Switching off water to whilst away?

[Aquaman]

Hi,
I am going away for two days over Christmas. I have been having real problems with a condensate pipe which has been freezing and stopping the boiler, the last two days I have had to defrost it in the morning.
I would usually just leave the heating on whilst away to stop freezing issues, but with the chance the boiler could turn off again due to the freezing condensate pipe outside I was going to turn off the boiler and turn off the water at the stop cock. But of course this leaves a chance of the central heating system pipes freezing.

Help.....I'm stuck any advice on the best thing to do?

 

[Burnerman]

Definitely turn the mains water off - this won't affect the heating system anyway. Either thoroughly lag the condensate pipe, if possible, or modify it so it can just drip to ground (not desirable, I know but needs must etc).
Can a neighbour keep an eye on things for you?
John

 

[Aquaman]

Cheers John
Unfortunetly no helpful neighbours about.
So I will turn off the water, I know the GCH system pipes are lagged in the loft so these should be OK fingers crossed. And I have lagged the 22mm condensate pipe with the foam lagging it was also freezing at the end of the pipe because it only had 10 cm clearance from the grid and was forming an icicle. So I have put the end of the pipe in the grid so it has more clearance.
So far so good this morning no freezing!

Do you know does a combi condensing boiler draw from the mains for heating the rads if I decide to turn the water off, but leave the boiler on?

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

The boiler works on a sealed system, i.e. it circulates the same water constantly through the boiler and rads. The only time fresh water is introduced is when the filling loop (silver braided flexi hose with a valve on each end) is opened to top up the system.