Beware of fake flues

There’s a double-page-spread article in the latest edition of HVR magazine by our director John Hamnett, warning about the perils of fake flues.

He wrote the article in response to a rise in the number of dangerous, sub-standard, counterfeit flue systems.

The problem has arisen since the introduction of the CE Mark in July 2013, when a new, mandatory EU directive was applied to flues, stoves, radiators, fans and other HVAC products. It enforces strict guidelines around the quality of manufacture and performance of flues, as well as requiring robust paperwork and audit trails.

Since July, there have been more instances of sub-standard flues being passed off as genuine CE-marked systems.

John said that A1 is being called out to more and more sites – including the manufacturing facility of a well-known food producer – where managers say that their boiler and flue systems aren’t working properly and they can’t figure out why. To the untrained eye, the CE Mark paperwork and the systems all seem to be in order. However, we can spot counterfeits a mile off, and that’s usually the reason for a failing system.

The article also contained pictures of genuine flues and counterfeit ones that A1 has come across.

John gave his top tips for what to look for, particularly on the paperwork side, so that construction companies, architects and specifiers don’t get caught out with counterfeit chimneys and flue systems.

You can read the full article when you log in to HVR.