Rads, pipes, walls and concrete floors!

[WabbitPoo]

I want to move a downstairs rad. The pipes to it come up from the concrete floor. I'd rather the pipes ended up coming out of the wall to the valves (I think it'd look neater). So, a couple of questions:

1. Is it OK to chase and run the new pipework up the wall instead of it coming up from the floor?

2. If so, in what sort of channelling should it be installed so that it can be plastered over again?

3. The existing CH pipes are laid directly in the concrete (ie no insulation between copper and cement). Bad idea, seems to me. As I am re-routing some pipework in the floor, how SHOULD CH pipes be installed in concrete? Is it better/easier to use plastic in the floor, then simply concrete over them?

 

[moosehead]

There are building regs on the depth of channel in a wall. Not sure of the link, but profs hereon will no doubt know. I think it is a max one third of the depth of a cavity wall.

When I had to channel the floor I laid a conduit of corrugated trunking and ladi Hep2o in the trunking. Worked a treat.

 

[ChrisR]

Copper pipes laid direct in cement WILL leak, one day, then you'll have a major job on your hands. They need room to move as well as being protected. Expect a T set in concrete to come apart.

The plastic in conduit route is good, though connectors still pose a problem. Best solution is trunking with a removable lid.

 

[WabbitPoo]

....and mount the lid flush with the concrete floor, presumably?

 

[brumylad]

vertical channels cut into the inner leaf of a cavity wall should be less than 1/3 the thickness of the inner leaf. Inner leaf is usually 100mm block so channel should be no greater than 33mm plus the deph of any plaster which covers the blockwork.

Horizonal "chases" should be shallower 1/6 thickness I think.