Condensate peg missing from boiler flue-any heating engineers or timber experts out there

[panpete]

Hi

I had central heating installed 2 years ago and the engineer didnt put one of the condensate pegs in the flue.
see this pic, the right hand side one was missing

It was missing for two years and when the gas safe engineer came to service my boiler, he noticed half an inch of hot water on top of my boiler which could have been there for two years.

The problem is, there was a hole in my boiler cupboard, see this pic below.
As the boiler is over two years old, steam could have been rising up through the hole in my cupboard, which should have been covered up but wasn't and I only noticed it this year and got it covered up.

As I am a leaseholder of a flat and the attic is not mine, i am worried that for two years, condensate steam may have risen through that hole and either rotted or dampened the timbers, causing the ideal conditions for woodworm/wet rot or dry rot.
I have had so many dealings with the freeholder of the flat that they are sick of me, but I am worried sick that the timbers are now vulnerable to dry rot, wet rot or wood worm, and i don't know what do do about it.
I know woodworm stay in timbers years, so it will be years before I find out if I have woodworm as the beetles exit, but my relationship with the freeholder is very fragile at the moment, so I daren't approach them, as the previous owner made loads of breaches and I have pissed them off with loads of things.

I have been trying to distract myself from this worry but i just cannot stop worrying about it.
I've been worrying about other things today but this worry is always in the back of my mind.
Does anyone know the likelihood of steam rising up through the hole in the boiler cupboard for two years and could it cause wet/dry rot or woodworm?
I know that steam rises and condenses in cooler air, ie the attic.

This isn't about my anxiety, I just want reassurance to put my mind at ease. Distraction just reminds me of what I am trying to distract myself from.
thanks

 

[twentythreedom]

There's no way a tiny bit of steam (if there was any created in the first place) released into a massive roof space like yours would have any negative effect on timbers like you're suggesting. Try not to worry about it, there's pretty much zero chance of any damage.

Fwiw I think this is more about your anxiety than anything else.

All the best

 

[panpete]

There's no way a tiny bit of steam (if there was any in the first place) released into a massive roof space like yours would have any negative effect on timbers like you're suggesting. Try not to worry about it, there's pretty much zero chance of any damage.

Hi twentythreedom
Thank you for your reply.
There must have been a lot of steam.
I'm worried cos the water that the gas safe engineer spotted on top of my boiler was very hot, and if hot water has been rising through that hole, as wood is very hydrophilic, I am worried that the steam settled on the wood. There is a woodstain on the wood, from the steam, cos I shoved my phone camera up there and got this picture below. If the steam can do that, this is why I am worried about future rot and woodworm. The attic is massive and there is no way I can get up there and check myself.

 

[twentythreedom]

It seems incredibly unlikely that the small amount of moisture from a domestic boiler would have any effect in the massive roof space

 

[panpete]

here is more water staining, possibly from the steam that has possibly been rising through the hole. The cupboard is only small.

 

[panpete]

It seems incredibly unlikely that the small amount of moisture from a domestic boiler would have any effect in the massive roof space

Thanks again for your reply. As it is a flat roof above my boiler cupboard, there is no ventilation, as there are no eaves in that area, I should have mentioned this in my first post. Here is a pic of the roof above my boiler cupboard. No eaves, no ventilation

 

[Supine]

There is no problem. Stop fixating on this kind of stuff. A hobby would help.

 

[twentythreedom]

Ewwww, spider

There's no reason to connect that wood stain with moisture from your boiler. It seems incredibly unlikely. If your boiler is now working normally there should be no issue in the future.

 

[panpete]

Ewwww, spider

There's no reason to connect that wood stain with moisture from your boiler. It seems incredibly unlikely. If your boiler is now working normally there should be no issue in the future.

The boiler may not be working normally, it keeps making a funny noise, cos of the fan. I had worcester bosch out to fix it, but it still makes the funny noise. Dunno if that would affect the condensate.
The worry originates, cos hot water could have been sat on top of my boiler for the two years I have had the boiler and if there is no eaves in that part of the room, where will the steam going up the hole ventilate to? Sorry to worry, I just don't want to pester the housing association.
I tried distracting myself but I am just reminded of what I am trying to distract myself from and it makes the worry worse.

 

[twentythreedom]

The boiler may not be working normally, it keeps making a funny noise, cos of the fan. I had worcester bosch out to fix it, but it still makes the funny noise. Dunno if that would affect the condensate.
The worry originates, cos hot water could have been sat on top of my boiler for the two years I have had the boiler and if there is no eaves in that part of the room, where will the steam going up the hole ventilate to? Sorry to worry, I just don't want to pester the housing association.
I tried distracting myself but I am just reminded of what I am trying to distract myself from and it makes the worry worse.

The tiny amount of steam would dissipate into the huge volume of air in the roof space with no negative consequences

 

[panpete]

PS my flue is the black one to the left of the red arrow, but the missing peg was in the flue in the boiler cupboard.

 

[panpete]

The tiny amount of steam would dissipate into the huge volume of air in the roof space with no negative consequences

thank you but how can I be sure if it was a tiny amount of steam as I had the heating on constantly, big huge gas bills.
Steam could have been constantly rising through the hole and dampening the timbers. I never noticed the stain on the timbers before this steam business, which is why I am blaming the steam, cos there is no other reason a water stain should be on my roof timbers.

 

[panpete]

I don't know if I have a moral duty to get it checked, but I need to contact the freeholder for permission for someone to get in the loft, and I am too scared to, and there is no way to check for woodworm larvae, as it has only been 2 years and the larvae burrow in the wood for upto a decade, well 4-10 years. The hole is now covered over, since earlier this year.

The thing that also worries me is that I told a roofing carpenter about it, and asked him if it was possible what I am asking here and he said it was possible.

 

[twentythreedom]

thank you but how can I be sure if it was a tiny amount of steam as I had the heating on constantly, big huge gas bills.
Steam could have been constantly rising through the hole and dampening the timbers. I never noticed the stain on the timbers before this steam business, which is why I am blaming the steam, cos there is no other reason a water stain should be on my roof timbers.

The amount of water given off by a boiler is tiny, and there is far too much volume of air up there for humidity to rise by any amount that could ever even come close to damping the massive roof timbers. There is no issue to worry about here.

 

[twentythreedom]

I don't know if I have a moral duty to get it checked, but I need to contact the freeholder for permission for someone to get in the loft, and I am too scared to, and there is no way to check for woodworm larvae, as it has only been 2 years and the larvae burrow in the wood for upto a decade, well 4-10 years. The hole is now covered over, since earlier this year.

The thing that also worries me is that I told a roofing carpenter about it, and asked him if it was possible what I am asking here and he said it was possible.

You have no moral duty

 

[Treacle Toes]

Pete you have now picked something to worry about that no one here can help you to stop worrying about. Even if 20 people posted that you don't need to worry you will come up with another what if scenario or simply repeat the what ifs you have already stated.

 

[panpete]

The amount of water given off by a boiler is tiny, and there is far too much volume of air up there for humidity to rise by any amount that could ever even come close to damping the massive roof timbers. There is no issue to worry about here.

But the condensate peg on the right hand side of my flue in the picture in my first post was missing for two years, there was a hole, and only late last year did the gas safe engineer spot half an inch of hot water on top of the boiler. This is why I am worried. I am sorry, I know you are doing your best to reassure me. Steam was rushing out of the hole and the only escape routre for it was through that hole in my boiler cupboard which was about 5 x 6 inches long.

 

[panpete]

Pete you have now picked something to worry about that no one here can help you to stop worrying about. Even if 20 people posted that you don't need to worry you will come up with another what if scenario or simply repeat the what ifs you have already stated.

hi
But the roofing carpenter who came to my flat and saw the hole in the cupboard said that steam could rot the timbers, and as there was a peg missing from my flue, steam was rushing out and there was half an inch of hot water on the boiler, this is why i am worrying that steam could rot the timbers by rising through the hole in the first post.
I tried to research it online and read that appliances that can cause steam can cause wood to get damp and cause woodworm or rot.

 

[Treacle Toes]

But...

But...

But...

No one here on a forum can take these worries away from you Pete because they are all What ifs and work on the premise of possibility NOT probability.

 

[twentythreedom]

But the condensate peg on the right hand side of my flue in the picture in my first post was missing for two years, there was a hole, and only late last year did the gas safe engineer spot half an inch of hot water on top of the boiler. This is why I am worried. I am sorry, I know you are doing your best to reassure me. Steam was rushing out of the hole and the only escape routre for it was through that hole in my boiler cupboard which was about 5 x 6 inches long.

Still wouldn't make any significant difference. There is no issue here that you should be worrying about. You have done everything right getting the boiler sorted, that should be the end of it. Please try to not worry about it any more because there is no rational reason to do so.

 

[panpete]

What should I do, distraction does not work.
I read this and it worried me
"
Causes of woodworm

Mould and trapped moisture in the materials that structure the house result in dry and wet rot which are a leading cause of attracting woodworm. This can be due to the way in which the house was built, old or new, the amount of applications in use from room to room and the ventilation system implemented into your home. If your walls and windows do not allow sufficient access for moisturised air to flow through then they can cause damage to the structure over time with moisture becoming trapped. Poor ventilation for steam and hot air that comes from electrical appliances of every modern home adds to this existing problem. The damaged timber will attract woodworm as they can feast easily on the material." from here Woodworm Treatment Solutions | Quigley Preservation Blog

 

[twentythreedom]

The tiny volume of water vapour and the huge volume of air up there (which as a roof space will gently ventilate anyway) = no chance of sufficient dampness to cause problems.

 

[panpete]

But...

But...

But...

No one here on a forum can take these worries away from you Pete because they are all What ifs and work on the premise of possibility NOT probability.

Sorry but this doesn't help me, it just makes me worse. I know you want what's best for me, but I need reassurance and not talk about my anxiety.
I am withdrawing from valium AGAIN and the doctors said that as my GABA receptors are out of whack, conventional anxiety reduction techniques wont work, but I do have lots of cracks, gaps and holes in ceiling and the hole I mention in this post is 6 inches x 4 inches, and I don't want to spend the time it takes for woodworm beetles to emerge worrying.

 

[Supine]

You could also add legionaries, subsidence, meteor strikes, earthquakes and invasion from Russia. All could happen but almost certainly won't.

 

[panpete]

The tiny volume of water vapour and the huge volume of air up there (which as a roof space will gently ventilate anyway) = no chance of sufficient dampness to cause problems.

But the roofspace in that corner is flat roof, so no ventilation. It has no eaves, the outside flue is the black pipe to the upper left of the arrow. The roof is 44 sq meters long. It smells musty up there. I got loft insulation put in by the government grant about 7yrs ago and I dunno if they covered the eaves, cos there was a scandal about government schemes insulating lofts and covering eaves, blocking ventilation.
See this pic

 

[panpete]

You could also add legionaries, subsidence, meteor strikes, earthquakes and invasion from Russia. All could happen but almost certainly won't.

I don't worry about any of these things like war etc, as I know they are highly unlikely, I just catch onto possible worries.

 

[twentythreedom]

But the roofspace in that corner is flat roof, so no ventilation. It has no eaves, the outside flue is the black pipe to the upper left of the arrow. The roof is 44 sq meters long. It smells musty up there. I got loft insulation put in by the government grant about 7yrs ago and I dunno if they covered the eaves, cos there was a scandal about government schemes insulating lofts and covering eaves, blocking ventilation.
See this pic View attachment 102496

It still shouldn't make any noticeable difference

 

[Treacle Toes]

Sorry but this doesn't help me, it just makes me worse. I know you want what's best for me, but I need reassurance and not talk about my anxiety.
I am withdrawing from valium AGAIN and the doctors said that as my GABA receptors are out of whack, conventional anxiety reduction techniques wont work, but I do have lots of cracks, gaps and holes in ceiling and the hole I mention in this post is 6 inches x 4 inches, and I don't want to spend the time it takes for woodworm beetles to emerge worrying.

This is the problem Pete. Your anxiety is the issue, nothing else and you don't want to talk about that.

You are not listening to the reassurance you are getting because the anxiety is the problem. You are fixating on what ifs.

You are clearly very anxious today Pete. You seem to go through greater and lesser cycles of anxiety. When you are very anxious you fixate on things and post threads like this one.

 

[panpete]

I've just been in my loft and found some more worrying things.
In the first pic, I don't know if the insulation in the far side is covering the eaves.
I tried to reassure myself by telling myself that it has been there 7 years and if it was covering the eaves, my ceiling would be mouldy, bedroom smells foisty but that could be due to a rot problem in the room opposite the bedroom, although smells shouldnt get in the bedroom as there is a firedoor and a raised wooden bit on the floor threshold. I tried looking out my bedroom window to see if I could see any insulation hanging out, but I cannot seee the eaves, cos of the fascia board and the way the flat is built. I couldn't reach the roofing felt to see if it was damp or not, so how can I tell, or can anyone here tell me if the insulation looks like it is covering the eaves. I can only feel the roof felt near the loft hatch and that feels fine, but I cannot feel it, right at the far end in the picture and for all I know it could be soaking wet. What indication would I get.?

Also, in the next pic, I am worried that the piece of timber with a red ring around it is rotten.

Plus there is a wasps nest in there but I dunno if it is an old one, as its only march, and I dunno if wasps use the same nests every year or not.

 

[panpete]

This is the problem Pete. Your anxiety is the issue, nothing else and you don't want to talk about that.

You are not listening to the reassurance you are getting because the anxiety is the problem. You are fixating on what ifs.

You are clearly very anxious today Pete. You seem to go through greater and lesser cycles of anxiety. When you are very anxious you fixate on things and post threads like this one.

I'm a leaseholder rather than a freeholder and I did not know what that entailed untili I had lived here ten years and kept breaching the lease. I shouldnt have even had the gas safe engineer put pipes in the loft.
If I was a freeholder, I would have just rung up a loft compnay and have someone come and give my loft the once over to reassure me, maybe get it checked every few years, but I am worried about that white bit on the end of the timber in the post with the pic, where I have put a red ring round. I'm worried its rotten