The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) has reissued its installer guide to condensate discharge pipe installation. This comes following a warning from the Met Office that there is an increased risk of snow and widespread frost across the UK in the upcoming weekend.
In addition, HHIC has also reissued its customer information booklet, which can be used by the engineer to explain the risks and the remedial action required, as well as what action customers can do if their condensate pipe freezes.
Stewart Clements, HHIC Director, says: “We are acutely aware that there is a significant proportion of installations that are not installed to current standards and manufacturer’s instructions. For example, the opportunity to connect to internal drain points such as a soil stack or sink waste has not been taken.
“Where it is not possible to connect the boiler condensate discharge pipe to an internal point, the HHIC guide details what action should be taken- such as external pipe insulation. In extreme weather conditions, external pipework carrying water is at risk of freezing, particularly when there is a high wind chill factor.
“As a result, HHIC has updated current industry guidance which assists engineers with both installation and assessment of current condensate discharge pipes, which they can and should review during any visit to the appliance such as a service, repair or replacing a heating system.”
In addition to this guidance, Stewart Clements advises that all other technical requirements for condensate discharge installation given in the first instance the manufacturer’s installation instructions and British Standard BS 6798:2014 should still be followed. It is important to note that manufacturer’s instructions take precedence over a standard and should be adhered to, helping ensure correct appliance operation and warranty validity.
The Installer guide can be accessed here and Consumer guide here.
