Boiler help - water dripping from flue

[Vijay]

I was round a friends today and noticed water dripping from the boiler flue joints. She has no idea how long it's been dripping, but I'd guess for a while judging by the marks on the flue.

 

It's a Vallient EcoTec pro 28 combi boiler. A quick search suggests it could be the angle of the flue is wrong and it's not draining back, but instead water is accumulating inside the flue and dripping out of the joints.

 

I can't help thinking the gas safe installer was a bit lazy by not putting the flue straight out the wall, but he's added an extra bend to get round the pipework I'd guess. That could be the issue??

 

Has anyone come across this before?

 

Cheers

 

Vijay

[Jeremy Harris]

Does look as if it may be the flue angle to me.  The flue is supposed to slope back down to the boiler along its whole length, so the condensate can run back down to the drain.

[Vijay]

Not sure what she's gonna do to correct it. If she got the flue hole lifted higher, I don't know if there's be enough movement in the pipework to angle up to the new hole

[Onoff]

Lower the boiler?

[Vijay]

I personally think the right way it should have been done is flue out of the boiler, right angle and straight out the wall. I think the installer should have sorted out the copper pipework properly

[PeterW]

That install is fine. Is that in a bathroom ..??

 

it could be that the metal sleeve is condensing steam in the bathroom and that is what you are seeing. Bends tend to be plastic - straight connector is steel. 

 

 

[Vijay]

no it's in the kitchen

[PeterW]

Only way to check is put a level on it, but if it is leaking condensate then the whole flue needs replacing. 

[Ed Davies]

15 hours ago, PeterW said:

Only way to check is put a level on it, but if it is leaking condensate then the whole flue needs replacing. 

 

Because it'll also be leaking flue gasses?

[Alexphd1]

What ever happens the flue will need to dismantled and checked by a qualified person. My first port of call would be the guy who fitted it in the 1st place. In the mean time install one of those carbon monoxide alarms close to it. 

[Vijay]

I've told her to dig out the paperwork for the installation, she thinks it was 3-4 years ago.

 

Very good shout with the CM alarm, that never crossed my mind. Just checked and she doesn't have one fitted. I'll get one tomorrow and fit it for her

[Alexphd1]

If the flue is installed running downwards to the outside that is a pretty bad error by the installer, you may possibly get enough play on flue depending on size of hole cored without any major upheaval of lowering boiler etc to reposition flue. But this could be something simple as a seal being nipped or not sitting corectly in the flue but whatever it needs a gas safe guy out.

Edited May 19, 2019 by Alexphd1

[Vijay]

Just saw a gas safe guy and mentioned it to him. He said it should tilt upwards and it could be the seals that need to be changed in flue

[PeterW]

5 hours ago, Ed Davies said:

 

Because it'll also be leaking flue gasses?

Yep as the seals could have gone on the inner core or the steel has corroded.