How often do pipes leak or burst?

[DIYNotIan]

Hi all

We are in the process of deciding how to re-floor our kitchen. We want to tile it...... There is currently a floating chipboard floor, and the tilers we have had around to quote us so far have recmmended we try to find out what's beneath the chipboard. We've taken a look today and it seems there's a fairly level concrete subfloor, and between that and the chipboard there's some polystyrene. From what we can see there ar no joists....

The tilers said it would be best to tile on top of concrete if possible.

However, we have just discovered that the hot water pipe for the sink crosses the middle of the room (between the concrete and chipboard). So it seems we may have to tile on top of the chipboard instead.

My concern is what would happen if a pipe were to leak/burst? I'd hate to have to rip up our expensive tiled floor to access/re-fit the pipe. So I'm trying to find out how often/likely it is that pipes might burst or leak.....

For the record, the house is 18 years old. The pipe is copper and has a diameter of 15mm.

Any help would be fantastic.

Cheers

Max

 

[simond]

The floor is a floating insulated floor. Removing the insulation is a very bad idea, a retrograde step.

You need to find a builder, not a monkey.

Copper pipes should last indefinitely if properly installed and not touching materials that can degrade them ( such as alkali rich cement).

 

[DIYNotIan]

Thanks for the quick reply.....

Interesting point about the alkali cement because our pipes are resting on the concrete floor (there are radiator pipes there as well). How can we find out if the concrete is alkali?

As for the insulation, it's interesting because the kitchen is sandwiched between a hallway at one end with a raised floor (which steps down into the kitchen) and a utility room at the other end at a lower level (so you step down from the kitchen into the utility room). Both the hall and utility room are concrete floors. I wonder whether they have a idfferent form of insulation or no insulation at all due to them being less frequently used rooms......

 

[flameport]

So it seems we may have to tile on top of the chipboard instead.

Not possible.

Or rather it IS possible, provided you don't mind the tiles cracking and the entire floor falling to pieces in a few months.

 

[DIYNotIan]

Thanks for the reply....

Don't want to go too off topic and discuss tiling on chipboard. But yes - seems there's a lot of debate about that! We have a had a few quotes from tilers, some of whom have said we should be ok because the floor is very solid. One mentioned some kind plastic planks you can put underneath. Others mentioned something which I cannot remember the name of!!! It was something like "two part flexi bond" - and it apparently will allow for any movement with cracking the tiles and/or grouting.

 

[cantaloup63]

Seriously, get some vinyl. Tiles are expensive and grossly overrated IMO

 

[gigz]

Before you do anything lag the pipes first.

 

[doitall]

Speedfit pipe in conduit simple.

It's what it's made for

 

[DIYNotIan]

Seriously, get some vinyl. Tiles are expensive and grossly overrated IMO

We are considering vinyl - only slightly but we have not ruled it out. I think it is a bit ott though to say it is grossly overrated. We live in a rural setting and the house is made to look old and cottagey. I don't think any vinyl would look as good as decent quality real flagstones...

Before you do anything lag the pipes first.

Do you mean the normal kind of foam like insulation used for pipes? If so, there's none on them at the moment so do you think it is essential that we add some? Plus, it will also depend on what we decide to do in the end. But as things stand there is very little space between the concrete-pipes-chipboard, certainly not enough for any lagging of the foam type.... Further thoughts on why this might be necessary would be very helpful.

Speedfit pipe in conduit simple.

It's what it's made for

I'm not entirely sure what that is and in which of the possible scenarios it would be useful in. I'll look into it. In the meantime though, again, any further thoughts would be really helpful.

Thanks you all so much for the time and help. Really is appreciated.

Cheers

Max

 

[scoobydo123]

Look at Amtico, very nice with inlaid grout line