Punctured a pipe, anyone knows what it is?

Dima_1 · Post by **Dima_1** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:20 am

: 1565684531305..jpg (252.97 KiB) Viewed 8095 times

Hey all,

Have been prepping floor for new carpet and punctured an unknown pipe through the side.
Looks metallic inside, does anyone know what is it?

We have just moved in so have no good idea

Rorschach · Post by **Rorschach** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:39 am

What came out of it when you punctured it?

Dima_1 · Post by **Dima_1** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:59 am

Nothing happened, It seem to have think metallic walls and my screw made a hole in the wall..

Bob225 · Post by **Bob225** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:51 am

how thick is it ? it may be old Lead/mineral cable if so its 60+ years old as it doesnt look a uniform size/shape

Dima_1 · Post by **Dima_1** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:01 am

Bob225 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:51 am how thick is it ? it may be old mineral cable as it doesnt look a uniform size/shape

It about 3 cm in diameter, it is uneven and it bends at almost 90 degrees and turns into one of the bedrooms

Bob225 · Post by **Bob225** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:05 am

Victorian/edwardian house ? it may be old lead gas pipe used for gas mantles

Dima_1 · Post by **Dima_1** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:23 am

Bob225 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:05 ammantles

Thanks for the reply, the house is from 1935, and the pipe feels very heavy (as in lead) indeed.

Its on the first floor so must by disused by now?

Rorschach · Post by **Rorschach** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:07 am

If it is lead you should be able to shave a bit of easily with a sharp knife leaving a clean shiny surface underneath.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:33 pm

I can't help but wonder, if it is lead, why is it across the joists? isn't that idea a bit too modern? I have seen gas lights and the pipes were in the walls, as in they were installed when being built, doesnt look quite the same for those pipes, and are they not a bit too clean?

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:25 pm

I wondered if they are passivated mild steel pipes. The Gas Board had a cheap installation package for central heating in the 60's that used PMS pipe instead of copper. It was a disaster and it got dumped in due course. I wonder if this is redundant central heating pipe that was left there?

DWD

Bob225 · Post by **Bob225** » Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:06 am

1935 is a bit late for matles, just old lead plumbing ? old bathroom ?

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:33 am

It's an old water pipe. The old gas pipes were cast iron. Strip it out and take it to the scrappys

toolbox · Post by **toolbox** » Wed Aug 14, 2019 9:40 am

There were old lead of "compo" pipes used for gas but not to be expected in 1930 I would have thought except for meter connections.
Wonder if it is from the early 70's during the Rhodesia crises copper was hard to get and lots of (largely unsuccessful) alternatives were marketed and used for heating installations. Being a pair flow and return springs to mind.
Maybe microbore.

Bob225 · Post by **Bob225** » Wed Aug 14, 2019 10:51 am

..... Or hot and not, old bathroom turned into a bedroom ?