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Firstly the insulating materials itself must be of a 'packed or compressed' type. This means that there is very little chance of the insulating material compressing or going to the bottom of the tube. If this does happen then the pipe is no longer insulated and 'hot spots' are formed increasing the risk of fire. Rigidity of an assembly is important as this quite often forms a complete chimney on the outside wall of a house it must be able to withstand all weathers, including winds.
An existing chimney or a new flue or chimney installation must be given a visual inspection to check that it is in good order (this should take the form of a risk analysis based on the safety of the installation). It must be clear of obstructions and be of a suitable size and type for the appliance you plan to install. It may be necessary to sweep the flue (which should always be done prior to fitting a stove or lining a chimney) and also, if necessary, to do a smoke test to check for gas tightness. A checklist should be completed showing that "the materials and components appropriate to the intended application have been used and that flues have passed the appropriate tests" A permanent notice plate should be fixed at an appropriate position giving details of the location of the fireplace, the type and size of the flue and type of heating appliance used. Other Building Regulations that commonly affect stove and flue installation Flue pipe clearance when adjacent to combustible materialsAny single wall flue pipe used, both rigid and flexible, must not be closer than three times the diameter when adjacent to combustible materials (i.e. wooden fireplace lintel). Flue height above the roofTo calculate the minimum height of a flue above the roof line, it is best to refer to the images given in the relevant approved document or ask Gwent Fire Installations about your specific requirements. However it can be said that as a minimum length you must have a flue at least 4.5m high for a closed appliance/stove and 5.5m for an open fire. VentilationFixed ventilation must be provided when installing any solid fuel stove which has an output higher than 5kws. Therefore 550 sq mm/Kw over 5Kw of ventilation is required. This means fitting an airbrick of sufficient size.
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