Copper Pipe in wall chase

[bigbaddom]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on regulations regarding burying copper pipes in wall chases.
The plumber has currently run copper pipe for a gas fire and copper pipes for radiators all next to each other in a chase in the wall and has just bonded over them.
Is this allowed?
Does anyone know the regulations regarding this?

I thought that gas pipe at least had to be protected.
If anyone can give me the regs that would be greatly appreciated.
I have tried google and it seems to imply that there is the need to cover gas, but I cant find the specific regulation.

Thanks!!

[paulrockliffe]

Are they protected at all?

Cement will corrode the copper over a long period of time. Where I've done this the pipe was wrapped in a vapor barrier so that the copper isn't in direct contact with the cement/plaster.

No idea on the regulations, but I suspect there isn't any given that for an electrical wire the capping required is only plastic and is basically to protect the wire from ham-fisted plasterers nicking them. A copper pipe is inherrently far more resistant to having anail hammered in than palstic capping, though I agree that neither is going to give you much protection.

[dirkgently]

The gas pipe should be protected from corrosion (PVC tape or Bitumen paint will do)and tested for soundness prior to the application of any covering material. This should also be done to the water pipes.

[Neil - YVM]

Not sure of the regs, but we see loads of gas outlets from a wall and don't recall once seeing any cover on the copper.

As previously mentioned, I know you need to sleeve copper pipe when set in cement, as it will corrode, but don't think there will be the same issue in plaster.

[dazwalsh]

Denso tape gets my vote, just don't get it on your hands, I had to wrap a gas pipe when it was being sunk into a concrete floor to run the length of my kitchen.

I doubt there will be regulations for water pipes but for gas pipes it is a must.

[robwilk]

dazwalsh said:

Denso tape gets my vote, just don't get it on your hands,

Its not a problem on the hands its full of lanolin and makes your hands nice a soft, feels a bit gungy at first but you get used to it.
You can get a covered copper specaily for gas, I think it has to be coloured yellow not sure on that but all of mine is.
Rob

[Muncher]

We had to run some copper gas pipes in the wall, so they are covered in 3mm thick steel with plastic in between, there is no way you could accidentally drill through it.

[Simpo Two]

My lounge had a gas pipe sticking up 6" near the fireplace in case anyone wanted to retrofit a gas fire.

I don't, and it was ugly and wouldn't fit in front of the new skirting board, so I decided it was time to cut it down below floor level. The house was built in 1988 and has a concrete floor - as I dug down there was no protection around the pipe. When making good I used some hessian wrap (not sure of proper name) that had been recommended by the local plumbing outfit.

[TA14]

robwilk said:

dazwalsh said:

Denso tape gets my vote, just don't get it on your hands,

Its not a problem on the hands its full of lanolin and makes your hands nice a soft, feels a bit gungy at first but you get used to it.
You can get a covered copper specaily for gas, I think it has to be coloured yellow not sure on that but all of mine is.

Good stuff: http://www.tradingdepot.co.uk/DEF/product/!!COP15/... nb http://www.plumbcenter.co.uk/en/plumbing/copper-tu... "including pipework behind plaster"

[hairyben]

Gas pipe should be sleeved/covered etc, and run in a safe zone at least.

I'd be worried too about plastered over C/H pipes expanding and cracking plaster/expansion noise? Any plumbers can advise?

[paulrockliffe]

Good point, fortunately the two I did aren't central heating, so unlikely to ever get hot enough to expand at all. I'd likely run them through a piece of palstic piping like the electrician used in my workshop, if I was doing central heating, if I was doing gas I'd probably do a bit more.

[Rickyy]

Denso tape will be too thick for it to go in a wall. As Dirk said, wrap it in PVC tape.

[B17NNS]

Lime (present in gypsum based plasters) will corrode copper.

I've always wrapped pipe in rape tape prior to bonding out chases.

[bigdom]

The pipes in my house, mid seventies are either in the wall or concrete floor, none of them are covered in anything. Been ok for 40yrs without any problem. When we did the downstairs bathroom, the water pipes were bonded in to stop movement, then tiled over the top, no noise or issues.

[phelix]

I think the copper pipes in concrete or breeze block walls issue is not as bad as most people think - have a read of this

Edited by phelix on Wednesday 30th October 20:14

[dirkgently]

phelix said:

The recommended BMW wheels are here The offset is different than standard E60 18s - you might find a space of the right size.

Well that`s random.

[B17NNS]

[phelix]

oops!

[Gingerbread Man]

dazwalsh said:

Denso tape gets my vote, just don't get it on your hands, I had to wrap a gas pipe when it was being sunk into a concrete floor to run the length of my kitchen.

I doubt there will be regulations for water pipes but for gas pipes it is a must.

Pretty sure you're not allowed to use Denso to protect gas pipes in floors anymore.

[Globs]

phelix said:

I think the copper pipes in concrete or breeze block walls issue is not as bad as most people think - have a read of this

Edited by phelix on Wednesday 30th October 20:14

Corrected the link.