Hepworth pipe help

[Cluelessneedshelp]

Evening all - new to this property.
We've Gas central heating via a Worcester Bosch Greenstar 25i condensing combi. All apartments in block were totally renovated in 2001 - so this boiler is a replacement, dated to approx Jan 2016 by Worcester Bosch customer services as never registered and we haven't inherited any paperwork.

The pipework is all thin, grey & labelled - 'Hepworth UK BS7291-2 1990 10 (cu) class S PB H&C sevices and central heating KIWA PB 70*C/1MPa 031102156L28AB30...'.
Push fit fittings

A plumber has advised us to replace ALL the grey pipe work in the whole 2 bed apt as 'we will have issues in the future'.
Something to do with non barrier pipe letting oxygen in and it's thin so we'll get blockages.

The pipes are in boxed ducts within the concrete floors so this would mean taking up all the flooring where the ducts are, a whole room's tiled floor, possibly parts of the kitchen over the ducts.
You can imagine our shock horror. Thousands?

The ducts contain the bathroom water pipes too so if we thought about replacing all the 10mm radiator pipes with 15mm they wouldn't even fit in the ducts.

The other issue we have is .... the boiler is quiet, no noises, seems to work well, all the radiators heat up top to bottom. The trv's work, the hot water works.

We have got 5 rads on system and 2 towel rails.

We are replacing the 2 towel rads anyway.
It's been suggested by others we've sought opinions from to replace the other 5 rads (£290), get boiler serviced inc. clean out magnaclean filter & put inhibitor in and leave as is. The plumber disagrees and has suggested we seek other opinions.

How do we find out if this is barrier or non barrier pipe?
Can't seem to find much on Google.
Anyone know who to contact?

Any help appreciated. Need to make decisions quickly as currently renovating & are wanting to move in. Very stressed!!!

 

[DP]

Barrier pipe will have a film or foil sandwiched in the pipe wall
By removing a fitting look at the cut end or call Hepworth and ask if pipe is barrier

Read this https://blog.wavin.co.uk/all-you-need-to-know-about-hep2o-push-fit-plastic-plumbing-pipe/

 

[muggles]

Yes, non-barrier pipe does suffer from oxygen ingress, but if the system is working well then leave it be. It doesn't automatically need to be replaced. Keeping the Magnaclean clear and dealing with any issues as they may arise is a better way of looking after it. If you notice a radiator isn't heating up as well as it used to, that can be an indication that a pipework flush is needed, for example. As for replacing the radiators, why? What's wrong with the ones you have?

 

[Madrab]

call Hepworth and ask if pipe is barrier

Agree - Get in touch with Hepworth, you may find that the HEP Polybutylene Class S pipe might be barrier pipe. Was the pipe installed in 2001 or when the new boiler went in circa 2016?

Is the system water black or is it relatively clean? As suggested if the system is working well and is relatively clean then no requirement to replace by default. If it is non barrier pipe then system may need closer monitoring and inhibitor may need topped up yearly just to keep the system healthy.

 

[DP]

Also consider installing Megnaclean Twintec filter to your system.

This magnetic filter will catch magnetic and ‘tealeaf’ particles

 

[johnny2007]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it...

 

[Cluelessneedshelp]

thanks all of you that responded. It has a magnaclean. We were replacing the two towel rads so thought we may as well replace the other 5 rads (£290) if it saves ripping up floors!! rads are hot top to bottom. I have emailed Wavin thankyou for the link. The pipe work was installed 2001 the boiler replaced 2016 hope that answers you all.

 

[Cluelessneedshelp]

Update all : Been in touch with Wavin re the Hepworth pipe. Theyve confirmed both barrier and non are suitable for heating. Barrier is better but both suitable. All should be protected with inhibitor. They said air can be drawn into s heating system from various places, boiler, rad valves, or the pump. They go on to say the amount of air that may be drawn through the pipework is miniscule. The photos I sent in are normal for rads of 20 years old. Thanks all phew!

 

[Madrab]

Yep, I look after sealed systems that have early early plastic pipe too that probably isn't barrier pipe and they are fine, as long as they are suitably inhibited and leak free then they can be absolutely fine. To suggest it all needs pulled out when the system is more than happy is, as far as I'm concerned, a money making exercise.

Also, if the rads are hot and heating their spaces properly and you don't want to change for aesthetic reasons, then no reason to change them either IMO.