Blocked condensation pipe

CuriousAbout

Hello, I'm a bit confused about the options so would appreciate any advice.

Had a plumber over since my boiler had stopped, he cleaned it up since there was a lot of dirt all over it, especially the S trap that was completely blocked. That made the boiler work for about a week, but then it stopped again.

He checked and saw that it had gotten blocked again, so this time after cleaning it up he looked at the condensation pipe and it seems like it is completely blocked, so the options he gave me are:

1. Rip up floorboards, carpet and bathroom tiles to find where the condensation pipe goes too and then fix those pipes. This would be the most expensive option at about £500.

2. Install a pump and have it send the water through a 10mm tube up to the roof and then out with the waster water. About £300. This is what he recommended

3. If I'd had a a garden hose that was long enough, he said that he could have tried to flush it out, but he wasn't sure if it would work and likely to be messy.

So, the first question I have is, is there some other alternative to try to clear the blockage? Would it be worth getting hold off a gard en hose and trying?

Otherwise, would a pump be a good option (it doesn't sound like a good long term solution to me) or would it be better to sort out the original pipes properly? And do the quotes above sound reasonable?



In case the layout matters, the boiler is in the middle of the upstairs floor and the pipe goes straight down from it to under the floor, but then it seems to turn off to the side since I think it's the living room below it. From the boiler to the bathroom wall where the toilet and bath drains are is probably about 3-4 metres, and the ensuite shower is just on the back off wall with the boiler.

Thank you for reading.

macman

The fall on the pipe is inadequate, the bends are too tight, and/or the diameter is inadequate. Any competent RGI should be able to sort this out. Pumping it is a crazy solution, time to consult another RGI (not a 'plumber').
The pipe can discharge internally into a sink waste.

CuriousAbout

Thanks, not sure what an RGI is, this guy's website says that he's on the Gassafe register, but I'll ask someone else to have a look either way since I'm not sure about this guy.

Though, if it is the pipe that's the problem, is it still likely that they'd need to rip up the floorboards etc, or is it possible that it could be solved without that?

southcoastrgi

RGI = registered gas installer
macman nothing wrong with using a condense pump
the pipe needs a run on it like any other waste water pipe running it under the 1st floor isn't an option as you can't get the fall on it, i suppect it's been connected into one of the other waste pipes & this is prob where it is blocked, in your case you don't have really any other option than to fit a pump.

CuriousAbout

Thanks, but with the pump, he said that it would be a 10mm pipe/tube, which sounds quite small, doesn't that mean that it's quite likely to get blocked easily?

And if this goes up to the roof, isn't there a huge risk that it'll freeze in the winter?

espresso

Presumably this system has worked fine until recently?

It seems like this guy has listed the options in reverse order or highest cost option first.

He is prepared to fit a pump at cost obviously but expects you to provide a garden hose to flush a blocked pipe!

Get others in for at least one more opinion.

CuriousAbout

Well, we just moved in a few months ago, the boiler worked during the summer but then when it began being used more it stopped.

His first option was the pump, second option was the floor boards. The water hose was mentioned more as an aside than as a real option.

southcoastrgi

the pipe under the floor isn't an option & it should never have been done like that from day one, it needs a fall & you can't do that through floor joists, yes the plastic pipe is 10mm it's the pipe that is supplied with the pump, it will go up in the roof to a certain level then normally it's connected to a 32mm waste pipe that then falls like any other waste pipe into the soil stack or whatever he is connecting it into, you can lag the 32mm pipe if you wish but as the water doesn't stay in the pipe hopefully it won't freeze but yes the 10mm pipe should be lagged & i would normally run this inside 19mm overflow pipe or 32mm pipe in the loft.

CuriousAbout

Looking at it again now, I can see that where the pipe is going down is just next to the wall to the ensuite, and the ensuite shower is just on the other side of that wall.

So wouldn't it be more likely that the condensation was going into some waste thing under that shower rather than going the much further distance to the bathroom?

And if it's going to the short distance to the shower (I'd estimate 5-10 cm to the edge of the shower and then about 60-70 cm diagonally over to the shower drain), would it be possible to accomplish the needed drop over that distance or would it still be better to get a pump.

southcoastrgi

yes if it does what you say, but that's not what your OP said, if it is connected into the shower waste pipe somewhere then i suspect that this is where it is blocked with the gunk that goes down the shower, however it may not connect into this pipe at all & without you being able to confirm this no one knows, plus i have seen loads of shower waste pipes that have no fall at all & are just cut into the top of the joists

rxbren

ive seen a few shower waste pipes that are just left on the the plasterboard for the ceiling below