If your boiler were to stop working during winter weather, there's a high chance that your condensate pipe has frozen.
It's a relatively simple issue to solve if you address it swiftly. There's no need to panic, we'll take you through everything you need to know.
Why do condensate pipes freeze?
Your boiler will have a condensate pipe which is designed to take waste water, produced due to condensation, away from the boiler to the outside to be drained.
As the condensate pipe leads outside, it's exposed to elements. Therefore the waste water could freeze if the temperatures get low enough.
You'll likely notice if this has happened as your boiler will not be able to function. You should be able to hear a gurgling noise from your boiler, and if it has a digital display you may see an 'EA' error code.
Defrosting a condensate pipe
Defrosting a condensate pipe is simple. You'll need to locate the condensate pipe outside, it's usually a white plastic pipe that connects to an external drain.
You'll need to heat the condensate pipe to defrost the frozen water inside.
You can achieve this by pouring warm water over the condensate pipe. Do not use boiling water as this will damage and crack the pipe.
Take your time when defrosting a condensate pipe - If the warm water doesn't fully defrost the pipe, simply repeat until it has. It's better to repeat this process than to rush it with hotter water and risk serious damage.
Once the pipe has defrosted, rest the boiler fully and everything should return to normal.
How to prevent pipes from freezing
The best solution to a frozen condensate pipe is to prevent freezing in the first place.
When you use the heating in your home, it's not just for your own sake, it also prevents pipes from freezing.
It's tempting to try and save money by not using your heating, but ultimately the cost of a burst pipe far outweighs the cost of using your heating for a couple of hours each day, or keeping it consistently at a low level.
When something unforeseen happens, and which could cause serious damage to the property, you need to act. Find out your emergency out of hours contact details here.
The Reeds Rains Content Marketing Team
