Water pipes in PIR insulated plasterboard

[22B]

Hi - apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but I couldn't find a thread.

Basically I am having my place drylined with insulated plasterboard (ecotherm ecoliner) on dabs to a solid masonry wall as part of a major refurb. The house is upside down with bedrooms below living space.

The new gas combi boiler is to be located on the first floor and therefore the radiators are to be fed from above. The preferred locations for the new rads are generally against external walls and I don't want to see exposed pipework.

I was therefore wondering if anyone knows if you can locate the radiator pipework within the insulated plasterboard zone (by carving grooves within the insulation zone)?

The guide below seems to only be concerned about breaching the vapour control layer and isn't worried about interstitial condensation etc. (in fact electrical wiring seems more of an issue).

http://regulations.completepicture....using - a guide for specifiers and contra.pdf

If anyone has an experience / guidance / thoughts they would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[muggles]

So you're going to the expense of having insulated plasterboard fitted, then you want to cut grooves in the insulation for your pipework?

 

[22B]

do you have a better suggestion?

 

[RF Lighting]

Can't you chase the pipes into the wall before the plasterboard goes on?

 

[22B]

thanks - i guess you can chase the walls but thought it was probably easier to take a stanley knife to the insulation rather than a chisel to the masonry wall.

either way though my concern is really whether its ok to have hot and cold pipes running in (or behind in masonry chase) the insulation layer.

There seems to be some concern about breaching the vapour layer when penetrating the insulated board which I can understand but I just don't know whether having rapidly heated / cooled pipes next to or behind the insulation could cause some other issue I'm not aware of.

I say this really because I can't find any literature that says its ok to bury the pipes within the insulation, equally can't find anything that says you shouldn't do it!

So really I'm after someone that's done it before saying its not an issue either way.

thank you for you time.

 

[APHSLTD]

How deep is the insulation on the plasterboard? If the pipes are going on an external wall personally I would insulate the pipe and use a router to cut a channel in the insulation.

They will be much easier to get to when they freeze & burst than if they are chased into the wall

 

[22B]

How deep is the insulation on the plasterboard? If the pipes are going on an external wall personally I would insulate the pipe and use a router to cut a channel in the insulation.

They will be much easier to get to when they freeze & burst than if they are chased into the wall

Sounds sensible! the boards have about 40mm of insulation on the back and then a 15mm dab so would accommodate the insulated pipe without too much trouble.

Thanks.

 

[ServiceNumpty]

Run the pipework in 10mm to each rad from a manifold, then the 15mm dab will be more than enough. Remember foil tape over the pipework to help you locate them afterwords.

 

[JohnD]

when they freeze & burst

because you have put them outside the heated envelope, on the cold side of the insulation.

Your desire not to see your pipes has some downsides.