British Gas - Condensing boiler freezing up

Zanderman

Just resurrecting this thread to see whether the OP ever got any response from British Gas.

My elderly mother (82 year-old asthmatic, living alone) is in the same situation - was sold, by BG, a very expensive condensing boiler 18 months ago, and last winter it failed her, just when she needed it most, because the condensate pipe froze up.

They came out and thawed it, but it wasn't impressive service, and made the installation look amateur. And it's at first floor level, so no, she can't pour hot water over it.

Recently she's had the same problem - and BG have told her they now have a solution - a heating strip that can run along the pipe, triggered when it gets cold. Great. BUT the cheeky b*****rs have said it will cost £190 to install it!

Now, to my mind, if you install £2500 worth of new boiler, and it breaks down when it gets cold, you've installed something that is, in consumer-speak, 'unfit for purpose'.

And in such circumstances the 'fix' should be free. With, potentially, some money back for the inconvenience, and for the error of the effectively mis-sold 'improved' boiler (her old boiler never broke down because of the cold!!)

Anyone tried, and anyone succeeded, in getting BG to retrofit this system free yet? I'm inclined to try, but wonder if there's anyone who's already had a go.

grumpyofwhitecross

If the condensate pipe had a " drainpipe " sleeve fitted over it would that be enough insulation ?

confuseddad_2

i hade an alpha condenseing boiler. With two pipes coming out of the wall. It is dripping constantly when boiler is on from the condenstate (Int) pipe and has formed ice on the external pipe. Last year i had water running back into the boiler and ruining the circuit board and pump as it was soaking.

Is it normal to have ice forming and how can i stop it as i think it was this that caused the problems internally when it melted.

Any suggestions. Is the flue fitted correctly as surely water shouldnt be draining back into main boiler should it.

If it does is there a method of dispersing or collecting it in the house. Bit worried cany afford another circuit board.

macman

The condensate pipe is supposed to discharge when the boiler is on-that is not the flue. It shouldn't freeze if it's properly lagged outside and the fall is correct.

confuseddad_2

i must have it wrong then sorry. I am talking about the main flue then i think. Two round tubes one draws the air in and the other diperses heat / vapour. That has water droplets in side it and the ice is forming on the tube drawing the air in?

Is the condensate pipe a smaller pipe. I dont seem to have one of them? Is that right Its more the water / droplets in the flue i am concerned about.

macman

The flue should be aligned so that any water will drain out, not back. So a very slight fall away from the boiler. Your install manual should specify.
Condensate pipe is a (minimum) 22mm plastic pipe leading to a drain or soakaway outside (or it may be connected into an existing nearby waste such as a sink).

confuseddad_2

It could be falling towards the boiler i guess. Dont know not a heating engineer (obv) Cant see any condensate pipe coming out of the wall or any where that is obvious.

Cheers for some in put.

macman

Apologies, having checked my own install manual, the flue is required to be aligned at 3 degrees up from the boiler, so that the condensate drains back into the boiler and into the collection vessel. That is for a Worcester Bosch, but I don't imagine yours is much different. If yours is flooding the PCB, then it is either due to a frozen condensate pipe causing it to back up, (which should eventually cause the boiler's safety systems to lock it out), or another fault in the drainage system.
Track the condensate pipe out from the base of the boiler-you must have one.

zzzLazyDaisy

My boiler was fitted by warmfront. The condensate pipe freezes every year but the maintenance agreement I have with the specifically excludes the condensate pipe freezing!

I had a plumber look at it after this year's freeze and he lagged it, so hopefully it won't freeze again - but he did say that the boiler had water in it that had backed up from the frozen pipe, so goodness knows what damage that has done!

confuseddad_2

I will check tonight thanks. At the back of the boiler there is a serius of pipes mostly copper. Water in gas etc ther is also a pipe with what looks like a plastic cover on that is ribbed. Coild that be it?

Again thanks man.