Pipes under plaster

Aug 04, 2020 5 Replies

Rate this thread:

cf-leeds 5 years ago

Over 15 years ago, I renovated the downstairs toilet cubicle and decided to bury the copper pipework within the wall. I cut out channels in the wall, IIRC without reaching getting to the depth of red-brick. I then plumbed in new 15mm pipes (hot and cold) to feed the sink and WC, before plastering ov er.

I'm just curious to know the kind of lifespan to be expected from burying p ipes in this way. Will the pipes begin to corrode/oxidise and eventually le ak ?

There's been damp on the external facing wall for a while in the cold feed area for the toilet. This seems to be getting worse lately. I reckon that t he cold water in the pipe might have cooled down that area and the resultin g condensation has slowly got worse over the years. Idon't think there's a leak; surely that would be far more apparent (?).

Any comments on this appreciated.

Thanks

Vote

Tricky Dicky 5 years ago

We had a gas leak in a pipe buried in plaster, I only detected it because g as was coming out of a socket that the pipe ran close to. Turned out it was a soldered joint that had given having lasted 33 years. The gas engineer who sorted it told me that chemicals in the plaster react with the lead/tin solder. I do believe running gas pipes in plaster is now discouraged but i f it cannot be avoided they should be sleeved.

Richard

Vote

charles 5 years ago

same applies to copper water pipes.

Vote

Andrew 5 years ago

The problem witb water pipes is if they carry hot water for a basin, they expand and might end up cracking the plaster. I thought gypsum plaster was corrosive to copper?.

Surely only females have an obsession with not seeing any pipes anywhere ?.

Vote

Brian Gaff (Sofa) 5 years ago

For copper water pipes though I've never seen anything happen to the copper in a wall. Brian

Vote

nightjar 5 years ago

Depends whether or not you protected them from the plaster. Normally, you would wrap the pipes in something like Denso tape first:

formatting link

Running them inside plastic conduit also works. Without either of those precautions, their life will be limited.

Not necessarily, but condensation is also a very likely cause. In one of my factory lavatories the floor constantly had a damp patch due to condensation on the cistern feed.

Vote

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required