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Neckarweg3 Jan 2016 10:55Hello,
we are currently planning the necessary renovation and refurbishment work for a two-family house built in 1958.
The question arises whether the heating pipes of an oil central heating system installed in 1977 should be replaced while the wall is already opened up, since the electrical wiring and water pipes for the bathrooms are to be renewed.
The oil central heating system (from 2001) does not need to be replaced at the moment, according to the chimney sweep’s assessment, as it “will still meet all requirements for the next 10 years.”
In principle, we want to do what is necessary, but we do not intend to achieve new-build standards here, unfortunately the budget does not allow for that.
So the question is, what is the typical lifespan of heating pipes from 1977?
we are currently planning the necessary renovation and refurbishment work for a two-family house built in 1958.
The question arises whether the heating pipes of an oil central heating system installed in 1977 should be replaced while the wall is already opened up, since the electrical wiring and water pipes for the bathrooms are to be renewed.
The oil central heating system (from 2001) does not need to be replaced at the moment, according to the chimney sweep’s assessment, as it “will still meet all requirements for the next 10 years.”
In principle, we want to do what is necessary, but we do not intend to achieve new-build standards here, unfortunately the budget does not allow for that.
So the question is, what is the typical lifespan of heating pipes from 1977?
Hello,
What material are the pipes made of? And how are they installed? Surface-mounted or embedded in the wall?
Installed later in 1977, I would guess copper as a surface-mounted installation.
If you don’t plan any major changes to the piping system, you can leave everything as it is.
It will last indefinitely like that.
Olli
What material are the pipes made of? And how are they installed? Surface-mounted or embedded in the wall?
Installed later in 1977, I would guess copper as a surface-mounted installation.
If you don’t plan any major changes to the piping system, you can leave everything as it is.
It will last indefinitely like that.
Olli
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Neckarweg3 Jan 2016 19:38Thank you for your response, Olli. The pipes are embedded in the wall and probably not copper. I can’t say what metal they are made of – I would have recognized copper.
Since the heating system is planned to be replaced in the mid-term (in 5-10 years) (5-10 years) (oil is not really a sustainable option for the future), and we have not yet found a fully satisfactory solution, I have doubts about whether it makes sense to replace the heating pipes now without knowing what we will actually need.
If we decide on external insulation and a heat pump, my requirements for the radiators/pipe system will be different than if we go for wood pellets.
I was just uncertain because the electrician suggested that since we are already working “inside the wall,” we should definitely replace the heating pipes at the same time.
Since the heating system is planned to be replaced in the mid-term (in 5-10 years) (5-10 years) (oil is not really a sustainable option for the future), and we have not yet found a fully satisfactory solution, I have doubts about whether it makes sense to replace the heating pipes now without knowing what we will actually need.
If we decide on external insulation and a heat pump, my requirements for the radiators/pipe system will be different than if we go for wood pellets.
I was just uncertain because the electrician suggested that since we are already working “inside the wall,” we should definitely replace the heating pipes at the same time.
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Peanuts745 Jan 2016 14:16I recently sold a house from the 1960s. The buyer also consulted a heating technician because some work needed to be done on the heating system. The pipes were not copper, but the technician said that what you usually see on the outside is just surface rust, and the pipes generally don’t rust on the inside and can last a very long time (I wouldn’t say forever, though).
So, replacing the pipes just as a precaution, without knowing what you might need in 10 years, probably doesn’t make much sense. At worst, you’ll end up doing a lot of work twice. It’s better to take as many detailed photos as possible of the pipe locations so that if you ever need to open the walls again, you won’t accidentally drill into anything. If you open the wall yourself now and then later have repairs done, you’re unlikely to save much or anything by doing both at once.
So, replacing the pipes just as a precaution, without knowing what you might need in 10 years, probably doesn’t make much sense. At worst, you’ll end up doing a lot of work twice. It’s better to take as many detailed photos as possible of the pipe locations so that if you ever need to open the walls again, you won’t accidentally drill into anything. If you open the wall yourself now and then later have repairs done, you’re unlikely to save much or anything by doing both at once.
I did not replace the heating pipes (my house was built in 1979/80), as the plumber said it was not necessary. Otherwise, the walls throughout the house would have had to be opened up. In the basement, the pipes run under the ceiling, so they are always accessible. For aesthetic reasons, I replaced the radiators with flat panel radiators, including new thermostats.
I had the bathrooms completely renovated and took the opportunity to replace all the riser pipes in the vertical shafts. However, the most important pipes are the regular water supply lines, as we have relatively hard water, which can cause much more wear. In the heating circuit, the water is not changed frequently, so no new lime scale or oxygen that could react with the pipes is introduced. Weak points are usually the soldered joints and bends. The pipes for underfloor heating from this era are often susceptible to oxygen diffusion, which can cause clogging (mine still looked good). Therefore, if you have plastic pipes from that time in the underfloor heating system, you might consider having them flushed.
Besides the underfloor heating, only copper pipes were installed in my house. That was common practice at the time.
I had the bathrooms completely renovated and took the opportunity to replace all the riser pipes in the vertical shafts. However, the most important pipes are the regular water supply lines, as we have relatively hard water, which can cause much more wear. In the heating circuit, the water is not changed frequently, so no new lime scale or oxygen that could react with the pipes is introduced. Weak points are usually the soldered joints and bends. The pipes for underfloor heating from this era are often susceptible to oxygen diffusion, which can cause clogging (mine still looked good). Therefore, if you have plastic pipes from that time in the underfloor heating system, you might consider having them flushed.
Besides the underfloor heating, only copper pipes were installed in my house. That was common practice at the time.
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