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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is this gas safe? The Perfect House has the boiler in a main bedroom...

34 replies

Fairgrove · 10/08/2023 12:03

Posting here as well as in Property as not sure which is best for the topic!

We've found our perfect house to buy and had our offer accepted. It's 100% ready to move into with no extension or renovation work needed as it's been done by the current owners recently. There's a loft conversion that's used as a main bedroom with a separate dressing room and shower room. But gas boiler is in the main bedroom and I can't stop worrying about this. It was sited there when the loft was just used for storage and wasn't moved elsewhere when the loft conversion was done. It's in an alcove with the correct space all around it and is located behind an insulated, lift off panel and is sited on the external wall of the loft. The bedroom is currently used by a child. Moving it now would be very costly and messy and would involve taking up lots of newly laid flooring. I've had a qualified gas engineer take a look at the property listing and that's what they've told me. They've also told me it's fine too have a room sealed boiler in a bedroom so long as is properly maintained etc. The boiler is over 10 years old and is annually serviced and we'd continue to do that, though might well replace it given its age. There are mains and battery CO2 alarms in the room. But I'm stressing about the albeit tiny risk of CO2 poisoning. And less so about noise. AIBU? Is an annual service by a qualified engineer and battery & mains CO2 alarms enough to protect us sleeping in there?

In our house now, the boiler is in the loft which is just used for storage, just inside the loft hatch and the loft hatch is right outside the doors to two of the first floor bedrooms so the boiler isn't far away from the bedrooms. Is this any different risk-wise as it's never bothered me ? I can't work out if I'm worrying unnecessarily about the possible new house. But surely a boiler located in a utility room or garage is much safer in the unlikely event of a CO2 leak? Are CO2 alarms 100% reliable? My anxiety on this is getting out of hand. Am I losing perspective / being ridiculous?

OP posts:

Curtains70 · 10/08/2023 12:06

It's fine, loads of houses are like that.

Plump82 · 10/08/2023 12:08

My boiler is is in my bedroom and I haven't ever given it a second thought.

CountryStore · 10/08/2023 12:08

I'm sure it's fine, but I wouldn't like it. I'd try and have it moved, if possible.

User1755387908 · 10/08/2023 12:09

We have one in our box room, perfectly safe, we have it serviced each year. The only thing with having one in the bedroom someone sleeps in is they sometimes make a bit of noise if the fan kicks in or if they switch on the early morning or if water is run. You wouldn't notice it in a kitchen or spare room but might be annoying if you were sleeping in the same room

eandz13 · 10/08/2023 12:10

In our last house the boiler was in the back bedroom, which was our childrens shared room at the time. Never caused any issues, I do remember thinking it was a weird place for a boiler at the time - they'd always been in the kitchen in other houses we'd lived in.

BarchesterTowels · 10/08/2023 12:12

Carbon monoxide is heavier than air, so a gas boiler in a loft above a bedroom is not necessarily any safer than a boiler inside the same bedroom. If a Gas Safe engineer says it's OK I'd be quite happy with it.

WickedSerious · 10/08/2023 12:12

We had a new boiler two years ago and had it installed in one of the spare bedrooms because we wanted more space in the bathroom.

It's fine.

AgnesX · 10/08/2023 12:13

Plump82 · 10/08/2023 12:08

My boiler is is in my bedroom and I haven't ever given it a second thought.

Likewise, we do have a carbon monoxide monitor though.

GoingToBeLessRubbishAtLife · 10/08/2023 12:13

I’ve had it until recently in a bedroom. It’s fine, just make sure you are up to date with gas checks and have monitors (which you should be doing anyway, wherever the boiler is).

EhrlicheFrau · 10/08/2023 13:50

My mum's (gas) boiler is in a cupboard just off her (and the main) bedroom.
Our (electric) boiler is in an airing cupboard between two of our bedrooms (the two biggest ones). Just make sure it's serviced regularly and you have fire alarms and a carbon monoxide alarm (if it's gas).

Coronationstation · 10/08/2023 14:03

safety wise I think you're fine with regular servicing and a carbon monoxide detector, my only concern would be the noise from it. I stayed in a friend's spare room once and their boiler was really disturbing. If it's a combi it will fire up every time someone runs a hot tap.

loislovesstewie · 10/08/2023 14:26

It's fine, I do have a carbon monoxide monitor though, but I also had one when it was in the kitchen. Just in case.

areyouhavinglaugh · 10/08/2023 14:50

Surely it can be moved?
I wouldn't want a noisy boiler in my bedroom either.

BorgQueen · 10/08/2023 14:59

It should be fine, just make sure it’s PROPERLY serviced . i.e. the boiler casing removed and the burner seals checked.
DH has done over 500 services this year , not one had been properly checked like that before, according to the homeowner/tenant.

The Gas meter should be checked too during a service.
The amount of Gas safe engineers who don’t do this is unbelievable, they just test the flue gas and don’t bother with anything else.
Most seals need replacing after 7/8 years. Worcester Bosch need doing every 5 years, otherwise the warranty is void and it will shorten the life of the boiler, all for the sake of £135 or so.

BorgQueen · 10/08/2023 15:02

You can also buy a gas detector pen very cheaply 😉

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 10/08/2023 15:02

Ours is in our spare bedroom - it's normal.

OldTinHat · 10/08/2023 15:04

My boiler is in my main bedroom. No issues.

AlltheFs · 10/08/2023 15:05

It wouldn’t stop me buying the otherwise perfect house. Things like this can always be changed once you are in.

I’d buy it, with an eye to moving it if it bothered me.

I don’t think it is unsafe though.

BorgQueen · 10/08/2023 16:29

Combi boilers are ‘Room sealed’ which means there should be no escape of combustable materials.

It’s not just carbon monoxide that is a problem, an escape of unburnt gas is also dangerous, that’s why you don’t use a lightswitch or anything with a spark if you smell gas.

escapingthecity · 10/08/2023 16:37

Our boiler is in a cupboard in our room

Marwoodsbigbreak · 10/08/2023 16:46

Plump82 · 10/08/2023 12:08

My boiler is is in my bedroom and I haven't ever given it a second thought.

Me too - why would you be worried about it?

Obviously I have a CO2 alarm, which I check regularly, but I would have that regardless of where in the house the boiler was positioned.

Do you suffer with anxiety generally OP? I do, so not being sniffy about it. If you really like this house, please don't let this put you off.

Brumbies · 10/08/2023 16:49

Personally I would get it moved, the constant noise as it fires up would annoy and keep me awake.

Aquamarine1029 · 10/08/2023 16:52

It's totally fine. Get a second carbon monoxide detector if it'll make you feel better.

tigger1001 · 10/08/2023 16:58

Ours is in our bedroom cupboard. Minimal noise - taps etc are not generally being run while we are in bed and our shower is electric.

It's serviced annually and we have carbon monoxide alarms.

Have never given it a second thought to be honest.

loislovesstewie · 10/08/2023 17:25

BTW, the boiler will only fire up in the night if in use, obviously, or if the preheat function is on. It's not necessary to have that function on, it just means that it takes longer for the water to heat up, as you aren't constantly heating the small reservoir in the boiler.

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