Q: Why do the British run pipe work down the side of thier buildings?
A: Because then they can get easy access to them when they freeze….

I spent the day cutting into, removing, thawing and replacing (with added insulation and inspection hatch upstream) our condensate drain from the boiler. Our street hasn’t been above freezing all week, including two nights of -9 and days of -5. The 4m of 32mm drain was utterly solid, and as quick as I could melt one section it re-froze.

Edit: Frustrating bit is I suggested connecting to indoor sink drain at time of install, I was told the ‘new’ drains dump a load down in one go, so ‘never’ freeze…

Bl**dy plumbers. It’s the one trade I’ve ever had regular issues with.

When I was growing up it was part of a normal character forming morning – pouring a kettle of boiling water over the cast iron external drain pipes so that the sink would drain.

What’s the difference between a daft Dutchman and a drainpipe?

One’s a hollow cylinder and the other’s a silly Hollander.

Ayethangewe…..

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS2N1mBsEdM[/video]

Plumbers tell you that so they can later sell you a special heating wire thing to stop the drain freezing.

At the plumbers merchant one of the others in the queue (although joking) was suggesting it is how they all make a living through the winter…

Unfortunately your insulation will not do much unless you fit one of those heating wires.

However, when it does freeze, it will take much longer to defrost (unless you remove the lagging!)

it will take much longer to defrost (unless you remove the lagging!)

I hope not with lukewarm water being tipped down it, the inspection hatch to either release backed up condensate and facilitate me adding salt with hot water should it ever back up again.

Part of the issue today was the pipe refreezing no matter how much hot water i could pour on/wrapped in old towels.