Using plastic hose within plastic tube for radiator drops

[PingCrosby]

Hi

I want to hide my hideous copper radiator pipework within the walls. All the downstairs radiators are on drops due to the fact my house has solid concrete floors.

For simplicity I plan on cutting into the "T" piece at the top of the copper drop pipe and running a continuous plastic hose directly to the radiators. In order to comply with regs I will chase a plastic tube into the wall and thread the hose through this guide pipe.

1) Is this a viable option?

2) Will this be a "noisy" solution?

3) Is this the best approach?

4) Would it be easier to just embed the current copper pipe into the wall - note that the current pipework is tightly clipped to the wall. So i would have to cut / bend it and I am not exactly a skilled professional.

Thankyou

 

[simond]

I assume you will be using barrier pipe approved for CH applications within an overall conduit sleeve?

This would work OK but expect the 'making good' around the pipe chase to crack regularly due to thermal expansion/contraction.

I you DIY it please bear in mind the plastic pipe elbows etc look dog rough on the surface and you could end up reducing value from your property rather than increasing it.

 

[PingCrosby]

I assume you will be using barrier pipe approved for CH applications within an overall conduit sleeve?

I was contemplating "Hep20" - would this suffice?

This would work OK but expect the 'making good' around the pipe chase to crack regularly due to thermal expansion/contraction.

Would it expand that much considering the tube would be inside a plastic tube?

I you DIY it please bear in mind the plastic pipe elbows etc look dog rough on the surface and you could end up reducing value from your property rather than increasing it.

The intention was to bury it deep in the walls and then plaster over the top.


Are there any better solutions? I just want rid of the exposed pipeword

 

[bengasman]

Paint it in the same colour as the wall, and you will barely notice it.

 

[CortinaV8]

Can you not have it round around the bottom of the room and painted?

 

[simond]

If one part of the wall is significantly warmer than another it will crack, whether you use conduit or not.

You will already have weakened the wall in this area by cutting a deep chase in it, thus making cracking more likely.

The pipe conduit is recommended so the pipe can be changed in the future, it is not intended to address preventing the wall from being thermally heated.

 

[PingCrosby]

I have no choice.. I just hate seeing pipework so I am going to bury it somehow/someway!!

Can anybody suggest a suitable method of hiding pipework in plaster

 

[dextrous]

I have no choice.. I just hate seeing pipework so I am going to bury it somehow/someway!!

Can anybody suggest a suitable method of hiding pipework in plaster

Build a false wall in front of it

 

[DazzarGaz]

Speaking from experience I would stick with copper pipe in the wall. Contrary to the marketing speel, plastic pipe doesn't bend easily and the fitting are huge when compared to copper. This is important if you need to bend the pipe to run across the wall to the radiator.

I'd wrap the pipe in tape to protect it from the plaster and absorb some of the thermal expansion. The thermal expansion with copper should be a lot less than plastic and the chases don't need to be so deep. It also costs a lot less!!.

 

[PingCrosby]

Ok

So - if i use copper - clip it to the brickwork and then place plastic conduit over the top (the same conduit used if the pipe is exposed on the wall) and then plaster over the top of the conduit. Will this be legal ?? As the pipe will no longer be accessible

This is the reasoning for me using a continuous hose inside a pipe - so it can be extracted if necessary?

Any tips?

 

[JohnD]

I have no choice..

Now that isn't true, is it?

 

[raychmike]

Box it in ....Use conduit ... Bury it in the wall....Either way your going to get a run of pipe off to the radiator anyway.. Use plastic you get the privilege of using a gigantic fitting. Worked in a house the other week and they had OCD about copper pipes too and they had them perfectly polished using wire wool and brasso. Mental...Just box it in

 

[PingCrosby]

Now that isn't true, is it?

Lol - Point taken

I just want to understand my options and the pros and cons of each method.

I have seen the US style of fitting and they seem to run hoses to a junction box / faceplate behind the radiator and then finish of the final runs with cupper