A U.K. couple expecting a baby asked Reddit for guidance after spotting what looked like a neighbor's boiler flue venting into the tight path by their front door.
They said the end of the flue was four inches from the fence line, leaving them unsure whether the arrangement was safe or allowed.
Here's what to know
The original poster said the neighbor's wall was just a foot from the fence line, while the couple's own doors and windows were 7 feet from the flue. "We've got a newborn arriving soon, so we want to make sure it's safe," they wrote.
One commenter replied, "If it's under [23.6 inches], then the boiler doesn't comply with regs." Another added, "Even if the boiler flue had been cut correctly, it still would be wrong."
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"It's against the regulations, but unless it's venting into an open window, it's no danger to anyone," one commenter wrote, while another said a boiler that is burning incorrectly could send carbon monoxide or natural gas into an airbrick or window.
More background
The workmanship also became a subject of discussion. One person wrote, "That core and fix is a total mess," and another asked: "Has the original boiler been replaced with one with a co-ax flue? It looks like there was originally a much larger flue there."
One commenter also noted the output was "mostly just water vapour" and above head height.
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What can be done?
Several people suggested approaching the neighbor. "I would talk to your neighbours if you're concerned and offer to pay for an extension kit which would duct it upwards and then out," one commenter wrote. "... Don't get building control involved at the first stage; it'll piss them off even if it is an infringement. Remember you live next to your neighbour!"
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