Stopping copper pipes pinging

mohawk · 28 Mar 2019 at 14:12

We are in the process of purchasing a new property, this house has no heating apart from storage heaters. thankfully for us and our wallets it already has a gas line into the property. we are looking at putting a combi boiler into the roof.

In our current property we are woken up with the ping of pipes what is the best way to stop this from happening we want to make sure when we put this new system in we try and stop this from occurring as much as possible.

ideally we are going to be putting most the pipework into the floor to hide as many pipes as possible (this is a bungalow)

thanks

robj20 · 28 Mar 2019 at 14:14

Use plastic pipes.
I did mine in HEP2O, just use copper coming up to the radiators.

danlightbulb · 28 Mar 2019 at 15:45

A new build prop and theyve used storage heaters when gas is available???? Did you know about this up front? Id not be buying it.

NoobCannon · 28 Mar 2019 at 22:39

danlightbulb said:
A new build prop and theyve used storage heaters when gas is available???? Did you know about this up front? Id not be buying it.

Where does it say new build?

danlightbulb · 28 Mar 2019 at 23:15

Ah i read the op's first sentance as him buying a new property, rather than a new to him property.

mohawk · 29 Mar 2019 at 09:43

sorry yeah new to us! it was built around 1955! thankfully when they built it they also put a gas feed in at the same time, and this has been live the entire time! so just need to fit a meter and its ready to go!

psd99 · 29 Mar 2019 at 10:22

wrap old tea towels if pipes are close to each other.

MassiveJim · 29 Mar 2019 at 10:37

I think most pipework is done in plastic nowadays anyway, its cheaper and a lot easier and quicker to fit.
There will be a certain amount of copper (legislation dictates it) but not much.

You don't need copper in to the rads for example, but the general conscious is that it looks better than plastic, although ours have been done in plastic and it doesn't look horrendous to be honest.

Lokwyr · 29 Mar 2019 at 21:39

Combi boiler in the roof? That'll be awkward for the annual service for keep the warrantee effective if your Gas Safe person has to get up there! Unless you have loft ladder.
Pinging/ hammer in the pipes is due to air trapped where you can't (easily) bleed the system. I dealt with mine by not installing any horizontal pipe runs. All are either as vertical as makes no matter or rising to, or falling away from, all radiators. Ditto for domestic hot/cold waters.
With the plastic (barrier) pipes, KEEP ONE CONNECTOR FROM EACH MANUFACTURER THAT YOU USE. Photograph an 'exploded' view of each type 'cos sooner or later you will need to assemble a connector using a collection of bits. DAMHIK

Downsy · 31 Mar 2019 at 10:31

Put some small squares of newspaper where the pipes are resting on the joists. Sorted it for us.

Orionaut · 31 Mar 2019 at 14:11

Lokwyr said:
Combi boiler in the roof? That'll be awkward for the annual service for keep the warrantee effective if your Gas Safe person has to get up there! Unless you have loft ladder.
Pinging/ hammer in the pipes is due to air trapped where you can't (easily) bleed the system. I dealt with mine by not installing any horizontal pipe runs. All are either as vertical as makes no matter or rising to, or falling away from, all radiators. Ditto for domestic hot/cold waters.
With the plastic (barrier) pipes, KEEP ONE CONNECTOR FROM EACH MANUFACTURER THAT YOU USE. Photograph an 'exploded' view of each type 'cos sooner or later you will need to assemble a connector using a collection of bits. DAMHIK

Boilers in roof is not uncommon these days (Also bedrooms ! :eek:

)

Personally I wouldn't do it.

The other scary thing is mounting gas supply pipes, 22mm copper ones, along the outside of the building, typically at knee height.

I have seen this done in houses that have driveways running alongside the gas pipes.

Frankly, I think it is insane. One only needs to touch 22mm copper to puncture it. Putting a gas main where it could be ripped off the wall by a bit of careless driving is nuts!

:confused:

Lokwyr · 31 Mar 2019 at 21:25

Orionaut said:
Boilers in roof is not uncommon these days (Also bedrooms ! )

I installed a combi to eliminate heavier-than-air water from the loft. And now heavier-than-air invisible gas is ok up there? It'll be water and electricity meters/ consumer units in the same box next!
There are some strange things being permitted. Might be compensating for over-zealous Elf & Safety edicts like hanging baskets in High Streets or hard hats when hedging

robj20 · 1 Apr 2019 at 06:41

Had ours put in the garage, boiler is attatched to the side of the house and pipes go down then into the house emerging into the crawl space. Very tidy installation, seems the perfect place for a boiler.

danlightbulb · 1 Apr 2019 at 13:50

Had boiler in loft in previous house. No issues, ladder fitted and all boarded for access.

Have to adapt to your house layout circumstances dont you.

Lokwyr · 1 Apr 2019 at 14:11

danlightbulb said:
Had boiler in loft in previous house. No issues, ladder fitted and all boarded for access.

Have to adapt to your house layout circumstances dont you.

Making the bed and then sleeping there seems fine for you. Me? I'm old enough to be muchly aware of my mortality

a1ex2001 · 3 Apr 2019 at 06:51

Lokwyr said:
Making the bed and then sleeping there seems fine for you. Me? I'm old enough to be muchly aware of my mortality

Why is a boiler in a loft likely to kill you?

Lokwyr · 3 Apr 2019 at 10:12

a1ex2001 said:
Why is a boiler in a loft likely to kill you?

1) The discovery of leaking water overhead could interfere with my equanimity.
2) Ditto for gas.
3) I know the risks are small provided NOTHING goes wrong :eek:

. The Tay railway bridge was considered safe

4) I didn't survive childhood and a lot of adulthood by being negligent or careless with life's propensity to bite you on the ass

5) Boiler (relatively) inaccessible in the loft removes to ability to monitor and control the system easily and simply. Keeping it simples means the deeds are actually accomplished. It's not simples to overcome the human tendency to believe in the principle of "Out of sight = out of mind".
6) Remote monitoring of any system involves adding complexity to the system. Internet of Things relinquishes your control of those things. And adds cost. ( Cost is a valid consideration. My pension increased by £100 per annum; Council Tax by £80, Water by £67, Police by £ 150, and that's just for starters!).
7) If life was easy- we would live forever!
8) I'm happy with my OCD. (Somebody has probably changed "OCD" to something even less comprehensible).
9) The less time I consume on necessaries of life, the more time I have for unnecessariness, like- learning Greek :confused:

.