Good morning,
who here has a house with old heating pipework (50 years or older)? Have you ever experienced any problems? If yes, how did you first notice the issue and how did you resolve it?
Background to the question: Our house is from the 1960s, and the pipework is made of copper; at first glance (exposed in one or two spots in the screed) it still looks good. On the ground floor, the floors are very high quality, so following the plumber’s advice, we are mostly leaving the pipework as is.
In the basement, we have to redo the floors anyway. Right now, the screed is exposed. Should we keep the pipework or replace it? I imagine it would be quite involved. On the other hand, if not now, when? And how would you even find a leak under the basement floor? (If there is a leak on the ground floor, I can imagine the ceiling or wall below getting damp, wallpaper peeling off, etc.)
If it’s relevant: The old gas burner is being upgraded to a modern gas condensing boiler. We want to keep the old cast iron radiators; freshly painted white, they really look great again.
I appreciate all answers, whether personal experiences or advice.
who here has a house with old heating pipework (50 years or older)? Have you ever experienced any problems? If yes, how did you first notice the issue and how did you resolve it?
Background to the question: Our house is from the 1960s, and the pipework is made of copper; at first glance (exposed in one or two spots in the screed) it still looks good. On the ground floor, the floors are very high quality, so following the plumber’s advice, we are mostly leaving the pipework as is.
In the basement, we have to redo the floors anyway. Right now, the screed is exposed. Should we keep the pipework or replace it? I imagine it would be quite involved. On the other hand, if not now, when? And how would you even find a leak under the basement floor? (If there is a leak on the ground floor, I can imagine the ceiling or wall below getting damp, wallpaper peeling off, etc.)
If it’s relevant: The old gas burner is being upgraded to a modern gas condensing boiler. We want to keep the old cast iron radiators; freshly painted white, they really look great again.
I appreciate all answers, whether personal experiences or advice.
Our old building (built in 1912) still has heating pipes from 1967 (though they are inside the walls); during the major renovation in 2000, we left them in place and only replaced most of the radiators (the old ones didn’t look nice and were often too large).
In 2015, we had a storage room converted into a bathroom, including new electrical wiring, plumbing, flooring, and walls.
Both times, the contracted specialists did not recommend renewing the heating pipes.
So far, there have been no issues with them.
@Träumerle Why don’t you ask your plumber what he thinks?
I would also be interested to know how much energy can be saved by installing new radiators compared to leaving the old ones in place.
In 2015, we had a storage room converted into a bathroom, including new electrical wiring, plumbing, flooring, and walls.
Both times, the contracted specialists did not recommend renewing the heating pipes.
So far, there have been no issues with them.
@Träumerle Why don’t you ask your plumber what he thinks?
I would also be interested to know how much energy can be saved by installing new radiators compared to leaving the old ones in place.
T
Träumerle3 May 2021 16:52Hello, the plumbing specialist says to leave the pipes in place and that the old radiators are high quality and still in good condition. We only want to change the position of the radiator in the living room, where we will now install two panel radiators.
Since all the radiators are already removed: how do you flush them out? Can you do it yourself (for example, using a garden hose), or is it pointless? In another forum, I read that this is more of a job for a professional. What do you think?
Since all the radiators are already removed: how do you flush them out? Can you do it yourself (for example, using a garden hose), or is it pointless? In another forum, I read that this is more of a job for a professional. What do you think?
Heating pipes that are not exposed to external influences (such as moist soil mentioned here) practically last forever.
This is because, unlike potable water pipes, the same water continuously circulates. Therefore, the introduction of minerals is practically nonexistent.
I was able to observe this clearly during my renovation. Water pipes were mostly blocked internally, with only a small part still open; the rest was clogged with limescale. Heating pipes, however, were virtually in their original condition inside.
This is because, unlike potable water pipes, the same water continuously circulates. Therefore, the introduction of minerals is practically nonexistent.
I was able to observe this clearly during my renovation. Water pipes were mostly blocked internally, with only a small part still open; the rest was clogged with limescale. Heating pipes, however, were virtually in their original condition inside.
There were actually only issues with galvanized pipes and direct contact with plaster. As far as I know, copper has always been delivered with a protective coating. Only the soldered joints are critical. I have difficulty understanding physically why a new radiator should save energy. The ratio of radiant heat to convective heat changes, but the specified total energy remains the same and must be provided by the boiler.
N
nordanney4 May 2021 10:58Grundaus schrieb:
I have trouble physically understanding why a new radiator should save energy. The ratio of radiant heat to convective heat changes, but the stated total energy is always the same, and that must be provided by the boiler. Because the new radiator delivers the same output at 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) flow temperature as the old cast-iron radiator does at 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit) flow temperature.
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