Is there a condensing boiler that does not require pipe?

My flat is on the third floor of a victorian block of flats.
Somebody got me a condensing boiler by mistake.
It was not possible to fit condensate pipe. The boiler also has an emergency valve for hot water to escape under pressure and it's not possible to fit this either. There is an outbuilding on the ground floor in a funny position. It is not possible to run pipes straight down. It is also not possible to use a ladder and no permission to run pipes around the building.


I was fortunate to find somebody willing to drill a hole in the wall at least so the pipe could go out and no fumes could escape into the room.
It wasn't my fault the guy who fitted it in the first place was an idiot.
I didn't know anything was wrong until I called out Heat team because the thermostat wasn't working 100% and they refused to fix it and put it out of operation.

It was middle of winter and snowing and I didn't have any cash to buy a convensional boiler to replace it and could not obtain a loan at this time. It was freezing cold and I was not well and my life was at risk. So this man helped me out as a temporary measure.
I was lucky to find someone willing to put my life before legalities.
I could very well have become seriously ill or died if he had left it off at that time.

The condensate pipe goes straight out of the wall. There is very little condensate fluid. The occassional drop falls on top of the outbuilding - it's only an old storage room/bathroom for the shop on the ground floor.

It's not ideal and not legal but was necessary at the time.

I am not happy to continue like this indefinitely.

I want to get an energy efficient boiler that only uses one flue and doesn't require consensate pipes or hotwater escape pipes to be fitted unless operate in such a way that they can just stick out of the wall.

If it's not possible to get condensing boiler are there any energy efficient modern non-condensing boilers that would be suitable?

I am not happy to keep the existing boiler. It works fine but is completely not suitable. I also like to be able to see the pilot light or an LCD that gives some indication in the event of problems that you could look at the manual and it would tell you what might be wrong and if this is dangerous.

The boiler is in a bedroom. This is the only place possible to install it.
People have tried to come up with ideas but it cannot be installed anywhere else due to building regulations in respect of windows.

get a sanicondese unit and pump it to wherever is legal.

anakaday said:

I want to get an energy efficient boiler that only uses one flue and doesn't require consensate pipes or hotwater escape pipes to be fitted.

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Good luck with that - have you found any four leaf clovers lately?

Do you not have anywhere within your flat to terminate the condensate pipe - such as the waste pipe from the kitchen sink?

Have you looked at electric heating as an option?

I am not going to fix the boiler myself but this is not the point. Trade people also use Screw Fix and someone might have some helpful suggestions or comments.

Pumps in the floor are would have to go across two rooms to reach waste pipes in the bathroom. The flat is not level so it would be going uphill to get there. It wouldn't work properly and would be very expensive and also use alot of electricity. It is not feasible to have a condensing boiler.

I am faced with ending up with no heating and hotwater when this boiler breaks down and nobody willing to fix it or put in a normal boiler unless I can tell them something useful.

A condensate pump using a lot of electricity - not true, they use no more than a few watts.

You do not need to install a gas boiler to save your life. Fan heaters and a kettle would do in the short term.

I think you should stop finding things to complain about, and focus on which options are available to you, rather than what isn't. Some installs are easier than others.

I didn't notice anyone mention screwfix.

anakaday said:

It is not feasible to have a condensing boiler.

I am faced with ending up with no heating and hotwater when this boiler breaks down and nobody willing to fix it or put in a normal boiler unless I can tell them something useful.

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If a boiler is broked down the no one anywhere will have any heating or hot water if the boilers broken. Thats a rare occurance even with a Poxi boiler.

I would say that you have not employed a registered professional at any time in this saga. Your "somebody" was a bad choice! people dont "buy boilers by mistake" "

If you dont use qualified people then you end up with this situation.

It seems most unlikely that there is no where else that a professional could have safely fitted a boiler.

I expect that you have both a kitchen and a bathroom where a condensate connection could be made.

Regardless of any sloping floors, a condensate pump can pump upwards a metre or so and along about 30 m so thats hardly going to stop a boiler being installed.

I would suggest that you get real and ask a gas registered engineer to come and suggest what can be done to correct the installation.

Genuinely having no money is not an excuse any more. There is a Government funded scheme called Warmfront to repair or replace boilers for those on low incomes or benefits.

Tony