Where an oil boiler can go: kitchens, utilities and outside

Walk round a few country homes near Bridgend, from Laleston to Merthyr Mawr, and you will find oil boilers in all sorts of places. Some sit in the kitchen, some in a utility room or an outbuilding, and some outside the house altogether. When yours is replaced, it is worth thinking about where it should go.

Inside: kitchens and utility rooms

A floor-standing oil boiler in the kitchen is a familiar sight in older houses. A newer boiler may be smaller, quieter and better looking, but it still needs space around it for servicing, a route for the flue, and a safe run for the oil supply.

Boiler houses and outbuildings

Some homes keep the boiler in a separate boiler house or outbuilding. It keeps noise and smell out of the house, but the pipes carrying heat back to the house need to be well insulated, or you lose heat on the way.

Outside the house

External oil boilers are built to live outdoors in their own weatherproof casing. They free up space indoors and keep the oil supply outside, but they need a suitable spot with room to work on them.

What decides the right place

• The flue. Where the fumes can safely leave matters as much as where the boiler sits.
• The oil supply. The run from the tank needs to be safe and sensible.
• Access for servicing. An oil boiler needs a proper service every year, so it has to be reachable.
• Your hot water set-up. A cylinder, or a change to a combi, can change the best spot.

Moving a boiler is a bigger job than replacing it where it is, so it is something we talk through on the site visit and price before we start. Our team is now registered to work on oil boilers. Ring 07712 646488 to arrange a visit.