Frozen Condensate Pipe | How to Prevent or Safely Thaw
In winter, a frozen condensate pipe is a very common heating problem. This is because they’re often fitted outside to drain water from the system which leaves them vulnerable to frost. If you suddenly find your boiler not working, it’s likely that a frozen pipe is to blame. Read on this week for some tips to avoid and how to defrost if the worst happens.
Opt For a Large Pipe and Insulate it Well
Condensate pipes should be well insulated especially if they’re high up. Imagine climbing a ladder to try and unfreeze a pipe that’s halfway up your house? You can do the insulation yourself but if it’s tricky, call in a professional. Opting for a condensate pipe that’s larger than normal can also help prevent it from freezing.
Reduce Exposure and Amount of Outside Pipe
If at all feasible, your condensate pipe should run internally as much as possible. The less pipe that’s outside the less it’s exposed to very cold weather conditions. You won’t be able to change it yourself but you could get an engineer to do it for you. You could also consider installing a ‘Trace’ to prevent a frozen condensate pipe from ever happening again…
Ask Your Installer About a Trace
If you live in an area that’s incredibly cold, ask your installer about a ‘Trace’. This involves bonding an electrical element underneath the pipe to warm it when temperatures drop.
Signs Your Condensate Pipe is Frozen
If you didn’t get the chance to safeguard your pipe, there’s a likely chance it will freeze. Tell-tale signs are a gurgling noise from the boiler or an ‘EA’ error code. If this is the case, there’s no need to panic, simply follow the next steps to unthaw your pipe. If you do so, however, and it doesn’t resolve the problem, please get in touch with your engineer…
How to Defrost a Condensate Pipe
First things first, you’ll need to locate your (white) condensate pipe. This is the pipe that comes out of the wall from behind the boiler and runs into an outside drain. You’ll also need some warm water so boil the kettle and leave for about ten minutes. Then starting from the top of the pipe, work your way down, pouring warm water until the ice has melted. Once you have done this part, reset your boiler and you should find that it’s back to normal but if not please contact us and we will endeavour to fix the problem.
Reliable Boiler Models to Stay Warm in Leeds this Winter
Thank you for reading our post on preventing a frozen condensate pipe. By simply following this guide you’ll hopefully avoid any problems with Jack Frost this winter. If your boiler, however, seems to be constantly faulty and it’s not just a seasonal thing, perhaps it’s time for a brand new model with an excellent reliability rating. To find out more, please get in touch with our new boiler team. Worcester’s Greenstar Lifestyle Range is definitely a hit with homeowners across Leeds. Thank you for reading.
