Unreachable condensate pipe

[HilaryTip]

Can anyone think of a way of defrosting a condensate pipe that we can’t reach please?
Thanks

 

[JohnD]

photos please

or at least some description.

 

[HilaryTip]

Good point! The boiler is installed on the first floor with the condensate pipe running along the outside wall to the drain pipe. A section nearest the point that traverses into the house has no lagging/insulation. Overall the pipe is about a metre long with the unprotected section being about 20 cm. it’s a standard white plastic pipe of about 22 my diameter. One nearish window only has small openers so can’t reach out from there. The pipe inside the boiler cupboard is hard to get at but doesn’t want to detach internally.
Any help?
Thanks

 

[Nige F]

hairdryer taped to some drain rods

 

[HilaryTip]

Seriously?
As it happens I suggested a hairdryer on the inside but they don’t have one!

 

[Madrab]

Ladders, extension cable and a hair dryer, or copious amounts of hot water out the kettle, trouble is though in still needs insulated as it'll just do it again in this weather.

 

[HilaryTip]

Sadly no ladders or hairdryer. Like I said - they can’t reach it to apply heat. It’s not actually my house it’s my sons. His first and they only moved in about 8 weeks ago. This is the second time they’ve not had a working boiler and they don’t know anyone in the area. It could be worse. It can always be worse.
Thanks anyway.

 

[terryplumb]

Can you post a pic of condensate pipe at base of boiler ? It may be able to be detatched and TEMPORARY ran into a big plastic bucket.

 

[Madrab]

With no access inside then there's little else can be done, unless there actually is access but just needs someone experienced to show and explain how it can be done, As TP mentions above

 

[JohnD]

...the condensate pipe running along the outside wall to the drain pipe. A section nearest the point that traverses into the house has no lagging/insulation...

Grrr, what idiot did that?

How far, inside the house, is the boiler from a kitchen sink, washbasin, bath or other fitting that has a wastepipe running to drain?

 

[HilaryTip]

They have tried to detach the pipe where it exists in the cupboard but the elbow joint won’t budge (could it be “glued”?) and space is limited. They don’t have a hacksaw to cut it. It’s about 12 feet from a sink. I think the whole external pipe used to have a covering but that part of it has come off.
I’m sure they’ll sort something out tomorrow.
Thanks again

 

[Doug99]

As a temporary measure your son only needs to put a hole in the pipe to allow the water to drain. How he does it is immaterial as the pipe can be easily replaced/repaired. Depends how desperate he is to get the boiler working again (ie young children?)

 

[JohnD]

I bet running a 12ft pipe, indoors, will end up a better bet than having the boiler stop working every time it's cold.

 

[HilaryTip]

I’ll pass on the idea about aa hole. Thanks.
I didn’t understand why you were asking about the distance. I can’t see the hose pipe being a popular idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[JohnD]

waste pipe.

same as you'd use for a sink or a washing machine.

Do you know anybody that wants their boiler to stop working in cold weather? I don't.