campolife

Hi
I have been getting confusing advice regarding instantaneous gas water heaters fitted in Spain.

Does anyone know the regulations?

For instance can you fit flue-less types.
Can it be vented into the roof space (none accessible country villa/chalet style)
What is the maximum length of flue you can have.(non assisted)
How close can they be to kitchen units etc.

What size/rating would be best just for showers, washing and cleaning? (most of the time just 2 people)

Are any brands better than others?

Any comments appreciated.

bob_day

Can't help with the regulations.

But as regards a suitable heater we have a Junkers (Bosch) WRD 11 -2G water heater. Excellent piece of kit easily providing more than enough instantaneously heated water for our baths, showers and everything else.

snikpoh

I would go along with Junkers being the best make to go with.

As to regulations, the Spanish don't seem to care. I've seen some with no ventilation and some with plenty. I'm not sure that anyone ever checks them anyway - certainly when we have applied for 'habitation certificates', no one has checked the boilers.

Jur

I just got a new gas water heater from Edesa, picked it up at Leroy Merlin for € 185,-. Works well for showering,bathing and the heating system. Not sure about regulations but even at newer houses the heaters are outside. Ours is too.

missile

There certainly are regulations but I have no idea where you might access them. I would suggest your local library, ask in your local heating appliance store or to your gas supplier. Flue-less appliances are on sale so I would guess they are legal. Venting into a roof space sounds pretty dodgy to me.

There is a requirement to have gas installations inspected and it is recomended that they are serviced once a year. The Cepsa inspector gave us a comprehensive report including a schematic showing each component in the system. He fixed a label to our appliance. The flexible hoses are date stamped showing when they should be replaced.

We bought our gas appliances here > http://www.ambifuego.com/

scampicat

Ours is a Junkers and it is great. It is 'flued' through the wall to the outside. My husband had to take the front off and hoover it out last year, as the end of the flue had fallen off and a bird had built a nest in it (we wondered why it kept going out) - he found the nest, baby birds and parent bird, all dead in the flue - but it survived the nest and the hoovering, we put a new end on the flue and it is fine now!!

We had it fitted by the local 'CORGI' (Spanish equivalent!) Gas Fitter in 2004 and have had it inspected/serviced once since .

Casa Santo Estevo

There regulations, what they are is not clear, but when you purchase a bottle you should be inspected. It is then that you find out what is good and not good about your installation.

Fredbargate

Also you are required to have a repeat inspection every five years.

Without the inspection I would assume your insurance maybe void.

Casa Santo Estevo

I did not know that, but as we have a 2000 litre tank the rules for us ref the inspections are different. We have to have fire extinguishers too. But they are supplied.

wilki

Regulations in spain, I rent a flat, with a gas water heater. I was told by the landlord that I needed to light the pilot light with yes you guessed it, with a cigarette lighter, once that was up and running, I was then told to turn a hot tap on, and heres the best bit, wave a magazine at the pilot flame to light the main burner.
Now what would happen if I went to run a bath, and didnt wave a magazine, the gas would still come out untill enough built up and boom. " death trap"
next day I stripped it down cleaned it, and its working like it should be.