Look after your heating this winter

During cold weather snaps, your external pipes connected to your boiler may freeze. Here’s what to do if this happens.

In particularly cold weather your boiler’s condensate pipe may freeze, which can lead to a blockage, and could cause the boiler to shut down. You can find the pipe on the wall outside your home leading from the boiler to drainage in the ground.

If you hear bubbling or gurgling noises coming from the pipe, the pipe could be frozen. You may also see error messages on your boiler, or warning lights, which will be explained in your manual.

If the pipe is frozen, it will need to be thawed. The easiest way to deal with a frozen pipe is to put it in contact with warm water. A couple of jugs of warm water poured over the exterior of the pipework works well. Boiling water could cause the pipe to crack.

Read more tips and advice to keep your boiler working this winter visit our advice pages.