Frozen condensate pipe
Frozen condensate waste pipes are a common problem in the winter months. This guide should help you to thaw your frozen gas boiler condensate waste pipe in a safe and easy way.
The purpose of the condensate pipe is to vent moisture from your boiler safely to the external environment.
In cold weather the condensate pipe can freeze, even if insulated. If this happens then your boiler will automatically shut down and leave you without central heating and hot water.
There are a couple of ways to tell if your condensate pipe is frozen. You may hear some bubbling sounds coming from the boiler or the pipe itself. There may also be a warning light on your boiler indicating that the pipe is frozen.
If the pipe freezes it should really be thawed by an E.ON engineer who will also give you advice to stop the pipe from freezing again. However, if you want to try thawing it yourself you can follow this step by step guide:
1. Warm some water in the kettle (do not use boiling water as this could crack the pipe or scald you)
2. Stand away from the wall and gently pour the warm water onto the frozen pipe
3. Repeat until pipe has thawed.
It might be a good idea to use rubber gloves when doing this in case the water is too hot to handle.
Warning!- Do not rush thawing the pipe by using water that is too hot
- Always ensure that you are standing at ground level when pouring water onto it
- Never disconnect the pipe
- Always use suitable protection for your hands when handling hot water