gas boiler problem

[brightspark]

how many people call the plumber out and get a big callout bill in winter boiler packs in and the problem is just a frozen condensate pipe . a bit of warm water on pipe from kettle sorts the problem u can get a trace heater to fit to the pipe ranging from 28 quid up to over 100 quid and sorts the problem

 

[hunter27]

Best to run it to a internal waste pipe if at all possible but if it has to go outside run it through the outside wall and along externally in 40mm waste with a good fall and it shouldn't cause any more trouble. You can get trace heaters to run along the pipe inside special external lagging for or use insulated corrugated hose run inside a larger pipe.
When you are in the job it is surprising how much 21mm condensate you notice running on outside walls just waiting for a cold spell.

 

[Kayos]

Not always possible to go internal, mine is external in 32mm with climaflex and it still froze due to the wind chill

 

[gaz1]

fit a plastic water heater to them bosch has them as an addon

jump too 2.30 and watch

direct info

 

[GW8IZR]

Has anyone tried Condensulate? I have a house with a pipe that runs horizontally through the wall and it freezes every year, because of the kitchen its an ass of a job to re do it with a fall so I'd have to run a new pipe outside. Its a nuisance as there is only 200mm of exposed pipe!

 

[Kayos]

Has anyone tried Condensulate? I have a house with a pipe that runs horizontally through the wall and it freezes every year, because of the kitchen its an ass of a job to re do it with a fall so I'd have to run a new pipe outside. Its a nuisance as there is only 200mm of exposed pipe!

Fitted loads of it a few years back, lots of pics on FB of it frozen all the way through

 

[Olderisbetter]

I have a done a few kitchens and bathroom and always leave a point to add in for condensate pipes if there is a boiler near that does not have one, People think i am sad my but in the long run a stitch in time.....

 

[dazza]

I just have mine dripping into a bucket . Its on the list.

 

[GW8IZR]

Fitted loads of it a few years back, lots of pics on FB of it frozen all the way through

I was told by a BG engineer that it should be ok but in my view it would need to have a fair bit of heat in the water for the insulation to retain that heat so I was sceptical - so you have confirmed that thanks.

 

[GW8IZR]

I just have mine dripping into a bucket . Its on the list.

Thats how mine has been for years but its going on rent in April so it needs to be right.

 

[GW8IZR]

I have a done a few kitchens and bathroom and always leave a point to add in for condensate pipes if there is a boiler near that does not have one, People think i am sad my but in the long run a stitch in time.....

Its how I always design EVERYTHING - can someone fix it or add to it if needed, not everyone cares about subsequent traders of course.

( then again plasterers always used to cut my tails micro short as a punishment - cos I left miles sticking out for them to work round ) :-)

 

[normspanners]

had to de ice some copper pipe about 2000ish and the pipe was in mums kitchen that was taken down the day before the freeze happened and it was -12 so was about 20ft of pipe just in fresh air and I could not free it off with blowlamp no way, so connected my arc welder to either end with some heavy copper clamps and jubilee clips I disconnected where it came back into the house and started with a low current and kept winding the current up and just waited, the heat in the pipe melted the ice and bingo water running!

 

[brightspark]

Thats how mine has been for years but its going on rent in April so it needs to be right.

the pipe has to be sealed and not open vented in the house in case of fumes just a regulation

 

[GW8IZR]

the pipe has to be sealed and not open vented in the house in case of fumes just a regulation

Yep, the boiler is in a cupboard next to the living room. (Its vented to the outside)

I 'think' I'm going to stick a lime chipping soakaway just outside through the wall and the 500mm from the foundation, then even if (when) it freezes a kettle will solve it. That way there is minimal pipe exposed to the wind and a bit of boxing should help.

 

[rory1]

I've thawed out plenty of meters of frozen pipe at hellishly cold temperatures ( see my avatar, it's not a downloaded picture, I took that photo) and I found the best method was using a hot air gun, not the paint stripping type but the straight nozzle type that's used for plastic 'welding' non slip flooring and the like

 

[hunter27]

Yep, the boiler is in a cupboard next to the living room. (Its vented to the outside)

I 'think' I'm going to stick a lime chipping soakaway just outside through the wall and the 500mm from the foundation, then even if (when) it freezes a kettle will solve it. That way there is minimal pipe exposed to the wind and a bit of boxing should help.

That's what I would do in your situation, if you can, drill through the wall at an angle below the damp course and come out below ground level then run underground your 50 mm to the soakaway this prevents wind chill. If you can't, run it through the wall in 40mm, down then across to the soakaway underground.

 

[WorkshopChris]

the pipe has to be sealed and not open vented in the house in case of fumes just a regulation

I thought that was a requirement as it is fed from the sealed side of the boiler.
Was just walking past the tv they had a feature on a plumber who has just shown on BBC1 The One Show cutting the condensate pipe inside and diverting to a bucket.

 

[Kayos]

Newer boilers have a trap so shouldn't release POC's

Some older ones, Ideal Isar springs to mind, the trap was optional

 

[gaz1]

even vail boilers have them the older type and they still drip

you also have to be careful of the over pressure relief valve as well for freezing more so the ones that drip often and freeze within the pipes

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Heated vivaria cables could be the cheap answer to this? Cheap as per a random eBay search, wrap it round the pipe, job jobbed?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reptile-...hash=item3ab256b9d0:m:mDGQkAvOeNKedHALkXq7CWw