Common places to install boilers include kitchens, utility rooms, and lofts. That does not mean you can’t install a boiler anywhere else around the house. Modern boilers are compact. It’s easier to tuck them in the wardrobe or a cupboard. Hence, you can install them in the bedroom too. It’s an ideal option if you have a small house with no utility room or a small kitchen.

Installing a Boiler in Your Bedroom

As per the Gas Safety Regulations 1998, you cannot install a 14kw gas boiler in the same room where you will sleep unless it’s sealed. This makes it mandatory to check the output of the boiler before installing it. If you are not sure about the safety of the room, call a Gas Safe engineer to assess your bedroom. Appliances that are not room sealed are permitted in a bedroom. However, they must fit with a device that turns off the gas supply automatically before a dangerous level of fume is built-up.

Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2451/made

Regulations to Administer for Installing a Boiler in Bedroom

There are certain regulations to observe if you want to place a boiler in your bedroom. Review these:

• To ensure circulation, there must be adequate space around the boiler. For this, check the installation manual to see what space the manufacturer recommends. 
• Every boiler needs air and a flue to release and remove by-products of combustion. Make sure you arrange that.
• The room where you are planning to place the boiler must be sealed. If it’s an old boiler, the unit must have an open flue. This means the boiler draws air from the room and supplies it to the unit. This is mandatory for a boiler to function correctly. Waste gas that is not burnt is released from the flue. Modern boilers, on the other hand, have a balanced flue. They such the air from the outside via flue but release the waste through the same pipe. Nothing harmful is released inside the room.

Things to Consider Before Installing Boilers in Bedrooms

Whenever the question of installing a boiler in the bedroom arises, the first thought of homeowners is safety. Since it’s safe to sleep in the same room as the boiler, the second thing to wonder is if it’s a good idea, to begin with. Here are some things to consider when making this decision. This will help you decide if installing a boiler in your bedroom is a good idea:

#1: Noise produced by the boiler

Boilers have developed to be much quieter over the years than they used to be. However, this does not mean they are completely silent. There is some level of noise you have to deal with. If you are the type of person who is bothered by even the slightest level of noise, then it’s not a good idea to have a boiler in your bedroom.

Even if you can sleep through noise, keep in mind when there is something wrong with the boiler, it will produce loud noises such as gurgling or clunking. This can get highly uncomfortable. You may have to leave your bedroom until an engineer comes to inspect the boiler and fixes the issue.

#2: Space required

You might have to sacrifice some level of space in the bedroom to install the boiler. Everyone wants to make sure the boiler is out of sight even if it’s the bedroom. Therefore, a cupboard might be the ideal place to put the boiler in. Even though boilers are compact, this still means you will have to give up on the cupboard to make space for the unit.

#3: Warmth in the room

All appliances are hot to touch when they are working. This is normal. However, in addition to that, boilers tend to warm up the room where you install them.

This might not be a problem in winters. However, in summers, if you need hot water and for that, you are using the boiler, you should expect your room to be warm. You can prevent this by insulating the cupboard where you plan to install the boiler.

#4: Carbon monoxide leaks 

Faulty boilers leak carbon monoxide. This gas is poisonous and it’s odorless. Many people have died by just breathing carbon monoxide. You can take steps to prevent carbon dioxide leaks early on by installing a carbon monoxide detector in your bedroom.

Where Else Can You Install A Boiler?

If you are having doubts about installing a boiler in your bedroom, there are other options.

Option 1: Loft

Loft usually has plenty of free space for the boiler to breathe. If you are planning to install the boiler there, make sure there is a safe way for engineers to come and perform annual service. There must be a ladder with a guard rail in the loft and it must have water, gas and electric isolation points.  

Option 2: Utility room

If you are fortunate to have a utility room that is separate from your kitchen, it’s an ideal place to install a boiler. Since it’s usually located close to the kitchen, the hot water flow rate will be higher. This will give you extra space around the house to use efficiently.

Option 3: Bathroom

A bathroom is one of those rooms where you use hot water the most. It is a convenient location for pipework too. It’s easier to connect the condensate pipe to the existing bathroom waste. If you already have cupboards in the bathroom, place the boiler there. This will keep it hidden.

Option 4: External

You can also install the unit outside the house but this is not usually a recommended option. The unit needs to be accessible and you might need extensive pipework to have it installed.

Optional 5: Kitchen

You can always install the boiler in the kitchen. It will be out of sight and you won’t have to worry about boiler noise.

When Not to Have a Boiler in a Bedroom?

This might be obvious by now but sometimes; households need to hear it again. You cannot install a boiler in the bedroom if:

• The unit output is over 14kw
• The bedroom contains a gas water heater or gas space heater

Deciding Where to Put the Boiler

No matter where you are placing the boiler, it’s a tough decision and requires extra care.

If the current location of the boiler is keeping the kids awake, it’s best to move it to the kitchen, loft or utility room. However, when you have to move a boiler to a new place, you will need a new pipework. This means more stress and expense.

These are some questions to ask when moving the boiler:

• Do you need to lift the carpets and floorboards?
• Depending on the type of floor, you will need surface pipework or pipework that runs along with the ceiling.
• Do you want to place the boiler close to the door or window? All boilers need a safe flue clearance distance from doors and windows.
• How far are the taps from the boiler? The further they are, the longer it will take hot water to flow in the taps.
• Is there enough space for a heating engineer to fit in the room where you are considering installing a boiler?
• Is there sufficient lighting in the loft or attic?
• Are you thinking of putting the boiler in the garage? If so, you will need proper insulation and frost protection or the pipes might freeze.

Tips to Observe When Installing a Boiler in Bedroom

Ensure the safety of the bedroom

• First, you have to ensure it is safe to install the boiler in the bedroom. It will be safe as long as the room abides the mandatory procedures surrounding the boiler installation.
• The main safety regulation is to ensure the room is sealed. As long as the boiler takes air for combustion from the outside and emits its fumes outside via the flue, it’s safe to install in your bedroom.
• Although the modern boilers are room sealed, you must still check this before installing the boiler in the bedroom.

Disguise the boiler

If you want to keep the boiler hidden, simply place it in the cupboard. You can also hire a carpenter to create a cupboard of the size of the boiler. While you do that, make sure the boiler is easy to access for repairs and service.

Before Enclosing the Boiler

• Check the manufacturer’s instructions regarding ventilation and flue.
• Make sure there is sufficient ventilation or cooling air and combustion in the room.
• There must be sufficient room for the maintenance and servicing of the boiler. The unit must be accessible from both sides, top, and bottom.
• The enclosure material must meet fire safety standards.
• Do not store corrosive or combustible substances within the same cupboard as the boiler.
• Never hang wet laundry within the cupboard where you have placed the boiler.
• Label the enclosure with appropriate instructions regarding the ventilation and storage of other substances for everyone’s safety.

Hiding a Slightly Expose Boiler

Boilers are built for function, not style. We cannot live without them in winter but they don’t add much to the aesthetics of the bedroom. You would want the boiler out of sight. These are some ways you can hide the boiler in a safe spot without compromising on the décor of your bedroom:

Use a curtain to conceal the unit

An easy way to hide the boiler is to cover it with a small curtain. You won’t have to look at the boiler every day but it will still be accessible. Choose such a fabric for the curtain that complements the room. However, it must not draw the attention of visitors.

Place the pipes in a box

You might cover the boiler with curtains but what about the pipework? Everyone likes neat pipework especially if the boiler is installed inside the bedroom. Boiler casing can conceal the pipework efficiently. It gives your room a cleaner look.

When getting casing for your boiler and pipework, make sure it still has sufficient ventilation. The material must meet the fire requirements. The boiler must be accessible for servicing and other inspections as well. 

Put it in a cupboard

Another great way of hiding a boiler is placing it in a cupboard. You can also design a cupboard for the size of the boiler by yourself. Paint it with a colour that matches the room and put matching handles. 

Design a custom unit

If there is some extra space somewhere in the house, then get creative and design a custom unit. Place the unit there and put the boiler inside that unit.

The Bottom Line

It’s a good idea to install a boiler in your bedroom if you want to free some space. The compact size of modern boilers makes it easy to fit them inside a wardrobe as well.

Before you finally install the boiler in the bedroom, observe the safety regulations. The boiler might produce noise and make your room warm. Solutions to these problems are available though. If you are fine with all these repercussions, then give a heating engineer a call to install the boiler in your bedroom.

If you discover that your bedroom is not an ideal place for installing the boiler and you need help in deciding the right location, contact a heating engineer. They will thoroughly inspect your place and find the most convenient spot for installing the boiler.