What is this pipe, please?

Doozergirl

Apodemus said:

Doozergirl said:

Apodemus said:

A couple of thoughts:
In cold weather it is possible for the condensate flow to freeze, leading to a blockage and a leak further up the drain.  I don't know if it has been cold enough for that where you are.

Sometimes the first sign of a leaking condenser in the boiler is increased discharge out of the condensate drain, coupled with a reduction of system pressure.   Cheaper boilers may have easily-corroded condensers in order to ensure built-in obsolescence.  Hopefully none of this applies in your case.

Just to add, it's a nice big pipe, the leak seems to be at the join with the 4 inch which won't freeze, and the smaller pipe doesn't have a large outside run, so the set up there is hopefully a lot less likely to freeze 😬.   

You clearly live in a more benign climate than I do!    In my experience this sort of slow dribble of water is very good at freezing in any size of pipe and over time builds up to a blockage - think icicle formation on a leaking gutter, except inside a downpipe.  Once the end of a pipe is blocked, it is a just matter of time before the next weakest link is being tested.

I did say less likely.  Using a bigger pipe and a short outside run as they've done there is the best that can be done.  

I've had the problem with a similarly sized Saniflo pipe freezing in the past.  Keeping it indoors for as long as possible stopped it from happening again.  

CatLady87

@Doozergirl he’s a ground worker so think he just generally deals with outside ‘things’ 🤣

Doozergirl

CatLady87 said:

@Doozergirl he’s a ground worker so think he just generally deals with outside ‘things’ 🤣

Oh, right.  That's a bit weird then to be working on an already built house.  He'll
know how it fits together at least.