Condensing boiler pipe lagging

[sam8364]

Hi all, any advice would be appreciated

We had a new valliant condensing boiler fitting in April - the 'drain?' pipe for the boiler is made of copper and runs from the boiler through the roof space for about 4-5 metresand out through the soffit board where it runs into the soil stack.

The section of pipe exposed to the elements is about 10" in length and (because it is copper?) has been insulated. This was initially done suing gray foam lagging taped on with gaffer tape. Not a neat job and over 4-5 months the tape has drier out and peeled away making the lagging loose.

When the company came to inspect the problem the engineer said that it has not been done properly and that the pipe should have been plastic to avoid the need for lagging.

The engineer has come out today and all he has done is to replace the lagging and put on more gaffer tape.

The need to get this resolved in exacerbated by the fact that we are in the process of having a conservatory built below this pipe work and it will shortly only be accessible by dismantling the roof of the conservatory or by contructing scaffolding.

MY question is - what should they do - is it normal to use grey foam and gaffer tape? should the pipe be replaced with a plastic one?

Many thanks

Sam[/list]

 

[Fluffster]

As for lagging anything will do as it does not run full bore and pumps out warm so should not have problems with freezing.
Any heat loss does not matter.

.
Pete

 

[gasgeezer]

Copper pipe is a no no as it will corrode due to the acid nature of the condesate hence the use of plastic non corrosive pipe get them back and get it changed

 

[chrishutt]

Copper should not be used for condensate discharge pipework since the condensate is acidic and will corrode it (nothing to do with freezing). You must use plastic. Your "engineer" seems incompetent. Best get a competent person to check the installation for other defects.

 

[sam8364]

They are claiming that the discharge pipe cannot be plastic along the whole length due to the length of the run - hense use of copper!? Could this be true - or should it definitely be plastic?

As for the engineer being incompetent - actually a series of engineers from the major local competator to BG and they have managed to screw pretty much everything they have done so far!!

 

[sam8364]

Hang on a minute - I have now checked the pipework inside the roof space and discovered that the condensate pipework is in fact plastic

They had told me it was copper and that is why it had to be lagged where it run on the exterior of the property. - another example of incompetence.

The question now is - does this bit of piping need to be lagged at all? And does anyone know of a method that does not involve them gaffer taping bits of grey foam to it - as they do not seem to be able to come up with one?

 

[chrishutt]

As I understand it, external condensate discharge pipework should be insulated unless it is increased in size from the usual nominal 22mm to a nominal 32mm (1¼"). The logic of this is that even if the condensate froze in the larger pipe it would be very unlikely to completely block the pipe because of it's much larger cross sectional area.

 

[stumpynut]

If its 22mm it needs lagging, use colour co-ordinated cable ties they wont come off.

 

[simond]

Alternatively, you could ask them to push the plastic 21.5mm pipe through some lagging without breaking the seal, then no gaffer or ties will be required.

Then hopefully you will be able to sleep at night.

 

[corgiman]

As I understand it, external condensate discharge pipework should be insulated unless it is increased in size from the usual nominal 22mm to a nominal 32mm (1¼"). The logic of this is that even if the condensate froze in the larger pipe it would be very unlikely to completely block the pipe because of it's much larger cross sectional area.

you da man chris



This is how its done RIGHT

you should think of doing this for a living chris

 

[Biggles..]

Shouldn't all the pipework be lagged and not just the condensate as the install is in the loft.

 

[corgiman]

true and a frost stat and pipe stat is advisable and all

not forgetting the boarding
the fire proofing
the fix ladder with a handle
adequate lighting

etc etc

 

[Biggles..]

Also as the run is four-five meters i would have thought this length should have been done in 32mm anyway.

 

[bster]

Corgiman - the first person i've encountered that actually knows that you need 2-stage frost protection in unheated spaces. - you are the man!
(and so am i).

 

[corgiman]

we are the men