Is there any reason why I cannot put a copper pipe to the outside of the house (connected by an isolator) to act as a CH drain. I basically want a simple drain option to my CH and this would make an easy drain solution that would not need hosepipes etc for any further CH drainage. Any ideas why not?
-- Adam
snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk
I've had this capability on my heating system for the last 20 years - very useful.
If I were doing it again, I'd consider plastic pipe as it has a lower thermal conductivity and so will lose less heat. Possibly not a major consideration though.
Bob
Put a stop c*ck on it. If it is hanging over a gully then the pipe can remain open and facing down. If not over a gully, then have a cheap drain off c*ck fitted and leave it open permanently, then you can attach a hose. When these are opened after being tightened for a number of years, they tend to leak, so having it permanently opened prevents this occurring.
It's also worth sloping the section through the wall down slightly so that it drains .andy
To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
No reason whatever. I did this when installing CH in my previous house over
30 years ago. The house had suspended wooden floors - and the pipes for the downstairs rads ran under the floor. It was thus simple to tee off a drain pipe, and take it out through an air brick. I put a stop-tap just inside, accessible via a small hinged trap in one of the floorboards.Roger
Good idea. But why are you having to drain your system so frequently to justify this?
Good point. I am moving my upstairs radiators from internal walls to under the windows. Furniture, long stay guests from abroad, a lack of time (due to work) and the cold weather stop me from doing this in one go. I know I can use the hosepipe method and a "proper" drain tap, but I like to keep the carpets from any stains and the first time I used a proper drain tap on the system the bloody thing did not work (8 years old and useless).
It is also about what happens in the future. A few hours work now could repay itself tomorrow. Should I ever need to drain the system other than for my current work all I need is one turn of a screw and I am done. No hosepipes, no effort and no failed drain off taps.
And to the others who replied
I have now decided to extend the pipe about 80 cm along the outside wall on a slope so that it will drain into a nice gully. I never even thought about that.
-- Adam
snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk
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