Post by Madhatter on Dec 21, 2010 19:37:50 GMT
Protect your pipes in the cold snap.
How to help prevent frozen pipes in your home.
Make sure you know where your inside stop valve is and check that it is working. It is usually under the kitchen sink or just inside your garage (if you have one).You will need to get to it quickly if a pipe bursts.
Ensure pipes in cold draughty areas are insulated. Check that the insulation in your loft is thick enough, and that it covers over and around the water pipes where possible. Do not put insulation underneath the water tank.
Try to use good quality waterproof foam lagging that meets the requirements of British Standard 6700 and Water Supply Regulations - you can usually get it at your local DIY store or plumbers merchant.
Wrap bends or hard-to-get-at pipes with securely fixed strips of insulation.
On very cold days, open the hatch to your loft to let warm air in from other parts of the house and prevent pipes from freezing.
Insulate outside taps or turn them off at the stop tap, or drain them before the frosty weather.
Fix any dripping taps or overflows. A build-up of ice can cause a blockage.
If you leave your home for a few days, have your heating set so that it comes on at least once every day. Ensure that the storage system and exposed pipes are properly insulated, particularly in the roof space or attic.
Even the best insulation won't stop pipes from freezing when frosty conditions won't let up. So during a really frosty period isolate and drain down external pipework, outside taps, and exposed plumbing.
Is it too late? What to do if the cold weather catches you out.
If your have no water, check to see if your neighbours are having similar problems to work out if the problem is in your own home or more widespread. If your neighbours don’t have water either, contact your water company to report the problem.
Because water expands when it freezes, a frozen pipe could have enough pressure inside to crack it or pull it loose at the seams. You might not necessarily notice the problem until the system is thawed out again. To help minimise the potential for further problems, find your stop tap (it’s usually under the sink or in the garage) and turn it off. If you also have a stop tap on your header tank, turn it off as well.
Reheating pipes too quickly to try and speed up the thawing process could potentially cause damage too. If you know which pipes are frozen, can reach them easily, are confident in your DIY skills and would like to try to thaw the system on your own click here for some top tips. If you are unsure, contact a certified plumber. The links below can help put you in touch with one nearby.
Water Industry Approved Plumber Scheme
Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering
If you can’t work out which pipe is frozen, or suspect it is underground or otherwise too difficult to reach you may just have to wait for the weather to warm the system back up again.
Broken down boilers
Thawing a Frozen Boiler Condensate Pipe
Modern condensing boilers are particularly susceptible to break downs during long periods of sub zero temperatures. During this period of cold weather both private heating contractors and the council housing repairs team are very busy. This problem is relatively easy to fix and you could have your heating back on much sooner by thawing the pipe yourself.
Frozen boiler condensate pipes can be a frequent occurrence during the icy winter months. Ideally you should have the condensate pipe thawed-out by an engineer, but if that’s not convenient then here are some easy guidelines to try to remedy the problem yourself.
What is the boiler condensate pipe?
Most modern boilers have a condensate pipe which takes condensed water away from the boiler. To improve efficiency, the boiler removes heat energy from the flues gases and some of this waste gas cools and turns into a small amount of acidic water. The pipe transports this steady dribble of water away from the boiler and into a drain.
If one of the pipes underneath the boiler is in plastic (usually white and around 20mm wide) and the rest are metal then you almost certainly have a condense pipe. Trace the pipe to the outside of your home – you’ll find the pipe always runs to a drain so the water can be eradicated.
Why does it freeze?
The pipe runs outside the home in order to reach a drainage point, during the cold winter months the acidic water is prone to freeze. Droplets of water freeze in the pipe and as more droplets come down the pipe the lump of ice gets bigger rather like an icicle does. It creates a block and so water fills up inside the pipe and eventually the boiler. A trigger is switched to shut down the boiler when it reaches a certain point to prevent the water flooding the entire system.
How do I clear it?
It’s recommended that you have a qualified engineer come look at the condensate pipe, especially if you’re unsure of what to do or how to locate the frozen section. However, if you feel competenet enough to attempt the task then there are couple of ways to thaw the pipe yourself.
You could apply hot water from a suitable container, like a watering can, to the outside of the pipe itself. Don’t use boiling water to do this. Heat the water using a kettle or a microwave.
You could also try either a hot water bottle or a heat wrap – usually used to aid muscle discomfort and is available from all top chemists – and place it around the pipe at the section where the water has frozen.
You should never attempt to thaw a condensate pipe that is above ground level or disconnect the condensate pipe in the process.
You should employ extreme caution at all times when attempting to identify and thaw the condensate pipe.
Thawing a Frozen Boiler Condensate Pipe
How to help prevent frozen pipes in your home.
Make sure you know where your inside stop valve is and check that it is working. It is usually under the kitchen sink or just inside your garage (if you have one).You will need to get to it quickly if a pipe bursts.
Ensure pipes in cold draughty areas are insulated. Check that the insulation in your loft is thick enough, and that it covers over and around the water pipes where possible. Do not put insulation underneath the water tank.
Try to use good quality waterproof foam lagging that meets the requirements of British Standard 6700 and Water Supply Regulations - you can usually get it at your local DIY store or plumbers merchant.
Wrap bends or hard-to-get-at pipes with securely fixed strips of insulation.
On very cold days, open the hatch to your loft to let warm air in from other parts of the house and prevent pipes from freezing.
Insulate outside taps or turn them off at the stop tap, or drain them before the frosty weather.
Fix any dripping taps or overflows. A build-up of ice can cause a blockage.
If you leave your home for a few days, have your heating set so that it comes on at least once every day. Ensure that the storage system and exposed pipes are properly insulated, particularly in the roof space or attic.
Even the best insulation won't stop pipes from freezing when frosty conditions won't let up. So during a really frosty period isolate and drain down external pipework, outside taps, and exposed plumbing.
Is it too late? What to do if the cold weather catches you out.
If your have no water, check to see if your neighbours are having similar problems to work out if the problem is in your own home or more widespread. If your neighbours don’t have water either, contact your water company to report the problem.
Because water expands when it freezes, a frozen pipe could have enough pressure inside to crack it or pull it loose at the seams. You might not necessarily notice the problem until the system is thawed out again. To help minimise the potential for further problems, find your stop tap (it’s usually under the sink or in the garage) and turn it off. If you also have a stop tap on your header tank, turn it off as well.
Reheating pipes too quickly to try and speed up the thawing process could potentially cause damage too. If you know which pipes are frozen, can reach them easily, are confident in your DIY skills and would like to try to thaw the system on your own click here for some top tips. If you are unsure, contact a certified plumber. The links below can help put you in touch with one nearby.
Water Industry Approved Plumber Scheme
Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering
If you can’t work out which pipe is frozen, or suspect it is underground or otherwise too difficult to reach you may just have to wait for the weather to warm the system back up again.
Broken down boilers
Thawing a Frozen Boiler Condensate Pipe
Modern condensing boilers are particularly susceptible to break downs during long periods of sub zero temperatures. During this period of cold weather both private heating contractors and the council housing repairs team are very busy. This problem is relatively easy to fix and you could have your heating back on much sooner by thawing the pipe yourself.
Frozen boiler condensate pipes can be a frequent occurrence during the icy winter months. Ideally you should have the condensate pipe thawed-out by an engineer, but if that’s not convenient then here are some easy guidelines to try to remedy the problem yourself.
What is the boiler condensate pipe?
Most modern boilers have a condensate pipe which takes condensed water away from the boiler. To improve efficiency, the boiler removes heat energy from the flues gases and some of this waste gas cools and turns into a small amount of acidic water. The pipe transports this steady dribble of water away from the boiler and into a drain.
If one of the pipes underneath the boiler is in plastic (usually white and around 20mm wide) and the rest are metal then you almost certainly have a condense pipe. Trace the pipe to the outside of your home – you’ll find the pipe always runs to a drain so the water can be eradicated.
Why does it freeze?
The pipe runs outside the home in order to reach a drainage point, during the cold winter months the acidic water is prone to freeze. Droplets of water freeze in the pipe and as more droplets come down the pipe the lump of ice gets bigger rather like an icicle does. It creates a block and so water fills up inside the pipe and eventually the boiler. A trigger is switched to shut down the boiler when it reaches a certain point to prevent the water flooding the entire system.
How do I clear it?
It’s recommended that you have a qualified engineer come look at the condensate pipe, especially if you’re unsure of what to do or how to locate the frozen section. However, if you feel competenet enough to attempt the task then there are couple of ways to thaw the pipe yourself.
You could apply hot water from a suitable container, like a watering can, to the outside of the pipe itself. Don’t use boiling water to do this. Heat the water using a kettle or a microwave.
You could also try either a hot water bottle or a heat wrap – usually used to aid muscle discomfort and is available from all top chemists – and place it around the pipe at the section where the water has frozen.
You should never attempt to thaw a condensate pipe that is above ground level or disconnect the condensate pipe in the process.
You should employ extreme caution at all times when attempting to identify and thaw the condensate pipe.
Thawing a Frozen Boiler Condensate Pipe
