In response to last winter’s ‘condensate crisis’, the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) is launching an installer guide to condensate discharge pipe installation which “updates previous recommendations”.

In addition, the HHIC is also launching a customer information booklet, which can be used by installers to explain the risks and the remedial action required to their customers.

Stewart Clements, Director at the HHIC said: “In March this year, representatives from across the heating industry met at the HHIC offices to review and discuss the matter of frozen condensate, which affected a high number of domestic boilers [last winter].

“We called the ‘summit’ to discuss what needs to be done to prevent a repeat of the problems the industry and, of course, consumers experienced. It meant looking at existing regulations around boiler installations, preventative measures to protect external pipework from freezing, and what advice and guidance consumers needed.”

The feedback reportedly made it clear to the HHIC that there were a significant proportion of installations that were 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, had not been taken.

Stewart continued: “As a result, the HHIC agreed to update current industry guidance, which would assist 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.”

You can find the installer guide here, while the consumer guide can be found here.