new condensing boiler Help and information on all topics relating to your central heating, air conditioning and ventilation issues.

[arty]

i am going to have a new boiler fitted but the plumber wont fit the condensing overflow to my plastic waste pipe in the bathroom because just before it goes into the waste stack there is about 2 foot of old lead piping joined to the plastic. he said its against corgi regs as the acid from the boiler will eat through the lead.is this true.his alternative is to cut out the lead piping and renew the stack which will be an expensive job £450 , just because of 2 foot of lead pipe.

[ericmark]

I left school a long time ago but I can remember CuSO4 and FeSO4 but never PbSO4 except with lead acid batteries where PbO2 is turned into PbSO4 with electrical charge but the pure lead of the battery was unaffected by the acid even after years of use. So if the lead is affected by the acid then someone needs to tell the manufactures of lead acid batteries to stop using lead as the conductor to bring power in and out of the batteries. Yes there is a problem with copper and iron but not lead and a Plumber who is by definition a worker of lead should know better. Maybe he's only a plastic Plumber? With lead free solder and all the restrictions on use of lead the only true Plumbers today are Organ builders who are still allowed to work with lead as any other material will affect sound of the pipes. And those working on computer networks where lead solder is still allowed as lead free is not reliable enough.

[arty]

thanks for your info armed with this i got the the plumber to fix the overflow to my existing pipework you saved me £450 quid !

[lisdar]

He is right the condensing water is acidic having the strength of lemon juice but within 18 months will eat through lead and copper with dire consequences
Usually the gas pipe is below the condensing pipe and if it is leaking
Death can occur