Frozen Condensate Pipe! All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[johnny2hands]

New to the site,

Just wondering what the best/cost effective way anybody has found of stopping condensing boiler drain from freezing up again!

My mums went about 10 times last year, and cost £150+ on engineer call-outs when I couldn't get up there!

I cut the pipe in the end under the boiler and fixed it back this summer, i've just seen a valve on ebay that will release any condensation if theres a blockage - wont stop owt freezing but don't fancy £100 + an electrician to fit a trace heater kit! So, £25 for a hassle free winter seems ok - and they're local to me...and I can fit it myself (oh, I also tried lagging but didn't help)

And yes, I know i've had all year to sort this out!

Owt else out there?

Cheers,

Johnny2hands

[plumbbob]

We've had such mild winters in recent years, heating engineers have become complacent about routing and size of condensate drains. If you read the regulations they say if the drain is exposed to possible freezing, the pipe should be heavily lagged or preferably increased in size to a minimum of 32mm (1 1/4").

To prevent trouble with freezing consider re-routing the pipe inside and increasing the pipe to at least 40mm where exposed.