Wall Thickness of 30mm approx Steel Mains Pipe

[It's me]

Does anyone know how thick the wall of 30mm (approx) steel water pipe is? The house was built in the early 1950s.

Thank you.

James

 

[oldbuffer]

1. If the house was built in the 1950's the pipe will be imperial, not metric.
2. Assuming it is, it is most likely to be 3/4" pipe. If it outside (e.g. mains feed from road) it will probably be medium or heavy (most likely medium).
3. 3/4" medium pipe has an outside diameter of 27.2 mm and a wall thickness of 2.6 mm.
4. 3/4" heavy pipe has an outside diameter of 27.2 mm (same as medium) and a wall thickness of 3.2 mm
5. The 3/4" refers to the internal bore of the pipe. Its not necessarily exactly 3/4"

 

[It's me]

Thank you, Oldbuffer.

That is helpful and a relief to hear. I nicked the pipe with a screw. I have put a dimple in it and was unsure whether I might have weakened it. The dimple is very shallow and I cannot see it having done so.

James.

 

[It's me]

I should have added that the pipe is under the floorboards in the bathroom and is the rising main coming up from the stop cock in the kitchen.

 

[Exedon]

Are you sure it's steel?
Denting a galve water pipe with a modem screw sounds unlikely.
Try scratching pipe with sharp knife
Clear picture would be useful.

 

[It's me]

Are you sure it's steel?
Denting a galve water pipe with a modem screw sounds unlikely.
Try scratching pipe with sharp knife
Clear picture would be useful.

It is definitely metal, but it is not galvanised. It is black.

 

[Exedon]

Scrape it that's probably copper
Old copper cold feeds typically turn black.

 

[It's me]

Scrape it that's probably copper
Old copper cold feeds typically turn black.

It is steel. The bare metal is not copper colour. The joints nearby are all hefty screw threaded unions and the pipe is rusty is places

 

[Exedon]

Odd! steel tube for cold water should be galvanised plus I doubt you could dent it so much with a screw
Pic of said screwed joint?

 

[It's me]

The joints.

The front of some of these houses is made from rendered wire mesh with just a plasterboard inner wall with no insulation at all, so odd is pretty common in the property.

 

[Exedon]

That's certainly black iron (screwed steel) any chance is a old gas pipe?

 

[It's me]

That's certainly black iron (screwed steel) any chance is a old gas pipe?

No. I used a screwdriver as a stethoscope to listen and you can hear gurgling when the taps are turned on and off.

 

[Exedon]

If that is mains cold I would be having it replaced at earliest convenience!