Common boiler faults - frozen condensate pipe
It’s no secret that we rely on our boilers more in the cold winter months to provide our homes with heating and hot water. But with the recent drops in temperature, the condensate on our boilers can become susceptible to freezing, causing your boiler to go into shutdown.
Our plumbing experts at Go Assist are here to guide you through identifying the signs of a frozen condensate pipe as well as providing advice on how to stop your boiler's condensate pipe from freezing again.
What is a condensate pipe?
Your condensate is typically identified as a little white pipe that leads from your boiler to the outside of your property. The condensate pipe carries the boilers ‘condensate’, which is the liquid produced when all the heat is extracted from the gas that has burned to provide your heating and hot water. The condensate is then led to a drain.
Where is the condensate pipe located?
Typically, the condensate pipe will run to a drain near a sink, it’s common that this pipe has been routed outside to stop overcrowding. However, in some cases, the pipe may have been placed through the wall and into an external drain.
What makes condensate susceptible to freezing is the fact that a large portion of it is usually placed outside, therefore when temperatures start to plummet dramatically as it has in recent weeks, the pipe can freeze and become blocked.
How do I know if my pipe is blocked?
Apart from the lack of heating and hot water, your boiler will make other clear indications that your condensate pipe is frozen. You may hear gurgling noises coming from the main boiler, this is the failsafe mechanism kicking in to protect the boiler from excess water that may be flowing up the pipe – which could cause damage to electrics.
How to defrost a frozen condensate pipe
To fix the frozen pipe, follow it to the outside and remove any cladding that you have surrounding it that has been used for insulation. Run your hand down the pipe to feel for any cold spots.
Once you have located a cold spot – cover that portion of the pipe with a hot water bottle or run warm water over the length of the condensate pipe to help unfreeze the inside of the pipe.
Add your cladding back onto the pipe and restart your boiler.
If in doubt, call an expert out!
Plumbing faults should be taken seriously and with extreme care which is why we always recommend you contact a plumber if you don’t feel confident in identifying a fault. If your boiler is repeatedly showing error codes after attempting to defrost your condensate pipe, we recommend getting in contact with an expert who can help safely advise, diagnose and repair any issue you may be facing.
