Replacing central heating pipes - is there an easy way?

SusieT

Asking for someone not on here, am talking about a big old farmhouse with an oil boiler that has a tap to pressurise it if that makes a difference. They are looking at getting a new (oil) boiler and have very old steel pipes (about 1" wide?) at the moment that run under the floor to the radiators. Most look like the old type water pipes and apparantly there is some sludge in the system as some radiators are cold or colder at the bottom, and when they bleed them dirty water comes out. I have no idea if they have a filter or inhibitor in it, but suspect not as they said the system is very old?
They are going to get a heating person out to talk to, but before they do they want to know if there is a way to replace the pipes without taking up all the floors, some of which are tiled, as when they took some similar looking pipes out of the old outhouse (that had previously been used for water), they were very rusty inside, so thinking seems to be that while they are spending on a boiler they may as well have rust free pipes.  My guess is that it will not be possible, but if there are any helpful questions they can ask it would be appreciated. 

FreeBear

Is this a single pipe system ?

If so, horribly inefficient, and would certainly be worth replacing the pipes and plumbing it up with a separate feed & return.

SusieT

FreeBear said:

Is this a single pipe system ?

If so, horribly inefficient, and would certainly be worth replacing the pipes and plumbing it up with a separate feed & return.

I think there are 2 pipes, one goes out and the other goes back, so its probably not single pipe?

FreeBear

With a two pipe system where there is heavy corrosion in the pipes, replumbing is probably prudent. Unfortunately, floors will have to come up for new pipes unless running them around the walls is acceptable.

It may be, moving some of the radiators result in shorter pipe runs which could cut down on disruption.

diystarter7

Hi OP

Have you considered having the pipes cut into walls?

We've had it done on a property we lived i now rented out were done about 14/15 years ago. If you wish to save time ad money in the bathrrom, well o the shower area a bit of exposed chrome piping with the right tiles looks puka

You may even get away with some expsoed pipes/chrome in bedrooms, living room as you know where the bed/sofas are going 

Thanks

ThisIsWeird

There is a remote possibility of being able to thread 22mm plastic pipe down inside the existing iron ones, but remote.

Possibly it's doable in room-sized runs - if there's a nice tiled floor in one room, but suspended timber (or a type of floor that can cope with being lifted and a channel dug) either side, then there's a chance it could be done.

What are the chances, tho'?!

SusieT

Thank you all, I will pass the comments on, @FreeBear especially that they really would be better to replace or completely redo the pipes. I would think they could run some round the walls where the radiators are on the outside walls, and they will just have to ask if it is possible to route the pipes so that they do not go under the tiled parts. @ThisIsWeird I know that at the least the hall, kitchen, utility, bathroom, toilet and one downstairs room have tiled floors, but have not seen upstairs, but threading through may possibly be an option for some places even if its not all the way. Hopefully the people installing can work round the tiled bits somehow, but at least they will have some questions and know some may be possible.. 

ThisIsWeird

Are they DIYing this, or getting pros in? If the latter, they should ask each one for their solution.

The new boiler and system should ideally be unvented/sealed/pressurised, so there remains the option of taking the pipes up through the ceiling, lifting some floorboards in the rooms above, running them in that void, and back down to each room as required. Can be unsightly, but in practice usually easy to disguise or box in using a neat job down one corner of the room.

SusieT

ThisIsWeird said:

Are they DIYing this, or getting pros in? If the latter, they should ask each one for their solution.

The new boiler and system should ideally be unvented/sealed/pressurised, so there remains the option of taking the pipes up through the ceiling, lifting some floorboards in the rooms above, running them in that void, and back down to each room as required. Can be unsightly, but in practice usually easy to disguise or box in using a neat job down one corner of the room.

They will be getting pros in, with the new boiler it is better to get it all done at the same time, so they are planning now for when it is warm enough to go without heating while it is done.