Reusing a boiler vent pipe as a cold water pipe

[Wellington]

I'm having a new oil boiler and cylinder installed, upgrading from a vented system to unvented. The plumbers wanted to put in a 22mm internal pipe for the mains water, replacing the existing 15mm one, and have done this by repurposing the old boiler vent pipe, to save putting in a new pipe through ceilings and walls. As a result, all the water in the house now passes through a section of this old vent pipe (which previously led from the boiler up to the tank in the loft).

Is this sanitary? I suppose it's mainly steam that went up through the vent pipe, but might it also have been exposed to the muck in the central heating water? Should I be worried about drinking the water that has passed through this pipe?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I wouldn't re use a heating pipe for drinking water but that's me

If your ok with putting a new pipe in, I would go down this route

 

[townfanjon]

If its copper and well flushed through I would use it , but not sure if you should , definitely wouldnt use a plastic pipe

 

[Wellington]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, it's a copper pipe. I doubt if it's been flushed with anything more than the water that's flowing through it, but I can check with them about that.

 

[Matt0029]

Another vote for not re-using central heating pipework. For the supply of drinking water.

 

[Ric2013]

I'm all for recycling, but unless that pipe's been powerflushed, bleurgh!

Will have been full of stagnant skanky central heating water up to the water level of the cistern and will probably be lined with rust and limescale mix. Will probably taste dreadful.

 

[snowhead]

Me neither.

 

[SavageW]

Get a filter installed just before your kidneys 😀

 

[mache]

Is the old vent pipe only feeding cold mains to the new cylinder or do your cold tap supplies run through it also ???

 

[Wellington]

Cold taps and cylinder are all fed through the old vent pipe.

However, after reading the replies here I've spoken to the plumber and he says he'll replace that bit of pipe.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[AWheating]

Hi chance of bacteria in the old pipe.

 

[Last Plumber]

No from me. Glad to hear it's being changed.

 

[RoryD]

The rules are quite clear. CH water is not potable, demand this is changed.