Identifying type of pipe - incoming main to stopcock

[RBG]

Hello all,

I have attached a picture of a a pipe that I need some help identifying in terms of make / material etc.

It is the incoming main to the house to the internal stopcock, appearing out of the floor in the cloakroom. It is plastic of some type and I believe to be 15mm. The pipe is heavily creased and risks splitting and also the customer wants the pipe moving slightly. I may well have to do some digging to expose a suitable place to connect on to it. Green plastic 15mm is not something I have come across before....lead yes, steel yes, blue mdpe yes, but not this. Before I break into it I want to identify it and a suitable fitting. It may well be 15mm barrier type pipe. Many thanks

 

[snowhead]

It may be Poly-york or similar, if it's 17mm O.D then this may do to convert to copper,,

Poly York PVC x Copper 1/2" (17mm) X 15mm Complete With Liner - Ringway Bathrooms

Compression adaptor to convert black Poly York 1/2" (17mm Outside diameter) PVC Pipe to 15mm Copper tube. Includes a copper liner to insert into the PVC pipe as it can become brittle over time Poly York black PVC pipe was a glued water supply pipe installed to many households during…

www.ringwayplumbing.co.uk

 

[RBG]

It may be Poly-york or similar, if it's 17mm O.D then this may do to convert to copper,,

Poly York PVC x Copper 1/2" (17mm) X 15mm Complete With Liner - Ringway Bathrooms

Compression adaptor to convert black Poly York 1/2" (17mm Outside diameter) PVC Pipe to 15mm Copper tube. Includes a copper liner to insert into the PVC pipe as it can become brittle over time Poly York black PVC pipe was a glued water supply pipe installed to many households during…

www.ringwayplumbing.co.uk

Thank you for that link. Can I just check.....the information about the product talks about "black PVC pipe.." the pipe I have is green. I'm thinking that there is no difference it is just the colour that is different. But wanted to check that the colour is significant for anything. Further up the pipe where the stopcock is, the 15mm copper to the green pipe has been inserted into the green pipe so that would make sense. Thank you for that.


Thanks again. really appreciate it

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You sure it’s not just coated copper eg 15mm plastic coated etc ?

As they wouldn’t of inserted copper into plastic pipe and made a joint

 

[RBG]

You sure it’s not just coated copper eg 15mm plastic coated etc ?

As they wouldn’t of inserted copper into plastic pipe and made a joint

That great shout Shaun. I have some across that sort of pipe in screed for central heating. They have then shaved back cut off the plastic sheath to attach to stopcock? Question is how do tell without damaging pipe / causing leak? Stud finder to see if metallic maybe.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

That great shout Shaun. I have some across that sort of pipe in screed for central heating. They have then shaved back cut off the plastic sheath to attach to stopcock? Question is how do tell without damaging pipe / causing leak? Stud finder to see if metallic maybe.

That great shout Shaun. I have some across that sort of pipe in screed for central heating. They have then shaved back cut off the plastic sheath to attach to stopcock? Question is how do tell without damaging pipe / causing leak? Stud finder to see if metallic maybe.

Would say 90% it’s copper as if plastic had that kink on it would of split by now / bubble

Pair of grips to see if it’s got any play eg if plastic should squeeze a bit if copper won’t etc without denying etc

 

[RBG]

Would say 90% it’s copper as if plastic had that kink on it would of split by now / bubble

Good man thank you. Should be 15mm in there I would think. Would that go all the way back to street stopcock do you think?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Good man thank you. Should be 15mm in there I would think. Would that go all the way back to street stopcock do you think?

Yes or unless the stop tap has been changed you might find an adapter a foot away etc

 

[RBG]

Yes or unless the stop tap has been changed you might find an adapter a foot away etc

They want the pipe moving a bit and also that kink getting rid of. Which, having looked at again defo really looks like a copper kink? My plan is to chip / dig away some of the floor to get access to a good bit of pipe below that kink, remove enough sleaving and solder a coupler on and fit new 15mm pipe where it needs to go / new stopcock. Protect pipe etc.

 

[Rtplumb]

Thank you for that link. Can I just check.....the information about the product talks about "black PVC pipe.." the pipe I have is green. I'm thinking that there is no difference it is just the colour that is different. But wanted to check that the colour is significant for anything. Further up the pipe where the stopcock is, the 15mm copper to the green pipe has been inserted into the green pipe so that would make sense. Thank you for that.


Thanks again. really appreciate it

Looks like a half inch lead main to me.

 

[snowhead]

Looking at the second new photo and a close up of the pipe in the first photo, I'd now agree with Rtplumb, it's most likely lead, painted green.

 

[RBG]

Looking at the second new photo and a close up of the pipe in the first photo, I'd now agree with Rtplumb, it's most likely lead, painted green.

Thank you both. I need to go and scrape it a bit to see if it is paint. The copper pipe coming out to the right and into stopcock did look like it was "inside" the green pipe. It needs more onsite investigation to determine if it is lead painted green, sleeved copper or mystery material. Many thanks all. Really appreciate it. Hopefully copper as easiest to deal with or lead with an adapter of some sort, but would recommend replacement. Will still need digging out a bit to get some sort of adapter onto to it to transition to copper. Mystery plastic material is looking less likely which is good as that seems to be a real problem getting a fitting for.

House was built in 1974 for material age / installation reference point. Was lead still being fitted in houses then?

 

[Chuck]

House was built in 1974 for material age / installation reference point. Was lead still being fitted in houses then?

IIRC, lead communication pipes were phased out in the 1960s and became illegal in 1969. Lead pipes in new installations were banned in 1970. Restrictions on lead solder were 1985.

Of course, the lead communication pipe may have pre-dated the current house.

Anyway, if it turns out that the communication pipe is lead and you are going to have to dig up the floor anyway, I'd encourage the building owner to get the whole run replaced. There were grants for replacement introduced in 2014 but I believe that water suppliers are beginning to close their schemes so delaying may turn out costly when the pipe does have to be replaced.

 

[RBG]

IIRC, lead communication pipes were phased out in the 1960s and became illegal in 1969. Lead pipes in new installations were banned in 1970. Restrictions on lead solder were 1985.

Of course, the lead communication pipe may have pre-dated the current house.

Anyway, if it turns out that the communication pipe is lead and you are going to have to dig up the floor anyway, I'd encourage the building owner to get the whole run replaced. There were grants for replacement introduced in 2014 but I believe that water suppliers are beginning to close their schemes so delaying may turn out costly when the pipe does have to be replaced.

Very interesting thank you. . The house is on a large development that was built from scratch in mid 1970’s. I’m told by owner that their one is 1974.