What kind of pipe is this? (Lead?, Steel?)

[EAST61]

Recently bought a 100 year old property and I poked my head under the bath and noticed that the previous owner had connected the cold feed to this very old pipe.

I'm worried that it could be Lead, but it looks like it could be galvanised steel from Google Images.

What do you think?

 

[terryplumb]

hard to tell,doesn't look like lead to me, if you scrape it with a knife lead is very soft and will scrape easily and show bright and shiny beneath.

 

[terryplumb]

just had a closer look and can see threaded joints ,so not lead. lead joints were made with solder ( not any more though ,not allowed )

 

[EAST61]

I just scratched the same pipe from another part of the house and it did indeed scratch very easily and shiny.

Here's another picture where I scratched:

 

[EAST61]

That's a relief then thanks terryplumb!!!

 

[Madrab]

Looks like you have both. That pipe in the second pics looks like it could be lead. Get a fridge magnet, if it sticks to a non copper/plastic pipe then it's steel, if it doesn't it's lead.

 

[terryplumb]

are you sure that is the same pipe ? or another section on the run ? do you have a magnet you could try ? lead is not magnetic . you should look at where the incoming mains water pipe enters the property, hopefully you will have stopcock on it and can take some pics. in 100 years its anyone's guess what could have been added or left in certain parts of your plumbing.

 

[EAST61]

It's the same pipe just under the floorboards

 

[EAST61]

A magnet sticks to the pipe

 

[terryplumb]

happy days !!!

 

[EAST61]

Thanks very much