Gas Boiler flue enquiry......

Nikki · Jul 2, 2018

My gas boiler is wall fitted and is set up in my kitchen close to my sink. The housing association has done a half arsed job and the flue has yellow expansive foam coming out of it with no cover over it. I was putting lining paper up in my kitchen ready to be painted. I was trimming the lining paper around the flue area with a stanly knife and as i was doing so there was a loud bang and sparks. It has tripped one of my fuses in the fuse box. Im a little scared to put it back on. Can someone please help explain whats happened here? The stanly blade has black on the blade. I think i was lucky. Whatever i did i think it may have been fatal if i hasn't moved away so quick with the blade. I don't understand tho how the foam could make that effect. I wasnt cutting anywhere near a plug or around sockets. Just near this foam stuff around the boiler

[ElectriciansForums.net] Gas Boiler flue enquiry......

Wilko · Jul 2, 2018

Hi Nikki - I'm glad you're still with us !
It's certainly not the foam that's caused a bang. I fancy I can see a power cable buried in it. If I'm seeing correctly it's showing at the bottom of the foam about 1/3 way from right hand end. If I'm correct it will need an Electrician to assess and repair it I'm afraid.

Nikki · Jul 2, 2018

Thanks so much for a speedy reply. Can I ask... is this usual for electricians to leave open flues like this? is this a health and safety risk? if so I feel the need to rip the housing association a new one!

telectrix · Jul 2, 2018

is it a rented property? if so, then the housing association is liable for putting that right. if you want a laugh, here's a housing association repair to a split purlin. as you can see, they've made no attempt to clamp/glue/support it, just banged in a few coach bolts, making the split worse and weakening the timber even more than before.

Wilko · Jul 2, 2018

Keeping in mind that it's just one picture etc, but it doesn't look like good workmanship to me.

PEG · Jul 2, 2018

I think you need to be more concerned with the non-compliant nature of the flue sealing. That fitting is DIY standard.

snowhead · Jul 3, 2018

If the housing association try to come back at you with a bill for damage to the cable, there should not be a cable in such a position that someone with a knife can damage it that easilly.

Deleted account · Jul 3, 2018

wilko,
I really cannot see that cable that's been mentioned. I've enlarged the image and still cannot see it. I think your seeing a bit of rubble stuck in that mess of expanding foam. Maybe I'm just blind.

Nikki,
in answer to your question regarding electrician leaving flue in this condition. An electrician shouldn't be touching boiler flues. Only a gas safe engineer can install boilers and their flues and test there suitability.

Peter