Heating experts have shared some useful tips to stop your boiler breaking down as the cold weather continues.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for ice and snow, ahead of flurries and freezing conditions expected next week. Millions of North East and Scottish residents will be affected by the warnings for Monday and Tuesday (March 6 and 7).
Now householders are being warned about one particular issue likely to affect them. Experts say that insufficiently insulated condensate pipes are likely to freeze up and cause boilers to stop working.
Read More: Met Office issues urgent yellow snow and ice warning for the North East as Arctic blast approaches
Heating engineer at Seven Heating, Lorenzo Giove, explained just how widespread the issue can become. He said: “During the cold weather in December, I was called and texted nearly 100 times by customers with the same issue - frozen condensate pipes.
"The condensate pipe is the external pipe which carries acidic water waste from the boiler out of the house to an external drain. When it becomes blocked with ice, your boiler stops working.”
He said prevention was the best option, adding: “In the first instance, the easiest way to prevent a frozen condensate pipe is to lag the pipe. It’s a cheap and easy way of preventing issues when the weather really starts to bite."
A spokesperson from Toolstation said this was easy to do and it's affordable. They added: “Pipe insulation can be purchased for less than £1.
"A metre length of our most affordable insulation wrap costs just 99p and its thick foam cuts heat loss by up to 70%, protecting against frost and freezing. All you need to do is wrap some insulation around the pipe. You may like to use cable ties to ensure it’s fastened on tightly.”
If it’s too late though, a kettle should be all you need. Lorenzo said: “Generally speaking, a boiler will flash up a fault code if the condensate pipe has frozen and caused an issue.
"Head outside and locate the waste pipe coming from the exterior wall. Cover the pipe in something like a tea towel and pour over several rounds of boiling water. The towels will help retain the heat from the hot water and you will start to hear the cracking of the ice.
"Hopefully, all being well, it will get things moving and working again. Hot water did the trick for most people who contacted me when it was cold in December."
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