new boiler with external condensate pipe - does this need lagging?

littlerock

Our old boiler died recently and we have just had a new Worcester combi fitted with an obtrusive white plastic condensate pipe on the outside wall into the external drain. I gather these pipes are now compulsory and to be fair to installers there is no internal drainage pipework it can be connected into. However it seems they regularly freeze up in a cold winter. Wondering about lagging it or installing an internal heating element. What does anyone recommend?

martinsurrey

http://www.screwfix.com/p/economy-pipe-insulation-15mm-x-1m/72357

also ensure there are no flat spots in the run (it should all have a gradient towards the drain)

MoneyMate

As previously explained make sure the pipe runs down all the way to the end, any pockets of water could cause problems but as the the condensate is acidic it should not freeze.
Hence should always be run in plastic piping.

DigForVictory

Lag it, and learn the code for "I've frozen up".

Then make it a family fame to haul off the lagging, pour kettles of hot water along the length & re-lag the pipe as soon as the boiler is working again.

We've got pretty good at it, and it's not a massive deal.

I_have_spoken

You want a Worcester CondenseSure syphon to be fitted

EssexExile

MoneyMate wrote: »

but as the the condensate is acidic it should not freeze.

But it will. I've re-routed mine indoors.

Annie1960

It was a condition of my annual boiler service plan that I must lag the pipe. Mine never froze. Had it since 2006.

onomatopoeia99

Mine runs downhill and never froze, even when the external temperature dropped below -8C a few winters back.

Ectophile

I've lagged most of my pipe run, but left the last few feet down to the drain un-lagged. That way, when it freezes solid in cold weather, there's some pipe left exposed to pour hot water over.

The biggest problem I have is not the water freezing in the pipe as such. Instead, when the water drips into the drain, it starts forming a stalagmite of ice. After a few hours, this grows upwards until it reaches the pipe. Pretty soon, the pipe is completely blocked by ice.

I've looked around at the anti-icing kits out there. Most look complicated and over-priced.

bridgedino

Current standards are that it should be insulated or up-graded to 32mm or even 40mm pipe to avoid freezing up

unclebulgaria

MoneyMate wrote: »

As previously explained make sure the pipe runs down all the way to the end, any pockets of water could cause problems but as the the condensate is acidic it should not freeze.
Hence should always be run in plastic piping.

Is that right? Perhaps you should tell the condense water that its not supposed to freeze?