WITH the recent cold snap forecast to continue throughout February residents who have the newer type of condensing boiler are being warned to make sure it doesn't shut down leaving their property unheated in sub-zero temperatures.

In 2005 it became mandatory for households to fit condensing boilers in either new build projects or when upgrading their existing heating system. At the time the Government said they would reduce a home's carbon footprint while significantly cutting fuel bills. Now it is estimated there are eight million condensing boilers in homes across Britain.

Bob Towse, technical and safety manager at the Heating and Ventilation Contractors' Association which runs the consumer advice service, the Heating Helpline, says: "Condensing boilers recover a great deal more of the heat produced when gas is burned to the point where some of the by-products of combustion – water vapour – condenses inside the boiler and has to be disposed of. This involves an extra pipe to take the condensed water away to the property's waste water drainage system. In some cases this will mean running the pipework on the outside wall and positioning it over a drain.

"The design of all of the boilers includes a safety system which shuts it down if the condensed water starts to 'back-up' inside the appliance. What has happened over the last two winters is that the condensed water has frozen in the external pipework, stopping the flow, and the safety systems have then shut down the appliance.''

Recommended solutions include, where possible, rerouting the condensate pipework inside the property and connecting it to the internal drainage system, have some form of heating fitted to the pipework to keep it warm or change the external pipe to one with a larger diameter.

For more advice log onto the Heating Helpline website at: http://www.heatinghelpline.org.uk or ring 0800 840 4069.