Boiler TCP smell

RSHuntsman

Hi,

Apologies if this is in the wrong place (first post).

I noticed on Saturday a strong TCP smell in the house, which seemed to be more like burning when I got closer to the boiler. I switched the boiler off and shut down the gas and British Gas came out on Sunday. The guy who came couldn't see anything wrong with the boiler aside from an overflow of the condensing pipe which had been blocked, which I was happy to take as his opinion (I was worried it would be something worse and more expensive). We left the boiler off yesterday aside from the hot water and the smell didn't seem to return, however reading online the smell we had seems much more likely to have been an electrical fault somewhere (likely with the PCB) so I am now tentative about switching the heating back on. Has anyone had a condensing pipe overflow in their boiler and what did it smell like? Also if you have an issue with the PCB, would that also impact the hot water?

Thanks all

brightontraveller

RSHuntsman wrote: »

Hi,

Apologies if this is in the wrong place (first post).

I noticed on Saturday a strong TCP smell in the house, which seemed to be more like burning when I got closer to the boiler. I switched the boiler off and shut down the gas and British Gas came out on Sunday. The guy who came couldn't see anything wrong with the boiler aside from an overflow of the condensing pipe which had been blocked, which I was happy to take as his opinion (I was worried it would be something worse and more expensive). We left the boiler off yesterday aside from the hot water and the smell didn't seem to return, however reading online the smell we had seems much more likely to have been an electrical fault somewhere (likely with the PCB) so I am now tentative about switching the heating back on. Has anyone had a condensing pipe overflow in their boiler and what did it smell like? Also if you have an issue with the PCB, would that also impact the hot water?

Thanks all

Maybe a slight leak does system have Fennox system cleaner or alike in it it has has a sweetish smell wouldn’t really say TCP though ? Electrical faults can give off that to start then go more of a fishy smell? If you don't trust the engineers diagnostics then get second opinion?

RSHuntsman

Thanks, I don't believe we have any system cleaner in the system, however I'm not sure what had blocked the condensing pipe. The smell was like TCP and more like burning when we got to the boiler.

I think I might try running the boiler tomorrow whilst I am at home and see if the smell reoccurs, I can then shut it down immediately and see if I can locate the source.

firefox1956

If BG have been out & confirmed that there is no safety issue with your boiler then all you can really do is run it until something gives !!

Alex1983

I've never smelt a tcp smell from a boiler but a electrical fault can give off a very distinctive smell. Blocked condense it's self wouldn't smell but if the drain it's going to was blocked that could smell but would be a drain smell.