Replacing central heating pipework?

waqasahmed

So, 

I've got a 1975 semi detached 120 square metre house

In addition, the pipes here look a bit small compared to what's in my parent's house. They've got an older house, but their central heating got put in around the millennium 

Their house certainly gets warmer than mine, despite being leaker than mine so I thought it might be something worth doing 

That, and upgrading my radiators but I figure that's an "easier" job.  I'd also hope that it'd be easier RE: heat pump too. Whilst I have more insulation, it's still "leaky" 

Is it worth doing? Does anyone know how much it might cost "up norf"? I've got around 10 radiators currently fwiw 

BUFF

If your pipes are microbore (8 or 10mm) then certainly my understanding  is that if you go to a heat pump at some point the system would benefit from larger bore pipework.
However, a properly specified & run boiler system should perform perfectly well with microbore.

Without seeing what you have, how it is all run & access for replacement I doubt that anybody on here can give you a realistic quote.

movilogo

How small pipes? Have you taken advice from any gas engineer? Typical gas pipes are of 22 mm diameter. 

Cost will vary depending your location but it should be around £5000-£7000 mark.

ThisIsWeird

waqasahmed said:

So, 

I've got a 1975 semi detached 120 square metre house

In addition, the pipes here look a bit small compared to what's in my parent's house. They've got an older house, but their central heating got put in around the millennium 

Their house certainly gets warmer than mine, despite being leaker than mine so I thought it might be something worth doing 

That, and upgrading my radiators but I figure that's an "easier" job.  I'd also hope that it'd be easier RE: heat pump too. Whilst I have more insulation, it's still "leaky" 

Is it worth doing? Does anyone know how much it might cost "up norf"? I've got around 10 radiators currently fwiw 

Upgrading the radiators? Almost certainly yes. By that, they should be sized to work on a water flow temp of (need to confirm) around 45oC or not much more.

Two reasons: the first is that the gas boiler you fit will be working at max efficiency with a low return temp, and the other is as you say yourself, futureproofing for other energy sources such as heat-pumps.

(A large rad running on cool water will give the same heat out as a small rad running on hot.)

The other issue is whether your current CH pipework is large enough. I think only a good plumber paying a visit can advise on that - we can largely only speculate. For us to speculate, we'd need to know things like the actual size of the pipes, lengths, the rads they are supplying, etc, and even then I wouldn't know.

I would be choosing a plumber carefully for such a judgement, perhaps one trained in heat-pump systems. I suspect that many 'boilery' GasSafes will do a suck-through-teeth calculation, and might not appreciate the significance - if any - of your system running on a cooler water temp (does that mean more 'flow' is required? I haven't a clue :-( )

waqasahmed

BUFF said:

If your pipes are microbore (8 or 10mm) then certainly my understanding  is that if you go to a heat pump at some point the system would benefit from larger bore pipework.
However, a properly specified & run boiler system should perform perfectly well with microbore.

Without seeing what you have, how it is all run & access for replacement I doubt that anybody on here can give you a realistic quote.

I certainly think they're microbe. The pipes look dead tiny 

waqasahmed

ThisIsWeird said:

waqasahmed said:

So, 

I've got a 1975 semi detached 120 square metre house

In addition, the pipes here look a bit small compared to what's in my parent's house. They've got an older house, but their central heating got put in around the millennium 

Their house certainly gets warmer than mine, despite being leaker than mine so I thought it might be something worth doing 

That, and upgrading my radiators but I figure that's an "easier" job.  I'd also hope that it'd be easier RE: heat pump too. Whilst I have more insulation, it's still "leaky" 

Is it worth doing? Does anyone know how much it might cost "up norf"? I've got around 10 radiators currently fwiw 

Upgrading the radiators? Almost certainly yes. By that, they should be sized to work on a water flow temp of (need to confirm) around 45oC or not much more.

Two reasons: the first is that the gas boiler you fit will be working at max efficiency with a low return temp, and the other is as you say yourself, futureproofing for other energy sources such as heat-pumps.

(A large rad running on cool water will give the same heat out as a small rad running on hot.)

The other issue is whether your current CH pipework is large enough. I think only a good plumber paying a visit can advise on that - we can largely only speculate. For us to speculate, we'd need to know things like the actual size of the pipes, lengths, the rads they are supplying, etc, and even then I wouldn't know.

I would be choosing a plumber carefully for such a judgement, perhaps one trained in heat-pump systems. I suspect that many 'boilery' GasSafes will do a suck-through-teeth calculation, and might not appreciate the significance - if any - of your system running on a cooler water temp (does that mean more 'flow' is required? I haven't a clue :-( )

Thanks. There's a local "Heat Geek" near me who should hopefully be able to help

ChasingtheWelshdream

BUFF said:

However, a properly specified & run boiler system should perform perfectly well with microbore.

I am just a diy-er, but am currently -gradually - moving and replacing old radiators.

Our system is 10mm copper and quite old.

When originally looking for someone to do the work for me, most plumbers would suck through their teeth and say the microbore would all need replacing as it clogs and is inefficient. I couldn’t afford the quotes.

Only one told me it is fine, but said many people simply don’t like working on it and don’t trust it, especially if they are to power flush it.

It actual works well in our house, so when moving radiators I am carrying on with the 10mm (except for swapping to 15mm on the last sections of visible pipe as I think it looks better).

I see no need to replace the microbore for the sake of it in our system and I am oversizing replacement radiators and also have some column rads. They work well so far.

I check our magna filter regularly and keep an eye on the water for any sign of dirt/sludge which is more likely to cause issues in microbore, but so far all is well.

I guess what I am saying is that there may be no actual need to replace the microbore simply because it is -well microbore.

The radiators are a different matter possibly, our replacement ones have made a huge difference but then again the original were vastly undersized for the rooms.

Hope that may help?

BUFF

Microbore works perfectly well in my house, too (Edwardian 3-bed terrace with 8 radiators).

bris

movilogo said:

How small pipes? Have you taken advice from any gas engineer? Typical gas pipes are of 22 mm diameter. 

Cost will vary depending your location but it should be around £5000-£7000 mark.

Gas pipes are sized according to distance and fittings.

It's the water pipes the OP is referring to.