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2023-01-03 18:02:00

HERE’S A GUIDE TO SAFELY THAWING A CONDENSATE PIPE

HERE’S A GUIDE TO SAFELY THAWING A CONDENSATE PIPE

Frozen Condensate pipe? If your boiler has stopped working in freezing temperatures, then there is a good chance that your condensate pipe has frozen. Luckily, this isn’t a big problem and it can be easily resolved by yourself without the need for an engineer. This would not be covered by your manufacturer’s warranty, however it is quite easy to fix yourself. Please check your condensate before requesting an engineer.
Read on to find out how to safely defrost your condensate pipe.

How do I know if the condensate pipe is frozen

How do I know if the condensate pipe is frozen? If part of your condensate pipework is outside and does freeze during a prolonged period of very cold weather, you might hear a gurgling noise coming from the boiler and if your boiler has a digital display, you may see an A01 or A61 error code too. There’s no need to worry if your condensate pipe freezes. You can usually thaw it safely without the need to call an installer or engineer.

How to safely thaw a frozen condensate pipe

 

Locate the outdoor pipe connected to your boiler, it is usually white plastic. Try and locate the blockage which is likely to be at a bend in the pipe, probably at its end or where water could collect and freeze.

In order to thaw your pipe you can use a hot water bottle, a cloth soaked in hot water or pour warm (not boiling) water onto the pipe. Please check your condensate before requesting an engineer.

Once the blocked pipe has thawed, clear the fault and reset your boiler and if the pipe has defrosted your boiler should be working as normal.

How to minimise the risk of the condensate pipe freezing again

Once the condensate pipe is thawed and you have successfully restarted your boiler, you can lag the pipe with waterproof and weatherproof lagging to help prevent it re-freezing.

Install a drain cover to protect the pipe end.