INTERNAL MAINS SUPPLY PIPE:

[RONCHAM]

Hi again!! -

I seem to have an internal mish-mash of pipe materials (which I'd love to rationalise) and I'm wondering if it's par for the course in a "part-modernised" 1930s semi such as mine (outer London area)??

I'm not sure if the incoming mains is lead, would this typically be the case??

But internally it continues mainly in threaded iron. But for example, for the supply to the cold water bath tap, a short section of 15mm copper pipe comes off the iron via a compression-type fitting, then a short length of S-shaped lead has been sweated onto the copper, this then changes back again to another short vertical length of 15mm copper up to the tap via a 15/22 connection (or imperial). Was it commonplace to switch from iron to lead to form bends?? In this instance I don't really know why it didn't continue in copper off the iron??

Would appreciate comments from any (older?) plumbers.

Thanks.

 

[bertrum09]

hmm is it an old house ? flat ?
this is common in older properties, threaded steel and lead , i think u mite want to get it the lead taken out , but the steel is fine !

 

[kevplumb]

I'm not sure if the incoming mains is lead, would this typically be the case??

yes

personally i'd be thinking of pulling the lot out

 

[RONCHAM]

Thanks bertrum09 and kevplumb - was beginning to think I'd used up all my goodwill on this site with my silly questions!!

It's a 1930s semi-detached as I said. Mainly threaded iron inside the house but does dive off here and there in copper. The feed to bath cold tap is especially unusual and I don't know why it's got a length of lead pipe between 2 lengths of copper?? Trouble is, the threaded iron also goes thru 2 rooms upstairs and is now very hard to get at. I think these old pipes are often left in the house even when they're abandoned.

Thanks for your advice and info.

 

[BazBee]

Lead was always put on bath connections in the old days because the weight of the bathfull of water would cause movement and risk cracking a joint or even the pipe.

 

[RONCHAM]

Thanks for that BazBee. Not sure when this work was done but certainly the bath is fairly modern - maybe someone who couldn't be bothered to update the pipework at the same time?

I could understand if it was when copper was less commonly used - but what a pain to go from iron to copper to lead then back to copper again!