Condensate Pipe Problem

[Cherrybug]

Wondered if anyone could please give me some advice. We need a new boiler and I had an engineer out yesterday to have a look. He told me that all boilers now need a condensate pipe.

Our boiler is in our upstairs bedroom cupboard with the flue out of the wall. He said that we would need to run a waste pipe all the way down the side of the house into the ground into a hole with lime chippings. This is going to look unsightly. He gave another option of a pump up into the attic but as our boiler is in our bedroom we are worried that would be noisy.

After he left I wondered if the pipe could instead run along under our bedroom and then hallway floorboards into the bathroom and be connected to the waste there. He didnt mention this so I'm guessing there is a reason why that can't be done.

Wondered if anyone could advise the best solution and if a pump would be too noisy. I really don't want a big waste pipe running down the side of our house.
Many thanks in advance

 

[dhutch]

You can run it in the floor void, but it depends on the flooring type and which way the joists run as to if that is a practical solution.

 

[ianmcd]

not always possible to run under the floor as you need a run for the condensate to run into the drain, condensate pumps dont run constantly, they fill up then dump the condensate they only run for a very short time

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

If the pipe is dropping vertically to the floor outside, you only need a 32mm (1 1/4") waste pipe, it'll be about 1/2 the size of your guttering downpipe.

 

[dhutch]

Often they are even smaller, 20mm solvent weld or the like. The main issue with running outside is also that they freeze, and they either stop the boiler running or ruin it, when the condensate backs up.

 

[gasmanstu72]

the pipe has to constantly run downhill away from the boiler so it will be difficult to run it under the floor as there probably won't be enough fall on the pipe.
condesate pumps don't run for long, 10 seconds at most and depending on how much you use your boiler they might not even go off all day.
if you're in bed asleep then your boiler wont be on and neither will the pump.

 

[FiremanT]

Often they are even smaller, 20mm solvent weld or the like. The main issue with running outside is also that they freeze, and they either stop the boiler running or ruin it, when the condensate backs up.

Why would you suggest 20mm then go on to list the problems?

You are now not allowed to run 20mm externally.

 

[Cherrybug]

Thanks all, seems the condensate pump will be the best option. Are there any recommendations as to which would be the quietest?

 

[bernardgreen]

He gave another option of a pump up into the attic

I hope he didn't mean having the pump in the attic....( he probably didn't but one can never be sure )

Don't condensate pumps have to be below the boiler to allow gravity to move condensate into the pump's sump. Then when the sump is nearly full the pump is started.

I cannot see how a condensate pump coud be allowed to suck condensate upwards from a boiler, the risk of sucking the boiler's condensate trap dry would be too high. A dry condensate trap would allow combustion products to be sucked through the pump.

 

[Cherrybug]

Yes he did say a pump in the attic. Oh dear, is that not a good option then? What do other people do when they have a boiler in an upstairs bedroom?

 

[Dan Robinson]

He would have meant a pump under the boiler discharging up into the loft and picking up a waste pipe up there or running back to a drain outside.

 

[Bodd]

Wondered if anyone could please give me some advice. We need a new boiler and I had an engineer out yesterday to have a look. He told me that all boilers now need a condensate pipe.

Our boiler is in our upstairs bedroom cupboard with the flue out of the wall. He said that we would need to run a waste pipe all the way down the side of the house into the ground into a hole with lime chippings. This is going to look unsightly. He gave another option of a pump up into the attic but as our boiler is in our bedroom we are worried that would be noisy.

After he left I wondered if the pipe could instead run along under our bedroom and then hallway floorboards into the bathroom and be connected to the waste there. He didnt mention this so I'm guessing there is a reason why that can't be done.

Wondered if anyone could advise the best solution and if a pump would be too noisy. I really don't want a big waste pipe running down the side of our house.
Many thanks in advance

There is plenty of houses where the condense pipe is run outside. If this is the way I do this in 2 inch pipe now as less chance of freezing and looks neater in my opinion.

The pump Issue is a no no for me, as your boiler is only as good as that pump. If the pump cronks out the boiler will not work unless you put the condense into a bucket.

The bathroom option is the best way as long as there is a route and a good fall.

 

[ollski]

You can get black waste pipe if you’re worried although in reality who looks at the outside of their own house very much?. Probably more chance of the soakaway saturating than the condensate freezing these days...fit a non return valve on it.