Alex Lever, Director of PipeSnug, highlights how to save time and cost on new build boiler installations while meeting the new requirements for pipe seals and grommets in Part L of the Building Regulations.
Cringleford Heights is a semi-rural Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ development on the outskirts of Norwich. Working at the site, the Daly Group is a successful contractor operating across East Anglia and parts of Cambridgeshire. The Group also works with other housebuilders such as RG Carter, Hills, Redrow, Tillier Homes and Elemento. As part of their remit at Cringleford Heights, the company is installing Ideal Boilers into each home, along with FlueSnug, a product designed to fit all 100mm boiler flues, which removes the need for pointing around exit pipes and can be used both externally and internally.
When the Daly Group went back on site for servicing and maintenance, it found that they often had to reseal pipework. This could have been for a number of reasons, such as the quality of the mortar, shrinkage and so on. Endorsed by major boiler manufacturers, FlueSnug removes any need for pointing, can be installed in seconds and snugly fits the 152mm core-drilled hole in the wall through which the boiler pipe and flue exits. It prevents heat escaping, acts as a barrier to drafts, damp, insects and pests and gives a great, neat finish as it can be used both inside and outside the property.
Ian Hudson, Commercial Director for the Daly Group saw its potential straight away, not only in its time saving benefits, but also how it would help them to comply with changes to Part L of the Building Regulations – which mandates the need for pipe collars where pipes enter or exit a home, helping to maintain the energy efficiency of the building. In these regulations, mortar and silicone are not considered to be an effective seal, and FlueSnug and PipeSnug create a professional finish and seal all-in-one, easily and simply meeting the regulations.
Time saving
One of the most obvious advantages to using FlueSnug is its time saving capacity. Jack O’Donnell, the Daly Group’s Contracts Director estimates it saves 30 minutes installation time pre-mixing and pointing of mortar, per boiler.
His team runs six plumbers on the site and the feedback has been brilliant from all of the engineers. The product also saves time in terms of compliance; when checking each installation, you can immediately see that the hole around the flue has been sealed. It also looks so much more professional and is cleaner than traditional mortar or sealant. This aspect of compliance is important to the Daly Group as it adheres to very high standards and offers a two-year warranty to its customers. Every installation must also reach the standard required to meet the NHBC 10 Year Warranty.
As with all new homes, those at Cringleford Heights are rigorously tested for air tightness to ensure energy efficiency and reduce energy bills for the homeowner. Air tightness testing also makes sure the property’s carbon footprint is lower and that fewer CO2 emissions escape into the atmosphere. FlueSnug brings results here too; a finish that boosts energy efficiency and ensures compliance with standards as well as the high quality demanded by Barratt and David Wilson Homes.
Another benefit of using the products is being able to install FlueSnug without the need for scaffolding or a cherry picker, eliminating the hazards of working at height for engineers. This is because FlueSnug is flexible enough to be pushed through the brickwork from the inside, and rigid enough to pop back into place to provide an air and water tight seal. During servicing, if you need to inspect or access the flue then FlueSnug can simply be removed and then replaced. This is another time saving benefit which makes service teams’ jobs a lot easier and again can be done from the inside of the building, removing risk and the need for expensive scaffolding and health and safety equipment.
Professional Builder has been at the birth of some real success stories over the years. We first went on site to feature PipeSnug when it was launched by builder Chris Burdett and Alex Lever in 2017. Since then the company has gone from strength to strength and launched FlueSnug in 2020.
For more details on PipeSnug and FlueSnug visit http://pipesnug.co.uk/
