How to get CH pipes from *here* to *here*

[hjalfi]

I have a 1900-era mid-terrace house; the whole thing (inside) is just under four metres wide.

The front of it is one large room, with the front door opening into it. I hate this. I want to install a partition wall and divide this into a hallway and a spare bedroom.

However, the front room's radiator is in the half of the room which will become the corridor. I'd like to move the radiator to the opposite wall. The problem is how to plumb it in.

Ideally I'd like to route the pipes under the floor (total distance: about 5m each way). Unfortunately, the floor is that ghastly heavy-duty chipboard in big metre-wide slabs, and I've no idea how to lift a piece, let alone how to put it back again.

Alternatively, I could run pipes up the wall, along the corridor ceiling and through the partition wall, round the edge of the room, and down to where the radiator is. This has the advantage that all the work happens above floor level; however, I suspect that the circulation may not like the up-and-down section, not to mention it being likely to trap air. Plus, the total distance is about 10m each way.

It's all 15mm piping. No microbore.

Any suggestions?

 

[ChrisR]

Up-down is not a problem, you may need a small air bleed at the top though. WHat's UNDER the chipboard? somethimes it's concrete.

You may be able to drop feeds down from the room above?

One option I've used with chipper is to make 5" holes with a cheap holesaw. You can put the disc back afterwards onto a LONG batten underneath. Hole in middle takes the screw! Then you can feed plastic pipe, if you have strategically placed holes. DOn't forget it'll need good insulation over it.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Unfortunately, the floor is that ghastly heavy-duty chipboard in big metre-wide slabs, and I've no idea how to lift a piece, let alone how to put it back again

Use a circular saw set to the exact depth of the chipboard so that you dont go through wires and pipes.
When you put the boards back down you will need to put noggins in to support the joint in the floorboard as it spans between joists.
If thats too scary for you get a wood butcher to do it.

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Have you thought about "invisible pipes", some of my customers in the past seem to think you can get them, I have never been able to find any body who stocks them so let us all know if you find any and who sells them.

 

[JPC]

any decent merchant stocks them, they just cant find them

 

[hjalfi]

Invisible pipes. Oh, god yes, I wish.

Having another look I reckon I can tee off from another set of pipes up near the ceiling, so I can avoid the up bit of the up/down loop. Then it's just a matter of routing it round the edge of the room. With luck I might be able to hide it in the cowling round the edge of the ceiling, if there's room...

Doing it like that has another advantage: I don't need to insulate it! Since the pipes are running through the room I want to heat anyway, it'd just be a waste of time.

Incidentally, can I use plastic push-fit tubing for CH purposes? Can they cope with the temperatures? It'd be a bit more expensive, but *far* more convenient...

 

[dabaldie]

i hope you can use plastic pipe and push fit. I've just done it! seems fine..... (famous last words)

 

[hjalfi]

Actually, I've just found copper push-fit --- about the same price as plastic, but much more structurally sound and that way I don't have to worry about temperature.

Now, how many elbows do I need... hmm. I think I'm all elbows.

 

[Gasman1015]

The external material of the push fit makes no difference to the joints ability to hold the pipe, its still a push fit.

Use barrier pipe, it was developed for heating temperatures.

Better to use 10mm Hep 2o behind ceiling coving, to give a neater job.