Change old heating pipes?

[frediaz]

Hello,

I have bought a house which I believe was built in the early sixties. I am going to carry out a full refurbishment on it. The previous owners carried out little or no maintenance on it so I guess the heating system was left to deteriorate. I am replacing everything in the heating system but I am in two minds whether to try and keep the heating pipes (which are mostly built under the ground floor screed) or to replace them all. See the photo below showing corrosion on the pipes where they exit the floor. They are made of copper and I thought that copper lasted forever but I do not know about these ones.

Untitled

• frediaz
• 4 Jun 2012
• 1

If I replace the pipes, is it possible to route them along the skirting board edges an box them with a larger looking skirting board?

Thanks

 

[HERTS P&D]

If you are updating everything, then I would take a guess that the heating system will be pressurised. In this case, change ALL pipe work.

Yes you can route the pipes along the skirting board.


Andy

 

[frediaz]

Thanks, I did not know that the old heating systems were not pressurised. This will be use a gas combi boiler.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Copper pipes in a concrete floor should have been sleeved to protect them, concrete attacks and corrodes copper. To be certain i'd replace them, fitting a combi and pressurising old pipes, especially if there is doubt regarding their condition could prove a mistake. It may also be prudent to fit new radiators at the same time (if not already planning to do so), pressurising the new system will soon find any weak spots..... Older type heating systems are usually open vented, and work at atmospheric pressure.

You can get trunking designed to conceal a pair of pipes if that is preferable to having visible pipework.

 

[Nige F]

Agree with the guys - rip out the lot and scrap it all - new rads will be smaller , more efficient and , best of all come pre finished with a gloss hardwearing paint - not like those existing things where you had to paint them 1960`s heating systems are generally C-rap . They weren`t much better in the 70`s when I started -Central heating inhibitor ? what`s that

 

[Boilerman2]

As per adivce in previous posts because:
1) Looks like existing MAY be an old Single pipe system (top & Bottom conns to rads)
2) Pressurising old systems can lead to leaks under floors
3) Leaks on sealed sysems are a real pain!

Rip out & start from scratch would be my advice!

 

[frediaz]

OK, so replacing it all it is. Thanks