Leak in heating pipes

Jainar

Hi can I check what sort of tradesperson is best placed to trace and address a potential heating pipe leak? Would it be a gas engineer or a plumber?

Thanks.

Carrot007

Plumber since it's filled with water.



However it is something you could do yourself as it will be time consuming and expensive more than likely.


Just put tissues round joints, run the system and see what occurs (yes there may be hidden joints, but you can get to them as easy as anyone else). Don't forget the emergency release point out of the house as it might be going there.

Jainar

The plaster on a wall is blown so the heating pipes either run behind it or above it. Whats a good way to remove plaster and therefore get access to the pipes?

Also can I check if green verdigris on copper gas pipes necessarily means that there is an issue with the pipes possibly being corroded and leaking?

Carrot007

Jainar wrote: »

The plaster on a wall is blown so the heating pipes either run behind it or above it. Whats a good way to remove plaster and therefore get access to the pipes?

Also can I check if green verdigris on copper gas pipes necessarily means that there is an issue with the pipes possibly being corroded and leaking?

Hammer and chisel. Yes it's a pain, copper pipes should really not be in plaster directly anyway, muchly for that reason. (put em in a box of some sort (plastic, wood, whatever) and plaster over that.


Copper goes green, doubt it's anything but oxydisation, but if you think there is a gas leak you should call out the proper people, it's free and they have gas sniffing equipment.

BoxerfanUK

One of these should allow you to identify the source of the leak pretty quickly. I have the Flir one pro and it's brilliant. You could always buy one, use it and then sell it on ebay.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thermal-Imaging-Resolution-Lightning-Connector/dp/B0728C7KND/ref=sr_1_3?adgrpid=55484636365&gclid=Cj0KCQiAiNnuBRD3ARIsAM8KmltIQHDFc-gLDrP3BHR5bq5Odus8rrFMVxhcc0Ut-9X6tRGWTLuM3AEaAti9EALw_wcB&hvadid=281357073085&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1006933&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t3&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4755195203659967024&hvtargid=aud-614731612455%3Akwd-395737380404&hydadcr=5055_1754391&keywords=flir+one+gen+3&qid=1574364015&sr=8-3

FreeBear

Carrot007 wrote: »

Hammer and chisel. Yes it's a pain, copper pipes should really not be in plaster directly anyway, muchly for that reason. (put em in a box of some sort (plastic, wood, whatever) and plaster over that.

Copper goes green, doubt it's anything but oxydisation, but if you think there is a gas leak you should call out the proper people, it's free and they have gas sniffing equipment.

I've chased in the CH pipes here. Sleeved them in 20mm plastic conduit, used good quality tubing without any hidden joints, and then covered the pipes with a strip of stainless steel. The S/S strip will provide a bit of protection should anyone hammer a nail in the wall or try drilling a hole. The plastic protects the copper from any corrosion caused by contact with plaster - Also makes it easier to withdraw the pipes if they ever need replacing.

As for verdigris on copper pipes - If an acid flux was used during the soldering process, any left behind will react with the copper. Wiping the joints with a hot, wet cloth should remove the worst of any flux residue. One can also use a weak solution of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to neutralise any remaining flux.