Short version
In the picture showing the entire boiler below, can I replace the leaking pipes on the left of the picture with a single vertical pipe running where the blue box is shown, connecting up with a new 90 degree connector fitted to the bottom pipe which would be cut to fit.
Long version
I'm looking for some advice on replacing old pipes running from my Valliant EcoTec Plus 418 boiler's condensate spigot.
For clarification - I read a post on this forum that the condensate waste/exhaust pipes are classed as part of the flue so should only be touched by the appropriate professional, is this the case and should I just wait until I can get a plumber in to do this?
(Back story) I was in the process of building a free standing shelving unit for my boiler cupboard at which point I pulled all of the stacked items out to find a mouldy bomb site, and most of the items that were stored in the cupboard to be soaking wet (a plastic bag literally had to be poured empty).
After taking a closer look it seems there is a large crack in a 90 degree bend connector and multiple brown water stains on most of the connectors on the pipe work.
The boiler is the second boiler installed in my flat, the first boiler was from the initial build in 2007 and the current second boiler was from around 2013.
The key second question I have other than the clarification is why the pipe work has been installed as it is. There appears to be two sets of piping for the gas and the condensate, I've marked them in the photo below by a red line, I am thinking the left of the red line is from the second boiler install and the right of the red line belongs to the original boiler installation.
The left of the red line shows the state of all of the piping associated with the new boiler.
Is there a reason the piping forms the shape that it does, down from the spigot, turns left 90 degrees then goes along and turns down 90 degrees then goes down and right right 90 degrees. Is this some sort of method of controlling the flow or was it just the second boiler fitters wanting to align the pipe with the original bottom horizontal pipe?
I want to know if I can get rid of the 90 degree bends and change this so there is a vertical pipe running directly from the spigot all the way to the bottom horizontal pipe and then just use one 90 degree bend connector. OR do I need to keep the extra piping for a safety reason?
The top of the pipe is connected to the spigot by a grey fitting that is only tightened by hand, in that it comes of quite easily - I read on here that this is a method used for safety so that if there is a build up inside the pipe then the built up pressure can essentially undo this and water will leak out instead of going into the boiler, does this look like the case here?
Pictures
Red lines are where I think the second boiler fitters stuck their piping (left of red) to the original boiler's pipework (right of red). Blue box is where I want to stick a single pipe running down to get rid of using too many connectors that can fail.
Main crack in 90 degree connector where most water seems to be coming from
Other cracks forming and state of brown water staining on joints
Top connector fitted to the spigot to hand twisted tightness
If you read to this point, thank you, any input would be appreciated.
In the picture showing the entire boiler below, can I replace the leaking pipes on the left of the picture with a single vertical pipe running where the blue box is shown, connecting up with a new 90 degree connector fitted to the bottom pipe which would be cut to fit.
Long version
I'm looking for some advice on replacing old pipes running from my Valliant EcoTec Plus 418 boiler's condensate spigot.
For clarification - I read a post on this forum that the condensate waste/exhaust pipes are classed as part of the flue so should only be touched by the appropriate professional, is this the case and should I just wait until I can get a plumber in to do this?
(Back story) I was in the process of building a free standing shelving unit for my boiler cupboard at which point I pulled all of the stacked items out to find a mouldy bomb site, and most of the items that were stored in the cupboard to be soaking wet (a plastic bag literally had to be poured empty).
After taking a closer look it seems there is a large crack in a 90 degree bend connector and multiple brown water stains on most of the connectors on the pipe work.
The boiler is the second boiler installed in my flat, the first boiler was from the initial build in 2007 and the current second boiler was from around 2013.
The key second question I have other than the clarification is why the pipe work has been installed as it is. There appears to be two sets of piping for the gas and the condensate, I've marked them in the photo below by a red line, I am thinking the left of the red line is from the second boiler install and the right of the red line belongs to the original boiler installation.
The left of the red line shows the state of all of the piping associated with the new boiler.
Is there a reason the piping forms the shape that it does, down from the spigot, turns left 90 degrees then goes along and turns down 90 degrees then goes down and right right 90 degrees. Is this some sort of method of controlling the flow or was it just the second boiler fitters wanting to align the pipe with the original bottom horizontal pipe?
I want to know if I can get rid of the 90 degree bends and change this so there is a vertical pipe running directly from the spigot all the way to the bottom horizontal pipe and then just use one 90 degree bend connector. OR do I need to keep the extra piping for a safety reason?
The top of the pipe is connected to the spigot by a grey fitting that is only tightened by hand, in that it comes of quite easily - I read on here that this is a method used for safety so that if there is a build up inside the pipe then the built up pressure can essentially undo this and water will leak out instead of going into the boiler, does this look like the case here?
Pictures
Red lines are where I think the second boiler fitters stuck their piping (left of red) to the original boiler's pipework (right of red). Blue box is where I want to stick a single pipe running down to get rid of using too many connectors that can fail.
Main crack in 90 degree connector where most water seems to be coming from
Other cracks forming and state of brown water staining on joints
Top connector fitted to the spigot to hand twisted tightness
If you read to this point, thank you, any input would be appreciated.
