Unfreezing a condensate pipe

A frozen condensate pipe is one of the most common issues experienced by combi boilers in winter. The first apparent sign that you need to unfreeze your condensate pipe is a drop in temperature.

This can also extend itself to the water pipework from your boiler especially if the boiler is house in a loft, basement or outdoor room. Frozen Pipe?  Here’s how to help.

Indeed, when the condensate pipe is frozen, your boiler stops working. While it may not be the only reason for your boiler to stop it’s, thankfully, something you can fix rapidly. As the weather is getting cold, the last thing you want is to wake up one morning to a cold home. Here are our tips on unfreezing a condensate pipe successfully and safely.

A little on the condensate pipe

Condensing technology enables the heat in the flue gases to be captured before getting recycled back into the heating system. During the process, the temperature of the flue gas drops. It leads to condensation which is drained through the condensate pipe. If you are unsure how to spot the pipe, the condensate pipe is the only plastic pipe connected to your boiler. It can be 22mm, 32mm or 40mm in diameter depending on its placement. When there’s no room inside, the pipe is fitted outside, where it can freeze in winter. When it’s a frozen pipe, the boiler stops working.

Why you need to unfreeze the frozen pipe

Unfreezing a condensate pipe lets you regain full use of your boiler. To do so, you can pour warm water on the section that appears frozen, starting with the pipe outlet. You can also apply a hot water bottle directly to the frozen part of the pipe.

You shouldn’t try to remove the pipe for clearing, as it’s directly connected to your boiler.

Get in touch with our team of engineers to find out how to prevent freezing in future