Corroding pipe under floorboards and rat issues

[Amysdiy]

Long story but I found some rat poo behind my kitchen plinths while taking up my tiled kitchen floor so thought it a good idea to pull up some floorboards to see what’s going on under there.

Under the floorboards there is quite a lot of what looks like old rat poo as it is dry and brittle but it stinks of wee so not sure if an active infestation. However while taking up some floorboards I noticed this corroded pipe and am not sure what it is for. It looks like it is in good condition, apart from the area leading up to the concrete floor where the solid floor extension is. It looks like it has corroded. Do I need to fix this? How to do this?

I’ve always had a bit of a worry about the kitchen area as the walls have been cement rendered 3 ft up and there had been damp proofing works done over 30 years ago declared when I bought the property. No signs up damp in the kitchen at all though and have been here 7 years.

I also want to stop any rats getting in. We have a man hole cover in the extension that I have shown in the photo which was covered in tiles before. Should this be taken up and a one way rat flap put in? I wanted to replace my floor with amtico type flooring but don’t want to go to the expense of this for it to have to be ripped up. Not sure what to do.

 

[CountryFan]

Pipe looks like Iron, so could leak at some point and probably used for water. I believe there was a copper shortage in the 70’s. Rats: No idea, you could “fix” that rat as per UB40?

 

[Amysdiy]

Thanks, haven’t listen to that song in a while! Do you think it needs replacing by a plumber? What do they replace it with and if it goes through the concrete how will they fix it? Not sure where it ends up.

 

[CountryFan]

Do you think it needs replacing by a plumber?

If you are replacing it yes

What do they replace it with and if it goes through the concrete how will they fix it? Not sure where it ends up.

Copper or plastic. Would need to be traced.

 

[JohnD]

It might also be an old gas pipe. How old is the house? This is important.

You, or someone else, needs to follow the pipe along and see where it goes. This should tell you if it is still live, and if it is still needed.

 

[Amysdiy]

1930s house. I will have another look tomorrow try and get some more photos to where it leads.

 

[JohnD]

Early 1930s might sometimes have had gas lighting, but you would find the pipes in the loft, and under the first floor floorboards. In a kitchen there would usually be a gas pipe to the cooker.

 

[Amysdiy]

But the pipe looks like it is going through the concrete extension floor which I guess was an add on possibly in the 80’s or thereabouts.

 

[Amysdiy]

 

[Amysdiy]

Have attached a couple more photos. The first is the other ends of the pipe that doesn’t have any corrosion and the second is the corroded pipe which has bent round towards my kitchen sink area. Do you think it could be lead or is it iron?

 

[JohnD]

Iron.

Maybe there was once a leaking sink or something above the damaged section.

I can see there have been builders in, who hid their rubble under the floor to save the effort of carting it away.

 

[Amysdiy]

Yes maybe. The iron pipe looks like it bends round the corner. Is this even possible with an iron pipe?

 

[JohnD]

Yes, with the right tool, but an elbow is more common.

 

[CountryFan]

Iron or low carbon steel (obviously contains iron).

 

[JohnD]

My old dad (who worked with lead and iron piping) made, among other things, a dinghy launch trolley out of galvanised iron pipe, the main body bent to shape round a tree, and all the detailing formed with tees and elbows.