The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) has called on heating engineers to check that the nation’s condensate pipes are ready for any freezing conditions when they are servicing or maintaining a boiler, to avoid frozen condensate pipes at a time when people are particularly reliant on their boilers.
According to the 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 added. The council noted that it is also important that British Standard 6798 2014, Building Regulations and industry guidance are also adhered to.
When servicing or repairing a boiler, the heating engineer should check the whole length of the condensate pipe, it said, to ensure it has been fitted, sealed, terminated and insulated correctly.
Stewart Clements, director at HHIC, said: “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 their 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.”