Central heating - Feed and return joined

[jalfer]

Good morning all,

my partner and I have seen a house online that we liked, but I have noticed that the radiators that are visible in pictures have the feed and return pipes joined.

I have never seen this before, and I am concerned it might cause problems in the future that we are not aware of now.

Could anyone advise from the pictures if this is normal and/or too problematic?

Attached are pictures, in the less visible one I have marked it with red what the pipe does.

Thanks

 

[ericmark]

In the old days before we got domestic central heating, and it was only fitted to schools and collages etc, that was the normal way of plumbing. However this was before we got modulating boilers, so not sure how it would work with modern gas boiler, but likely no problem with an oil boiler.

Wait and see what others say, but would help if to say what boiler type is fitted.

 

[jalfer]

Thanks! I'll try to give more information about the boiler by the end of the week, as I don't know yet

 

[Johntheo5]

Is it a form of one pipe system?

 

[gas112]

Yep one pipe most would take it out and fit standard system when changing boiler as it isn't always compatible and doesn't always work that well

 

[denso13]

I am concerned it might cause problems in the future that we are not aware of now.

It won't cause problems per say but probably won's work as well as it could.

 

[stem]

If it is a one pipe system it's rather unusual way of installing it. Usually the 'one pipe' is installed below the floor and only the two pipes going up to the radiator are visible, so many people aren't even aware that they have a one pipe system.

I've seen some conventional 'two pipe' systems where a bypass as per your photo has been installed on just one radiator. The idea being that if all of the radiator valves were turned off and the boiler and pump were still running, it provides a flow route. But if you say they are all like it, then it does look to be a one pipe system as per the other comments, albeit somewhat unusual.

Maybe there's a reason due to the construction of the floor, such as duct for the pipes being installed in concrete that means that both pipes have to exit in one place together at each radiator as they do.

 

[jalfer]

If it is a one pipe system it's rather unusual way of installing it. Usually the 'one pipe' is installed below the floor and only the two pipes going up to the radiator are visible, so many people aren't even aware that they have a one pipe system.

View attachment 331968

I've seen some conventional 'two pipe' systems where a bypass as per your photo has been installed on just one radiator. The idea being that if all of the radiator valves were turned off and the boiler and pump were still running, it provides a flow route. But if you say they are all like it, then it does look to be a one pipe system as per the other comments, albeit somewhat unusual.

Maybe there's a reason due to the construction of the floor, such as duct for the pipes being installed in concrete that means that both pipes have to exit in one place together at each radiator as they do.

Thanks! The house where is it installed is a rental property that is on sale now, so I think probably the landlord installed a one-pipe system some years ago to save money, and I am worried if we decide to go for it, we might have to spend quite a lot of money without knowing to replace boiler and pipes. That is why I wanted to ask, because probably is something expensive that we might want to avoid or be aware of

 

[denso13]

Clearer pics would be good, looks like something I've never seen before, 1 pipe system or not. The first pic looks like an upside down coat hanger.