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It’s time to check those condensate pipes

Now is a great time to avoid frozen condensate pipes by checking that they are ready for any freezing conditions when you’re servicing or maintaining a boiler, says HHIC.

All the guidance on condensate pipes should be followed in conjunction with the manufacturer’s instructions, even if work is being carried out to upgrade an existing system. Failure to do so could result in the boiler warranty being invalid. It’s important to follow BS 6798:2014, Building Regulations and industry guidance.

When servicing or repairing a boiler, you should check the whole length of the condensate pipe to ensure it has been fitted, sealed, terminated and insulated correctly. 

HHIC director Stewart Clements says: “We have produced a comprehensive condensate pipe installation guide for heating engineers that includes lots of useful advice, including a report that can be left with the customer, detailing any remedial work that is needed.

“It also explains how they can thaw a frozen condensate pipe themselves. We recommend that their first port of call should be the manufacturer’s website: most have comprehensive information on how to get the boiler working again without having to call out an engineer. This will free up the installer’s valuable time for other servicing and maintenance work at the busiest time of the year.”

You can download HHIC’s guide here.

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