Winter Heating in Fresno and Dealing with Frozen Condensate Pipes

There’s nothing more relaxing than a heated home, especially when it is just too cold outside. This should be the typical case for most homes in the Great Valley, yet not everyone can enjoy heating in Fresno. Some are presented with an unexpectedly horrible situation – a non-working boiler.

A lot of factors can stop your boiler from working, one of these is a frozen condensate pipe. What does this mean?

Gas boilers are often equipped with condensing technology to effectively increase its efficiency. With the help of the condensing technology, the heat within the flue is recycled and reused to heat the water inside the unit. As a result, the temperature in the flue gas is significantly reduced.

However, the rapid drop of temperature causes condensation, a physical change of matter from the gas phase into a liquid phase. Your heater must drain all the water through the condensate pipe to prevent backflow that may potentially damage the system. But with the cold weather, the pipes get partially or completely frozen solid faster than the systems draining ability. This creates blockage preventing the unit to properly operate, or stop operating at all.

Read more about boiler condensate here.

Will You Need a Heating Repair for a Frozen Pipe?

The most common first sign of a frozen pipe is no hot water coming from the boiler, even when it’s turned on. Another sign is an unusual or a gurgling sound coming from the boiler. Once the smart system connected to the boiler control panel detects the blockage, it will then send a signal to shut down the system to prevent any damage.

And as an additional safety measure, resetting and relighting the boiler can’t happen unless the blockage in the pipe is removed.

How do you check for blockage? A simple ocular inspection of the external pipes can be done. Often times, ice builds up around the exit pipe when water trickles out or if the exit is submerged in frozen water.

Conduct a Simple and Easy Fix | Fresno Heating Repair

Before anything else, make sure to turn off the boiler. Depending on where the pipe is mounted, you can either use hot water to melt the ice or call an HVAC contractor for help. If you have access to the pipe, you can try two things. One, use a hot water bottle and strap it around the pipe to melt the ice. Although this takes time, it may work. Or, use a kettle full of warm water and pour around the blocked area. Just make sure it isn’t boiling hot as it can become dangerous.

Once done, go back inside and restart the system. It should turn on right away and run through a start-up cycle. If it doesn’t, then reset the unit by checking the manual. Or call a professional for help.

Marthedal Solar, Air & Heating is an expert in providing comfort systems for homes and businesses. From Hanford heating and cooling to Clovis furnace repair service, we offer different options for for your needs.

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