Lead Piping to Copper

[AnonymousImport]

Hi All I have a lead pipe in my house very old. It is only used as rising main to cold water tank in the loft. I would like to cut the lead pipe and tee off cold water mains to supply a shower mixer. Does anybody know what type of fixing i need for the lead pipe and where i can buy them.

Thanks

 

[AnonymousImport]

you will be able to buy what you need at your local plumbers merchants,take a small piece of the pipe with you because there is different sizes 6lb,7lb etc.......ian

 

[AnonymousImport]

its a fitting called lead lock i belive. compression type. will need a couple of large adjustable spanners

 

[ricke]

Why not go the whole hog and replace the lead pipe with some copper or plastic..it'll be a lot safer...

 

[AnonymousImport]

Could also try a 'universal coupling'. Rather bulky though. Just hand tighten. Agricultural merchants have them if builders merchants don't. Just need to measure the outside diameter of the pipe. Each size fits a range of pipe sizes e.g 21 to 24mm.

 

[AnonymousImport]

My advice would be to change the length of the lead pipe and replace it with plastic. I have done similar with mine and you will have peace of mind too.

 

[AnonymousImport]

Hi All

Thank you for all your advise. I am going with th lead-loc and will be replacing as much of the lead pipe as i can. If anybody needs some help with lead-loc here is the makers web site with guides on how to mesure the lead pipe and size of fittings.
http://www.melimatic.com

 

[amtodd]

Only bother to replace the pipe if you are in a soft water area or if it is leaking. Digging a trench down your drive deep enough to satisfy water regulations is hard work enough, but the plastic pipe you replace the lead with will put minute depoists in your water too.

In hard water areas the chalk etc. in the water lines the pipe and so likely hood of contamination is very low. Drawing the water through first thing in the morning by running the tap for a few minutes will ensure you have clean water from the mains to drink. Through the rest of the day, using the toilet, doing the washing up etc will mean enough movement of water to avoid it settling in the pipe for long enough to be dangerous.

See Jeff Howell's articles in the Sunday Telegraph - www.telegraph.co.uk and his own site for more information.

 

[AnonymousImport]

am todd i think you misread the original post he only wanted to cut in to the lead pipe to fit a tee for a shower its the replys thats trying to turn it in to a major job.

 

[amtodd]

If you must be picky, by all means admonish me for not checking my post for typing errors for which I am sorry.

However my comments were following the previous post - apparently by the original author - which said (and I quote) "will be replacing as much of the lead pipe as i can.". This seems to me to be a far more major job than the original post suggested and suitable for a 'consider not doing it - you may not need to' response.

 

[AnonymousImport]

i think he meant in the house not halfway down the drive