On 03 May 2014, "Uncle Peter" grunted:

Why do I keep seeing overflow pipes (or boiler condenser pipes, or
whatever they are) on people's houses with the pipe curved round 180
degrees so it faces the wall? Why on earth would you want the water
to run down the wall instead of fall a few inches from the house?

You mean like this:
http://s1021.photobucket.com/user/ro...Pipe/IMG_03551
_zpse59f37f0.jpg.html
(nicked from Caecilius' ongoing thread "What's this dripping pipe")

Any pipes configured like this are ones which are likely to spout very hot
water in the event of a problem with the equipment like a boiler; ie, they
aren't simply overflows from a cold water cistern. Therefore the intention
is that any such water (which could emerge at force) is deliberately
directed safely at a wall, rather than sprayed over or dripped on a passer
by.


--
David