Grant Euroflame 2 Year Old

wush06

Hi all just seen this on my 2 year old burner. I know it does not look good but what could be causing it and will i need to get a professional out or back to the people that put it in. I know it will need a service this summer.

Thanks

JohnnieK

I would say it's coming from the condensation trap. the o ring on the bottom seal is probably damaged and is leaking. It looks a bit strange the way it's installed too. Was it modified or reworked? the reason why I'm saying this is because it looks like a piece of overflow pipe going into the top of it and I've never seen them like that before.

Billy Bunting

I'd agree, condense trap, get your installer back to fix it, it looks suspect in a few places.

DoneDL

Condensate trap needs fixing and the flue should not be pointing at the wall.

wush06

Thanks for the replies people. Guess what rang the builders who put this in for me and they are no longer around.
This was put in when I got the kitchen extension done and has worked very well.
This stuff is eating into the bottom of the boiler and going by replies if left any longer it will not be good.
So I'll have to get a plumber out asap - any recommendations in Dublin area?

kscobie

And probally a bigger issue is the fact that the heating pipes are ran externally, with standard pipe insulation, which would be no good if it freezes.

heinbloed

It is hard to believe what installers get away with.

I agree with the previous posters.
The boiler's insulation needs replacement as well. That is the alumia foil covered sheeting.

One question I have: is this sheeted insulation mineral wool or some foam material?
Thanks.

heinbloed

From the manual:

Pipes should be adequately fixed to prevent sagging,
i.e. at no more than 0.5 metre intervals.
External pipework
Ideally, external pipework, or pipework in unheated
areas, should be avoided. If unavoidable, external
pipework should be kept as short as possible (less than
3 metres) and 32 mm waste pipe used to minimise the
risk of ice blocking the pipe in freezing conditions.
The number of bends, fittings and joints on external
pipes should be kept to a minimum to reduce the risk
of trapping condensate.
Note: For boiler installed in an unheated area such as
an outhouse or garage, all condensate pipework should
be considered as an ‘external’.

The waste pipe seen on the picture is not of the demanded 32mm, isn' it ?

The flexible outlet pipe (black) coming from the trap is pushed over the waste pipe as far as I see. This won't seal, it must leak.

So freezing conditions (white waste pipe frozen) or the leaking flexible connection pipe can be both the culprit. Or the trap was frozen and bursted during stand still.

JohnnieK

heinbloed wrote: »

One question I have: is this sheeted insulation mineral wool or some foam material?
Thanks.

The insulation in question is indeed mineral wool.

heinbloed

Thanks, JohnnieK.

This insulation board/mat sems to have swollen (at the bottom left), the aluminia foil coming of (behind the condensate trap).

And this leads to the conclusion that the demage occured already a while ago, during this or last winter.

The swollen mineral fibre insulation is also seen in some external wall insulations, buildings with their fassades covered with mineral fibre externally and plastered over. A very typical problem with mineral fibre mats/boards.
The moisture finds it's way into the fibres and freezes, the expanding water heaving the mat/board. The structure desintegrates.

So checking for frost risks would be the first thing to do for the OP.
Wider waste pipe, propably insulated, the trap maybe insulated as well.