Frozen condensing pipe

[divvy]

Had some issues last week with the extreme cold weather and the outside pipe for my condensing boiler it kept freezing. It's only a plastic white pipe, and I was wondering whether I could cover the pipe in lagging to try and cure / prevent the problem I would like to know if this is either allowed with Corgi and is there much point doing this?
Thanks

 

[bengasman]

It is fine to lag it and does not cost much, but don't expect miracles; if it gets really cold, it will freeze up

 

[toptec]

Divvy. Mine is lagged with foam pipe lagging. This was done by the fitting RGI and despite -11 last week it has never frozen. It only carry's water.

 

[clarkerothwell]

i fit all my boilers with a 32mm pipe, the 20mm pipe from the boiler go's straight into this, i looks better and i've never had one freeze. Most manufacters recommend this now for the condesate pipe.

 

[divvy]

Thanks so much for the advice, won't hurt to lag it then.

 

[divvy]

i fit all my boilers with a 32mm pipe, the 20mm pipe from the boiler go's straight into this, i looks better and i've never had one freeze. Most manufacters recommend this now for the condesate pipe.

Sorry I think my post went up before I read the last post.
Sorry if I'm thick here, basically your creating a cavity cover over the original pipe? Would this not be the same as lagging, I only want to do this once so I would like the best option.

 

[mikej2005]

Sorry if I'm thick here, basically your creating a cavity cover over the original pipe? Would this not be the same as lagging, I only want to do this once so I would like the best option.

No - I don't think he means that.

Some boiler manufacturers recommend using 32mm for outside condensate pipe runs to prevent freezing, so come off the boiler in 20mm and step up to 32mm at a convenient point, preferably inside if possible.

 

[Agile]

Had some issues last week with the extreme cold weather and the outside pipe for my condensing boiler it kept freezing. It's only a plastic white pipe, and I was wondering whether I could cover the pipe in lagging to try and cure / prevent the problem I would like to know if this is either allowed with Corgi and is there much point doing this?
Thanks

Its not a question of if its allowed but its something the installer should have done!

Get him back to put the insulation ( at his own cost ! )

If he refuses then report him to CORGI and they MIGHT serve a defects notice and require him to fit it AT HIS COST !

Tony

 

[josephinekelly]

This is our first winter with our new VBX Eden condensing boiler and we have the same problem as anyone else, ie a pool beneath the boiler and an error message. Thanks to this forum we did realise what had happened but our installer said wait for him to come. He did what you would expect - clean out the trap underneath the boiler (he elbowed us out of the way so we didn't see how he did this) and then instructed us to cut off with a hacksaw the outside pipe beneath the elbow joint. The water ran out and the boiler began to function. So now for the present, the water is on the outside path and we have covered all the outside bits - boiler still working and so far, so good. However, like others, this is hardly an ideal or permanent problem solution. I have two questions:

1 Can we learn to clean out the trap or does it have to be some sort of approved Corgi man? Our boiler is still under guarantee.

2 Just how much water is produced as waste? ie Could we not shorten the long overground reach to the drain by just digging a soakaway beneath the outlet for example?

 

[ChrisR]

Boiler installaiton instructions, which vary, are specific on this, but some installers still mess it up.

Outside condensate pipes have to be larger than 22mm or insulated. Most insulation is not made for exterior use (Ultraviolet gets it) so it drops apart after a couple of years.
If yours is external with no insulation, get something over it. Cheapo insulation like THIS will last until the summer!
Even if you insulate it, it's still going to be all at minus godknowswhat so a dribbling pipe WILL freeze. STEEP gradients help.
Even a 32mm (basin waste pipe size) will eventually freeze up, but that's the best normal choice. 42mm waste ( sink/bath waste pipe) is better if it's really exposed.
NB wastepipes do come in black, which usually looks less hideous than the common grey.

SOME boilers dump half a cupful or so of water at once, then store the next half a cupful internallly, so it's less likely to freeze.

The dribble rate is a couple of litres or so per hour at maximum. The water isn't hot, but it is lemon-juice acid.

Soakaways CAN be ok, depending how they're done, they should be 1m away from buildings and are supposed to have replaceable limestone chips in to neutralise the acidity. There are perforated 110mm pipes made which can go into a post-hole-borer bored hole.

There are other regulations regarding where the 22mm pipe from the boiler taps in to existing drains, - see the mfrs instructions. The danger here is that boiler fumes can come out of the condensate pipe. You don't want them coming up your plughole.

If your condensate pipe has frozen and the water backed-up, it will have made some contacts in the boiler wet, which will stop the boiler until it dries out. Especially if the boiler's somewhere cold like in a garage, someone will have to get into the boiler to dry the relevant part out, it won't happen in a couple of hours by itself.

Condensate traps DO block up. Some boilers , like those with aluminium heat exchangers, are bad, particularly within the first year. That includes a lot of Worcester Bosch boilers. (Horrid things they are!) It must be cleared at the first service. It can be simple or a pain, depending on the boiler/installation.

 

[Agile]

I would add to that that boilers with aluminium heat exchangers do need to be serviced EVERY year as they produce a lot of ali oxide which otherwise can block to boiler and stop it from working.

A routine service is cheaper and helps to prevent an unexpected breakdown which can take a while to get attention during adverse weather conditions or holiday periods.

These models include most Worcesters, Ideals and some Aristons and Vokeras and a few other models as well.

Tony

 

[namsag]

Went to 3 over the weekend and all where inch and a quarter all with proper falls on them . One was an 8 foot vertical fall with a 45 degree elbow at bottom followed by 12 inches of pipe it froze in the 45 and backed half way back up the pipe .
One gave me amusement mates mother inlaw about 85 year old. I spent an hour getting all the ice out so it was perfectly clear.
Tells her thats it your all sorted before i can tell her how much she wipes a tenner out her purse thanks me and tells me to get myself a pint. Mate also thought it funny till i told him what he owed me

 

[Agile]

I thought that you did all jobs for the price of a pint !

 

[namsag]

Agile unlike yourself i dont have to come on the internet looking for work .
I earn more than enough money by being very good at my job and choose to do freebies for choosen individuals,
You still dont realise life is not about making £84 quid out of everyone you visit.
Whose doing it right me having made enough money to take the whole of Jan off except for doing favours (free or chargeable) or you out till all hours 7 days a week. Especially at your age.

 

[gazthepottertonengineer]

LOL nothing changes with you 2 like an old married couple

Had 8 jobs today with 5 of them being frozen condensate pipes!