what to used to get rid of old boiler

knithappens

I have a very old boiler in my out house/shed, i want to used the shed to store garden things, and the kids bikes, but need to get rid off this. It is so heavy i want to break it up, and take it our piece by piece. But how do i get through the pipes that run into the house, ( they are no longer connected to anything Gas, water etc), It is such a confined space, i was thinking elbow grease and sawing through, but which saw would i need. Any help would be appreciated.

greyteam1959

Make sure that all the services are really turned off !!!!!!!
If the pipe is copper or lead use a hacksaw with a coarse blade.
Or borrow a small angle grinder which would be a lot easier.
Careful with the boiler cos if it is really really old there could be asbestos in it.
It may also have quite a bit of really nasty black water in it so when you have cut off the pipes bung the holes up or drain the water out first.

knithappens

Thanks a lot for that. I will double check that all services are turned off before attempting anything.

Angle grinder, can you hire these from the hire shop??

greyteam1959

Yes you can hire them but I dont think it would be worth it just to cut a couple of pipes......bit of the old elbow grease would be cheaper.

ormus

a large hacksaw and a good blade will cut almost anything in half.
those cheapo tools you see, ie an angle grinder will be cheaper than hiring one. ok so it wont last a lifetime but itll do the job easier and quicker.

HugoSP

ormus wrote: »

a large hacksaw and a good blade will cut almost anything in half.
those cheapo tools you see, ie an angle grinder will be cheaper than hiring one. ok so it wont last a lifetime but itll do the job easier and quicker.

Agree 100% with the above.

Plus, double check that the gas is not connected.

Make sure you've got everything out of the way when you cut the pipes just in case you do find a load of black water in there, and make sure you've got plenty of large buckets to catch it.

One other thing to be aware of. I assume you've got a flow and return. If you can, first cut the pipe in a suitable place far enough away from the boiler to allow you to catch water more easily. Once you have done this then do the same with the other pipe(s). Be careful when you cut a second pipe as you could release an airlock somwhere (if there is still some circuit left) that will mean the pipe you cut first will suddenly soak you!

As someone else has said about asbestos. Don't break up the boiler if you can avoid it. Use a sack truck to manovre it out of the shed. If you want it taken away, find a rag and bone man or scrap collector and see if he'll take it FOC.

I have taken away scrap like this for other people before now. It sits at the back of my property until I have enough to warrent a trip, or if it is in danger of outstaying its welcome. There is a good scrap merchant 5 mins drive away.

vansboy

I had a similar job, but a much smaller task, to get the boiler out of the fireplace, which was left there when the gas fire was fitted.

I cut thru' the old pipes with hacksaw & deafened the neighbors on a Sunday afternoon, smashing away, (cast iron)with a club hammer, 'till I'd broken it small enough to get out, bit by bit.

They must have really built around it!!

Whatever you do, don't forget tough gloves & proper goggles to sheild the sides of your eyes, too - them l'l bits of dirt & sparks get everywhere!!

VB