How Hot Water, Heat Wraps And Water Bottles Can Save Your Home From The Freezing Cold

Posted on: 11 May 2015

There is nothing as bad as having a boiler bail on you when you are in the middle of winter. But this sometimes happens. It can be caused by a serious malfunction of your heating system. However, there are times when the causes of a boiler shutdown are fixable by taking advantage of simple do-it-yourself tricks. One such instance is when a boiler shutdown occurs as a result of frozen condensate.

Frozen Condensate And Boiler Shutdown

Some of the gases used in running the heating system of your home get cold enough to condense. The resulting condensate usually forms inside the heater. Most heaters get rid of this condensate through a system of small pipes which then deposit the residue in the drains.

Winter temperatures are sometimes low enough to cause this liquid to freeze inside these pipes, causing a build-up of the condensate inside the heating system. When this liquid reaches a given level, it causes the heater to shutdown so as to prevent further damage to the heating system. This process is what may be to blame for your heater system malfunctions.

Heat Wraps, Hot Water And Water Bottles To The Rescue

Since the whole boiler-shutdown process starts with the freezing of the condensate in the pipe, the easiest way to get your heater back to a running state is to thaw the frozen liquid.

You will have to start the process by tracking down the condensate pipe. To do so, look at the pipes entering into and out of your boiler. Condensate pipes are usually made of plastic and usually run from underneath a boiler to the outside. You should concentrate your thawing efforts on this pipe.

There are two methods you can use to thaw the frozen liquid. The first method involves pouring hot water directly onto the pipe. A watering can is best suited for the pouring process although any container that can hold hot water will still do. However, if you choose to use this method, you should ensure that the water you use is hot but not hot in a hot-enough-to-melt-plastic way. This is because if you directly pour boiling water onto the pipe, it can melt it, something that can cause more boiler complications.

The second method takes an indirect approach. It involves the use of equipment such as heat wraps and water bottles to warm the pipe. Simply placing the hot water bottle or the heat wrap around the frozen place will be enough to unblock the condensate pipe. For more information, contact Rickett Industrial Environmental Systems.

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