No hot water

Woke up this morning, No hot water, no water at all coming out of hot water tap, in bathroom. Bath and Sink. but OK in kitchen??? Rang an ex plumber friend of mine and immediately he said "frozen pipes".. He said that two other people had rung him before I did, with the same problem. Told me to take panel off bath and put in a fan heater and then move it upstairs and put it near the pipes in the attic Took me 1/2 hour to take all the stuff out of the attic and lift the flooring( not fixed) to give access to all the pipes put in the fan heater After 1/2 hour water began to trickle out of the tap after a few minutes, back to normal Only hope it hasn't burst any pipes?? No drips through the ceiling yet<g> I won't be turning my heating off during the night again until this cold spell is over I'll be leaving it on around 17/18degs I'm thinking of all the other people who have had a similar problem and have had to call out a Heating Engineer Cost a lot more than leaving the heating on during the night..

whoops, leave it on yea, you would know if any had burst,

Hit it with an hammer

Hi Tom I contacted the heating company who installed the boiler They but sent me a link from Bosch telling me the same thing. However my boiler is upstairs in the airing cupboard where my hot water tank was and they have run the condensing pipe under the roof tiles and it only comes out a the bottom and runs into the guttering

Don't be soft!

Have a cold shower!!

Thats not the best way to do it Ron, the condence should go into the soil pipe as a first option, 2nd option is rainwater, 3rd option is a soak away, running into a gutter is not to standard and the pipe should be 35mm minimum, I'm guess they used 21 to get under the roof tiles,

has the water presure dropped ? .

I've lost contact with most of the guys now but
I've done work for these men before and I think they are still about
their shop is in Pem, where the Carlton used to be

Our old boiler switched on if the temp drops too low to stop any freezing, the one we have now, a Bosch just switches the pump on, when I asked why I was told it was because moving water won't freeze, and we have had no problems.

Domino,

because moving water won't freeze

No one told Niagara falls that

(Comment removed because it broke the rules)

No Ron but that condense is defo sub standard, if you get no recompense, contact gassafe,

Try messaging on Facebook

First mate I've messaged them via Facebook but not get a reply as yet.

Tom, I don't know who admin. is, or where he lives, but he might have a dual drainage which would mean it is correct.

PS: he's clearly not a yicker, or he wouldn't be bothered about cowwwwd waaaater!

About 1/2 hour ago sat in living room and suddenly heard a loud noise and on investigation found the noise was coming from the gas boiler. I switched the boiler off and managed to get hold of the plumber who installed the boiler. He asked was there a plastic condenser pipe outside? Had a look and found a plastic pipe about afoot long which drained into a grid. He said pour some hot water onto the pipe(I was the 7th person today with this problem). I did this and about 4 inch of ice came out of the pipe. Within minutes boiler was up and running thanks to Jamie the plumber for his prompt reply

Tonker, just checked in the back attic and there is only one 21mm plastic pipe. which appears to have pipe insulation along its length, until it goes under the roof tiles. But thinking, if the condensing pipe was the problem why would I be getting hot water in the back kitchen?? Do you think the problem is with the hot water pipe coming from the boiler and going to the bathroom that is freezing up somewhere under the floor boards? Maybe I should lift the floor boards where the pipes run and put some lagging around all the pipes I can see?? The pipes come from the boiler run between the joists in the back attic, then run inside, of the outside wall and drop down into the bathroom which is downstairs.

I doubt very much that a pipe under the floor, inside the house, would freeze.
I'd be looking to air trapped in the pipe run.

But, that said, I'm not a real plumber!

PS: by saying 'dual drainage' I meant the waste water and the surface water both go to the same place, aka combined drainage. Houses built before the 60's, definately pre war, often have that setup. It depends on the land-lie where your build is. My house is next to a lake, so the surface water goes there, but the waste sewage goes into a pumping station and gets pumped uphill to a main drain. Without the lake, both waste and surface water would have to be pumped.

Anyway all back to normal now

Good. Have a hot shower then!

Admin I had them John Wilkinson Heating,
my boiler is upstairs same as yours in the airing cupboard where my hot water tank was but they run the condensing pipe under the roof boards and bath to the outside wall it only comes out about 1" then bends down about 2" and covered with a peace of waterproof lagging extended just passed the end,

just been to do yearly serves £85 or £7 a month all in

Tonker the condensate water is not soil water nor grey water so matters not which drain it goes to But, According to the regulation writers, it is harmful to humans because of its corrosive properties and could burn through metal faster than a lazer beam, ( I know its unrealistic ) but that is why plastic pipe has to be used and put in a waste drain where it can't be touched by human hands, A gutter will not suffice as its open and could spill out and cause damage to anyone passing, So if Rons neighbours developed 3 eyes and green skin, Ron might have to pay damages,

Tom, let me give you an example of what I mean.

If every house up my street had a condensating boiler, and all the pipes went into the surface water drains, and into the lake, all the fish would go belly-up on the surface and somebody would get upset about it.

But, not all surface drains go into a lake or a local brook. A lot go into the waste water sewer. Like you say condensate should. In that case, I can't see anything wrong with putting it in the gutters?

PS: I don't have a condensating boiler!

Ron - "'Ere, we ain't got no hot waw'er"!

Tonker them rules is what fat bummed engineers tell us, condensate water is what comes from heated water cooling down, Now the cooling towers from every Electricity plant is exactly the same , But, they did't drain that water, they let if form ponds/lakes like at westwood, Many many boys and girls swam in that water, plus fish galore bred there and never a deformed boy of fish was ever form, not did anyone die from acidic burns,But still the pen pushing, desk jockys insist that, the water from a condensing boiler must be treated as a dangerous toxic waste,

Sods low the gasman came today to check and serves the heating boiler the blood thing was set to on at 11,ooam then again at 4.00pm, came on/ off the first time everything OK, at 4.00pm came on for just one hour them shut down with error code 227, looked it up said gas valve needs replacing or electrical fault shut down and turn it off,

Hope I don't have to wait as long as Admin, when I phone tomorrow

In a perfect World Dougie you should get priority because your boiler was running till the boilerman fiddled with it,
Lesson 1, If its running leave it running, tell them to come fiddling in Summer,

Tom, cooling tower water came from condensed cooling water.
Boiler condensate pipe water comes from condensed burnt gas fumes and contains acidic toxins.

If you filled Westwood cooling tower ponds with that stuff the fish wouldn't last two minutes!

.

Dougie, it'd be cheaper for you to stop in a Travellodge!

Tom I remember you coming out late on Christmas eve and it finished up a big job and you saying " I can't leave you over Christmas and New year with no heating or hot water" Thanks again for that Tom maybe able to do you a good turn one day

Found somewhere cheaper in Manchester on Monday night and it had a Seaview room but no windows

dougie let me know how you get on with the problem

Tom I remember you coming out late on Christmas eve and it finished up a big job and you saying " I can't leave you over Christmas and New year with no heating or hot water" Thanks again for that Tom maybe able to do you a good turn one day

Thanks Dougie ,people who know me in person will echo your thoughts,
some people think I'm a racist , uncaring , sexist , cyclist who , runs a row of corner shops dealing undercounter cucumbers and salad dressings,

I was doing a house refurb and, while taking out the old boiler and hot water storage tank, I came across an old oil-lamp.
I wiped some of the dust off with my sleeve and out came a genie!
"Thank you for releasing me after all these years trapped in that lamp", said the genie, "now, I know you're not Gas-Safe registered and you shouldn't be doing this work, but, in return for releasing me, I'm not going to report you", he said, "instead. I'm going to grant you one wish, and one wish only"!

"Thank you, genie" said I, "I wish ...... that I could live forever"!

"Hmmmmmm", replied the genie, "sadly, that is the only wish that is not in my power to grant, sorry", "but you can make the wish again"!

I thought very carefully, then I asked him, "I wish I could live long enough to see England win the World Cup again"!

To which the genie replied, "Oooooooh., you crafty bastard"!

tomplum I don't know you but i see how you have helped people on here so many can see your not a bad one.. i have a great friend who will help anyone but he is not just a racist , sexist , cyclist he also likes Trump know one is perfect Merry Christmas

Always have your heating on in the present very cold weather and not programmes of off and on!

Some people out there can’t afford to keep their heating on like that.

condensation pipe is frozen . get a kettle of hot water & thaw it & give it a little tap with a rolling pin or something of that ilk . mine was like that this morning but now back up & running . because of the weather keep your c/h on over night on very low .

Dougie did you mention to the guy from the JW Heating company that I had put something on the web site?

Admin No I didn't, but like you said they try to put you off, she said look outside you'll find a 1" plastic white pipe it will be frozen just free it, me-I know that but their is none

they had changed the inch white pipe before it came out of the wall to a brown 2" pipe running into the 5"waist stack, have freed it but it's making a noise now

Can you insulate these pipes? Mine is constantly freezing up.

Dougie the owner rang me and mentioned I had put a comment on the web site?? I was wondering how he would know? He told me in future any problems to ring him

yes Angelwood, cover it with foam, towels, blankets, donkey jackets or anything to keep the frost out but,
like the birth pill, it only works before the frost attacks, it can't undo it after,

Put a wire coathanger (straightened out) into the hole at the outside end of the pipe.
If it freezes, pour hot water on the pipe while at the same time, pull the ice out with the wire!

Tonker I am running out of patience, pouring hot water over it every 4 hours.

when you pour hot water on it give it a little tap with a rolling pin to loosen the ice in the pipe .

Angelwood start at the open end then work your way up the pipe slowly with the hot water When I did mine the ice came out in round pieces like mini ice cubes and there was about 4 inch's of ice slide out of the pipe. only took one kettle of hot water and my boiler was up and running in minutes

United Utilities have sent out an email explaining what to do about freezing pipes,

Being an 82 year old and getting older every winter, I've been looking at --This for £16.50-- as my condenser pipe feeds into the soil stack about 12 ft up, I have to get my extension ladder to reach means going up 15 ft, with a watering can full of hot water in one hand and holding on to the ladder with the other, It's not safe even for a 21 year old. LOOK EASY TO FIT

seems like a useful device

I'll wait to see what Tom & as to say about it, they may offer to come round to free it for me next time, Free of charge why they are still only pups

G.B.

Peterp, I have a mini glacier of pipe shaped ice under the pipe now, which is thawing nicely.

Angelwood once thawed buy a strip of pipe insulation from any DIY shop and cut to length and tie on with some cable ties

Peterp, it's ordered from Screwfix, collect tomorrow.

Dougie, that looks like a gizmo to be, If your pipe is 1 inch inside and 2 inches out side, then there is a back fall in it, I'll come round and have a look for you.
you going up a ladder is not an acceptable practice,
I'll ge thee a ring latter,

Tom be careful you are not a spring chicken yourself

Like Dougie says, I'm only a pup,,

How do they deal with condensing boiler condensate drain in colder climates?

I presume they have different arrangements.

Would hardly be a selling point if you have to tell the customer of need to regularly thaw out their discharge pipe through the cold season.

Trace heating is used on pipes and even gutters in cold countries,even seen it layed and used under roads.

Yes, I think I recall them considering heating the Pennine section of M62, but concluding that it would be too costly.

Admin
Just had the Worcester Bosch engineers themselves out to change a gas valve, he asked was I satisfied with the running cost, "Yes " he said I could save you an extra Hundred a year as you've got the boiler set on Preheat, just try it on Eco, you can always change back if you don't like it

Not bad for £7 a month service charge or £85 a year with John Wilkinson heating servicing is it Admin

Dougie I switched the pre heat OFF last year got fed up with kicking in during the night. I must be a light sleeper it would wake me up and I would think I had not switched the timer/stat off and get up to find it was the pre heat

Dougie, I'd guess that it would cost less to leave the pre-heat 'on' rather than switch it 'off' and run water down the plug-hole waiting for the hot to come through. It's relative, of course, because your boiler might not be very far from your sinks/bath/shower.

I don't know how other people go on just washing a few clean dishes even with the preheat on, you can fill half a bowl of cold water before the hot water starts coming out,

I have a combi boiler and I couldn't have had it fitted any nearer to the sink. Its virtually sat on top of it!
It never gives instant hot water. First couple of litres are tepid before it produces the hot stuff.

and then it's red hot all at once

Just got my energy bill for October, November, December Still £92.91 in credit as of 1st January 2023, I've had the 3 payments back into my bank of 66/66/67 pounds, I'm happy with this as they say I'm still on track with my payments of £72.43 till my next review

Expecting a big bill to drop though my letterbox like a ton of bricks anytime ,
I know you made the Leccy right, but what did you do with the gas pipe

Ooooooooooooh., Dougie!, you won't find ME doing gas work!!, I'm not gas-safe registered !!!

as an alternative to gas, you can used diesel, I've not experimented with one of these yet But,
it might be worth looking at

I've heard that they can run on used chip oil,