How to hide a boiler

From simply fitting it in a kitchen cupboard, to moving it to a different room, there are many ways to hide a boiler. While there are plenty of options available, you need to avoid getting carried away because your boiler still needs to be accessible to heating engineers.

Although, boilers play an integral role in fulfilling your home heating requirements, unfortunately, they are not exactly pleasant on the eye. This is especially the case if you have invested in the interior design of your property. Hiding your boiler from sight could also potentially increase the value of your home.

Fitting a boiler into a kitchen cupboard has proved to be the best way to hide it. Placing cardboard around the boiler, not only keeps it hidden but also ensures that it fits in with the rest of the room.

The one concern, when hiding an older boiler in a kitchen cupboard, is ventilation. Although this is nothing to worry about if you have a modern, condensing boiler, as they get all the air, they need through a flue pipe.

Even with condensing boilers, there are still several regulations to be mindful of. These dictate that there must be a gap of at least 700mm between the front of the boiler and any walls. As well as allowing for a 300mm gap between the top of the cupboard and the top of the boiler, there should be a 100mm gap from the foot of the cupboard to the bottom of the boiler. The cupboard door must also be able to open, to make it possible for heating engineers to carry out any necessary maintenance and repairs.

A boiler cupboard is an ideal way to hide your boiler, however, you also can get more creative.

Instead of fitting your boiler into a standard cupboard, to give the room a more rustic feel, you can place it in a chalkboard cupboard.

Floor-to-ceiling storage units make better use of space than standard cupboards. They provide room for your boiler, as well as allowing for storage space to hide any cleaning products, like a hoover and broom.

If your boiler is situated in the corner of a room, then it can be covered with a curtain. With a boiler that has an exposed front and side, an L-shaped curtain can surround the unit. Equally, if both sides are already blocked from sight, a smaller curtain can be used to cover the front of the unit.

Oil boilers that can be kept outside, help to save space in your home, however, they can somewhat spoil the view of your garden. You can hide an external boiler with fencing and then surround it with plants. It is important to remember that your boiler still needs to be accessible, so you should either keep one side free from fencing or have a small gate fitted.

One of the best ways to hide boiler pipes is to box them in with pipework casing. Boiler pipe casing usually costs between £30 to £60. The price of boiler pipe casing goes up depending on the size, so you can spend over £100 on the especially tall casing. If you are hiding your boiler behind a curtain, then it is possible to get one that is long enough to cover the pipes as well.