Condensate into rain water pipe...YAY or NAY??

[mutley racers]

The boss and I are installing a boiler tomorrow, and to be honest, the only place to install the condensate is into the rain water pipe. Is this allowed?

I can not see any where that says no.

Also, is there a boss for this type of thing, or do you just cut and seal with silicone?

This is my home work from the governor.

Cheers fellers

 

[Hardy1]

well you can put the condensate into a rainwater gully, so wouldnt it be the same thing hmmm.. KIRKKKKKKK???? can you answer this one please lol

 

[gaspastemania]

I have put loads into rain water and never been picked up by gas safe even on inspection on contract works has never been mentioned .
MI's will state tho or cant you do a soakaway?

 

[Gray0689]

No you can't sewer or a soak away officially
But have to be onset I have done it

 

[mfgs]

You can put it in a rainwater pipe if it leads to a combined drainage system, some manufacturers state you need an external air gap though incase the pipe gets blocked.

 

[gaspastemania]

Lol this is what cracks me up about this game one person says yay another says nay , end of day a bit of acidic water going down a rainwater drain is not end of world better off that than a gas leak !!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

I WOULD BE CAREFUL TAKING IT INTO RAIN WATER DOWN PIPES, especially if you dont know what or where they run to,if it blocks it will back up and probably drown the boiler in a down pour,had it happen a few weeks ago on a greenstar blew the fan on that

 

[gaspastemania]

I WOULD BE CAREFUL TAKING IT INTO RAIN WATER DOWN PIPES, especially if you dont know what or where they run to,if it blocks it will back up and probably drown the boiler in a down pour,had it happen a few weeks ago on a greenstar blew the fan on that

Then wouldn't that be the same using a clamp1 gr? Get blockage a boiler can go kaput???
most i have terminated into downpipes you can see where they go to be honest if i go external then inch quarter to nearest drain but at times not possible so have gone into rain water and have inspections on H/a contracts and nothing mentioned about it .

 

[woodsy]

I have done it if no real alternative but always cut the fallpipe and insert a box / hopper head which should allow for the occurance that Gasman states.

 

[dontknowitall]

Thanks for the question Mutley Racers! I'd like to know a more official answer myself too.

One thing I have learned is the condensate can eat away at concrete and mortar - I'm wondering what will happen in years to come, if the condensate has been strong enough to erode the mortar mix on drains.

I think I'm correct in saying you can drain it into a limestone soakaway, but must keep it away from the building's foundations, if that's any help. (I've added this because I might be wrong and would like to be corrected, please!)

 

[mfgs]

Thanks for the question Mutley Racers! I'd like to know a more official answer myself too.

One thing I have learned is the condensate can eat away at concrete and mortar - I'm wondering what will happen in years to come, if the condensate has been strong enough to erode the mortar mix on drains.

I think I'm correct in saying you can drain it into a limestone soakaway, but must keep it away from the building's foundations, if that's any help. (I've added this because I might be wrong and would like to be corrected, please!)

Yeah you can put it in a limestone soakaway, think it need to be about 500-600mm away from the house. Different manufacturers may vary on distance, just remember the limestone chippings need changing every year.

You can definitely put it into a rainwater pipe if it leads to a combined drainage system, if the area has a seperate drainage system for rainwater and waste water then you can.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i am pretty certain you cant go into down pipes as its against building regs,but would need a copy of the regs to clarify anyway it will freeze in the winter

 

[gaspastemania]

I think it is 600 mm from boundary or something like that for soakaway,nothing wrong with it freezing in winter imo , call out = £££££'s

 

[bob the plumber]

why dont you just run into an empty milk bottle??

done the drain pipe thing before cant see there being a problem

 

[mutley racers]

What is a box/hopper head and where can i pick one up? To me, it seems it is the only option

 

[mutley racers]

hi, dontknow it all. I know it can go into a soak away, but the soak away has to be about 500mm i think from the building. As you said, away from the foundations. Am sure the client does not want a pipe sticking out half a metre along his patio floor

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

its one of these Gutter Guttering Hopper Head UPVC Plastic | eBay

 

[dontknowitall]

hi, dontknow it all. I know it can go into a soak away, but the soak away has to be about 500mm i think from the building. As you said, away from the foundations. Am sure the client does not want a pipe sticking out half a metre along his patio floor

It looks as if that's now been cleared up, but I'd still like to know if it's okay for a rain water drain/pipe as per the original question.

 

[jase158]

can't answer question as don't know answer, but been to several properties where condensate are just ending on outside, so chemicals dripping down wall, spoke to customer and they weren't too bothered. big brown stain down the wall, lovely.

 

[marleyco]

As has been said. I've seen all different scenario's into rain water or soil. If It's good enough for bg It's good enough for me. Manufacturer's and building reg's are making it almost impossible to comply fully. Think they need to try an install before they write the book on it, As for connection, there are a few ways. To answer can you drill a hole and silicone, that's good enough for bg too

 

[mutley racers]

oh ok, i see. A hopper. I have not seen them for sale any where. Do any where else sell them? Apart from ebay? Like plumb centre, PTS or Grahams?

 

[mutley racers]

Thanks marley, I know i have seen them done like this before. And that is where i got the idea from. So, i shall give the governor our options tomorrow.

Thanks for all the replies guys. It does seem that everyone has seemed to have done this once. So, i shall have a go too.

 

[Heating-eng]

The answer to the question is No.
You are not allowed to put into rain water, I am sorry but I cannot remember the reason. British gas had to change there regs because they were told off for doing it.

 

[AWheating]

never silicone a fitting which will have condense water through it as the condense water eats through many silicone sealants.

 

[marleyco]

never silicone a fitting which will have condense water through it as the condense water eats through many silicone sealants.

I never knew that about it eating through silicone. Although if pipe was inserted into rain pipe and siliconed around pipe it would not come into contact. I do stress that this is not the appropriate means of connection and a suitable connection would be better. It's just a cheat really. You will more than likely pick up a hopper from mkm. Or a y piece fitting, then run rain water pipe to point of entry of condensate into building. You could drop 32mm into this.

 

[gaspastemania]

I read somewhere couple year ago (cant remember exactly where) that the amount of acidic water now going into sewage or ground is now a concern for contamination . So once this becomes common knowledge we will probably be terminating it into buckets !!!
I did hear couple weeks ago that worcester now are making noises of sleeving the condense pipe through walls , not seen nothing in mi's as yet tho .

 

[tommytoker]

i also remember reading something a while ago about condensate in sewers.
the theory says the acidic water from the many 1000's of boilers discharging into sewers will eventually build up and ruin the eco system in there....

 

[kay-jay]

i also remember reading something a while ago about condensate in sewers.
the theory says the acidic water from the many 1000's of boilers discharging into sewers will eventually build up and ruin the eco system in there....

i heard this too, but its mainly the utilities companies kicking up fuss because of the increased cost of treating the water.

 

[Rautospoon]

See section 2.3 and figure 5 to the attached link.
[DLMURL="http://www.centralheating.co.uk/checklists/frozen-condensate-pipes/frozen-condensate-guidance-installer#5"]HHIC » Frozen Condensate Guidance for Installer[/DLMURL]

 

[GQuigley67]

i try to avoid soakaways at all costs, they are a real pain, is it only against regs to discharge into a downpipe if its a seperate piped system ??

 

[Rautospoon]

i try to avoid soakaways at all costs, they are a real pain, is it only against regs to discharge into a downpipe if its a seperate piped system ??

See the link to Post #29.

 

[GQuigley67]

oops ..........

 

[Heating-eng]

i try to avoid soakaways at all costs, they are a real pain, is it only against regs to discharge into a downpipe if its a seperate piped system ??

yes, you are ok if it's shared.

 

[REDSAW]

and just to put a spanner into the works....

unless there is already one there and you are renewing it,

you can no longer install a hopper........

as i was told by a b.c inspector recently, its against building regs?.

 

[gaspastemania]

well lets be honest the general gist on here is that most of us have done it at some point wether aware of regs or not.