Boiler not working?

[PK99]

I and a load of people I know have had problems with central heating boiler switching off and flashing error codes.

It may well be a frozen condenser tube, see following video


https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/about/news/frozen-condensate-useful-information

 

[mickle]

Ha! My neighbour suffered this exact problem last night (and I failed to identify the problem...)

 

[subaqua]

Not mentioning anything about if it was installed correctly it shouldn’t freeze .... just saying

 

[biggs682]

Not a great time of year to have boiler issues ....... just saying

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Mine is working thanks

 

[Biff600]

Two weeks ago, I had a plumber conduct a GasSafe check on my boiler who then promptly condemned it, as it had a substantial leak and was boiling the water in the header tank.

So I was without hot water and radiator heating for a couple of days when I had a new combi-boiler fitted.

I'm glad that it wasn't this week that I had the problems

 

[Sharky]

Timely post. We have a worcester boiler also and has stopped working. Have to wait until monday before a service engineer is available.
Will study your link. Thanks keith

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Had to do this early today. Strictly speaking it wasn't the condensate pipe that that was the problem but the drain it feeds into (shared with the guttering) had frozen and backed up, blocking the end. A kettle of hot water sorted it.

 

[gavroche]

I thought I had trouble with my boiler a few weeks ago so I called a gas engineer. In the end,the boiler was alright and the problem was with the remote control which was 10 years old. I had a new Hive control fitted and all is well now.

 

[cyberknight]

On a similar vein my bath waste ppe has frozen so a shower / bath would be interesting

 

[swansonj]

Another frozen condensate pipe last night. And the engineer who fitted it used a larger diameter pipe to reduce the risk. Fortunately, he also fitted a drain cock indoors immediately below the boiler. So I could open the drain cock, put a bucket underneath, restart the boiler, and thaw the (fortunately rather short) blockage in the pipe at my leisure.

 

[swansonj]

I and a load of people I know have had problems with central heating boiler switching off and flashing error codes.

It may well be a frozen condenser tube, see following video


https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/about/news/frozen-condensate-useful-information

I would add: the initial blockage of ice is quite likely to be at the open end of the condensate pipe. Once there's a blockage there, the condensate will back up up the pipe till it reaches back to the boiler which is when the boiler stops working. You then have a pipe full of water which will freeze. If you unfreeze the blockage as soon as you become aware of it, you may catch it before it's spread up the pipe. If you wait, you are quite likely to face unfreezing a whole pipe full of ice.

 

[Globalti]

We had this problem when it hit -24c in Aviemore once. The solution is never to allow any taps to drip or trickle. Fill the basin, wash, clean teeth then remove the plug to allow the water to drain in a rush.

More modern condensing boilers can have a trap, which collects condensate then releases it in a rush.

 

[Fnaar]

Miss Goodbody knows her way round plumbing systems, and is coming over to warm up my pipe.

 

[PK99]

I would add: the initial blockage of ice is quite likely to be at the open end of the condensate pipe. Once there's a blockage there, the condensate will back up up the pipe till it reaches back to the boiler which is when the boiler stops working. You then have a pipe full of water which will freeze. If you unfreeze the blockage as soon as you become aware of it, you may catch it before it's spread up the pipe. If you wait, you are quite likely to face unfreezing a whole pipe full of ice.

Strictly speaking it was not my (1") condenser pipe that froze up but the 1.5" drain line from the end of the condenser pipe to the foul drain about 5ft away, vertical and horizontal run