sleep in there...)
PS It passed all emissions etc tests fine, BTW.
PPS for the last few years, they've been muttering about ventilation not being to current corgi standards (but is anything up to the latest
standard that is not installed in the last 6 months?). However, I believe Corgi has changed the wording of the advisory recently which has enabled
them to stick "at risk" stickers on rather than just give "not up to current standards" notices. Is this right? Anything *huge*
to worry about?
PPPS As it's been installed for 20 years, and still passing emissions tests, I'm personally not worried by using it, but am concerned on the
legal standpoints.
[Edited on 9/5/06 by stevebubs]
quote:
Originally posted by MkIndy7
However should the be 2 "not to current standards" on either the Ventialtion or the Flue this is upgraded to "At Risk".
If you have no ventilation at all it is classified 'AT RISK' all on it's own. If you have 2 'NOT TO CURRENT STANDARDS' on 1
appliance ( on flueing and ventilation) it MAY be classified as AT RISK.
AT RISK is when the appliance or Installation COULD cause harm to persons or property and should be turned off with the owners permission (it's
then down to you if you use it)
The Regs on ventilation and flueing changed in 2000 but even before then no ventilation was still AT RISK. But if all you have got is NTCS ventilation
and a clip missing on your flue I wouldn't really bother unless the vent is really inadequate.
If anyone needs any clarification on this type of issue then let me know.
(I teach all this sort of stuff to budding Gas Engineers)
Cheers
Rick
[Edited on 10/5/06 by Darth Blader]
[Edited on 10/5/06 by Darth Blader]
Ta