Can you tell me what these old pipes are for?

[nicthenty2]

Hello!

I've recently purchased a tenement flat which has a bookshelf/storage area built-in where the press would have been in the kitchen.
I want it removed as it's just horrible; the wood panelling is off-centre and there's an odd protruding storage area at the top. Nothing about it is hanging the right way.
In trying to dismantle it, I realise it's been built this way for a reason...

The wall pipes seem to extend out from the wall, which is why a wood frame has been built around them. I've been in hundreds of tenements and never seen this before (concealed or exposed) so I don't know why it's the case in this tenement.

At the top, there seems to be a very old pipe with a tap that has been boxed in. I'm not sure how this appears to the neighbouring flat because it seems quite deep.

In the past few weeks I've had a new boiler, the kitchen water relocated, and a new gas hob installed. No tradesman has needed access to these pipes and I wonder if anyone could tell me what these pipes are used for (or were used for) why they're still here, and indeed if it's possible to remove them?

Many thanks
Nicolle

 

[Justin Passing]

I'd guess you have had a back boiler. Is that aside a chimney breast?
Do they get hot?
A plumbist should be able to discover what they do, or did, but it can be from 3 generations ago so not be an instant diagnosis.

 

[jacko555]

Is that a chimney up there?
I am gonna guess its the remnants of a back boiler, and those are the heating pipes?

Maybe post / ask mods to move to plumbing section

 

[nicthenty2]

Ah! Thank you both, these pipes are indeed next to a boxed in chimney breast.
They don't get hot or make any noise. I'll contact a plumber and see if he can remove them all.

I'm likely being dense, but the new boiler I've installed (and the boiler before it) is located on the opposite wall (within another monstrous construct). Wouldn't the new boiler have been able to utilise these pipes instead of being built from scratch on the other side of the room? Seems strange.

Thanks again!

 

[Madrab]

Old hot water cylinder would probably have been up there and heated from the boiler behind the fireplace. The pipes behind the panelling in the wall may be the old supply pipes up to the communal cistern in the attic, the others would probably be the gravity supply pipe(s) down to the hot water cylinder(s) below if there are flats below and possibly a vent pipe to the roof.

Will need a fair bit of investigation and jaunts into the roof space to check out if the attic cistern is still used. One of them may be the mains supply too so chats with the neighbours could be needed.

 

[Razor900]

@ianmcd or @tonybhoy are probably more familiar than most with tenement layout

 

[ianmcd]

@ianmcd or @tonybhoy are probably more familiar than most with tenement layout

Not really myself but @tonybhoy would probably know

 

[winston1]

OK, what is a press in this context?

 

[Stivino]

OK, what is a press in this context?

A little cupboard.

 

[winston1]

Thanks.

 

[Madrab]

Thanks - would hate to count how many hours I've spent in dingy tenement attics and flats tracing redundant pipework from 150Gal lead lined pine cisterns taking out old cylinders from the cubby above the press - especially in the W/End or S/Side.

Great for weigh in mind you , small 20gal riveted copper cisterns, >£100 a pop in scrap

 

[Nige F]

Picture 3 - that old stopcock with union connections .....and a bit of inner tube zip tied on the end !. I'm sure it's turned off and the tube is just a prophylactic

 

[Madrab]

Picture 3 - that old stopcock with union connections .....and a bit of inner tube zip tied on the end !. I'm sure it's turned off and the tube is just a prophylactic

I've never found one of those old stop taps that didn't always leak, if they actually work, after being in there for god knows how many years, points towards the cistern in the attic still in commission. I always take the end off, shine it up and solder a 22mm cap on it with loads of solder and re-fit. The trouble is holding it if it's lead, as the ends are on pretty tight.

Some of the attic cisterns are still in use, serving some of the bathrooms, most are swapped out for modernish fibreglass or plastic equivalents now though or the whole flat is converted to mains.