Advice re pipes in wall

[No-one]

Hello,

In starting to do up the kitchen, which entails ripping out the existing units, I have found what looks like a hodge-podge of pipes and would appreciate some advice.

The mains supply come up from the floor, through the worktop and is clipped to the wall up to and through the ceiling. Its only insulation is white paint :-)) The returning hot and cold pipes and in a channel in the wall, plastered over but not surrounded by plaster i.e. there is still free space around them.. There is no insulation around either pipe and they are no more than a quarter of an inch apart.

I take it this is likely to give rise to condensation and ultimately damp. So......

Would it be better to have all pipes outside the wall, fully (and separately) insulated and then boxed in?

TIA

[Simon Avery]

Hello No-one

Why? That's only really a problem for extremely humid environs, like a bathroom with poor ventilation. A bathroom in that condition regularly will be damp regardless of the pipes.

Basically, if they're not condensing now - what reason do you have for supposing they will in future?

Not in my opinion. Outside = More maintenance for keeping this boxing weatherproof (wet insulation=useless) and looks unsightly.

Buried in walls is very common and really not a problem.

[John Stumbles]

I think he meant outside the wall but inside the house.

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 Schedule 2 Regulation 7 (1) sez: "No water fitting shall be embedded in any wall ..." and the guidance says "Unless they are located in an internal wall which is not a solid wall, a chase or duct which may be readily exposed..."

So there ;-)

Unless the OP is planning to replace the pipework anyway I'd just box it in - ideally with insulation stuffed in the void for good measure.

[Simon Avery]

Hello John

Coo, I didn't know of that one.

Is that enforceable? Specifically for DIYers or just trade?

And I can think of many shower installations where it's happily ignored, tiled over isn't "readily accessible" and not many customers would be happy with any cover to a shower wall.

So what about overflows where the "water fitting" passes through the external wall?

Or rising mains which enter through an external wall?

[No-one]

Yes :-))

Well, it is actually the rising main and hot water in the channel in the wall. The pipe on the wall is a cold supply taken from the supply from the tank to the bathroom. God knows why but it is spurred from underneath the bath, doubling back about two feet to the wall and then down to the kitchen (with joints every two to three feet). I am going to remove it and tidy everything up - it looks like spaghetti junction once the cabinets have been removed.

Regards.