External Condensate - Options

[jjpearce05]

Hi,

As you can see from the image, my condensate is part 22mm and part 32mm.



I would like your opinion on various options, to (1) make it less noticeable if possible and (2) prevent it freezing.

1. Change entire pipe to 32mm (including through the wall), with a 135 degree bend rather than the current 90 degree
2. Change it to 40mm
3. Run it internally in 22mm (to the right of the picture there is another rain water drain approx 4.5 metres away) and then change to 32mm internally and out to the drain
4. Fit a condensate pump and route the condensate to the kitchen sink waste pipe - however, this runs externally to a gully drain, so is it still susceptible to freezing ?

Thanks for your advise !

 

[CES]

Id go for the condensate pump internally. I try to run all condensate pipes internally as much as I can.

 

[jjpearce05]

Thanks - so if a pump is fitted, it drains into kitchen waste, which is 40mm - then this runs outside approximately 2m to a gully drain. If I chose option 3 and ran the pipe in 22mm until just before it exits through the wall into 32mm or 40mm and then roughly 40cm into the rainwater drain, what disadvantage/problems would this cause me (apart from not having to rely on a pump ?) (I'm just trying to achieve the "best" option.

 

[GQuigley67]

best way to prevent it from freezing is running it internally via a pump if needed after those winters it is not recommended to be outside no matter what size of pipe

 

[CES]

If you run it internally then you take away the freezing risk. If you dont need the lift that a pump gives i.e. you have enough of a fall on the condensate pipe, then you can connect it to the waste directly. Ensure you are using suitable pipework, overflow (21.5mm) is the norm.

 

[khill]

I personally defrosted my share of condense pipes this year and found in the
majority of cases it was due to poor installation i.e. 3/4 overflow pipe used for
the whole run, not enough fall in the pipework etc, etc...

In your instance I would consider installing a limechip gully, get rid of the small
amount of 3/4 - 22mm overflow pipe and fit 1 1/4 all the way to the gully, the
drop to this can be no more than 1.5mtrs looking at your picture and being a
vertical drop to the gully, freezing I think wouldn't occur.

Chop your 3/4 - 22mm off so that you have about 10mm sticking out from the
wall, you can then chisel a 1 1/4" hole around the pipe so that you fit a 3/4" to
1 1/4" rubber reducer that fits inside the elbow, this allows the 1 1/4" pipe to
fit nicely in the clips down the wall. The gully you can get from any major
plumbing merchants, they are about the size of a 2 litre bottle, these are dug
in the ground and then surrounded by lime chips to neutralize the condensate.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

i would go internally were ever possible as already stated any size externally will freeze

 

[khill]

I also would go internally wherever possible, but I thought the question was
external condensate options.

 

[GQuigley67]

"I would like your opinion on various options, to (1) make it less noticeable if possible and (2) prevent it freezing"

well to make it less noticable run it internally, as it looks really naff in its current state and internally is the best way to prevent freezing, although not 100% guaranteed it is still the best option as long as the boiler isn't left off

 

[tamz]

Well that is certainly a quality bit of work there

If it was me, if there really is no option of running it inside, as a last resort i would core a 50mm hole from inside directly below at a 45 deg angle which will land you below ground level and dig a hole and fit a soakaway. Take 1 1/2" pipe out through the wall to the soakaway. That way you won't see any pipe outside and it should be fine with a 45º fall right into the soakaway.