Weird pipe joint?

[Lieu]

Ok, I've been doing my own plumbing recently and my latest task is to re-do the main bathroom. Anyway, the 20 year old chipboard floor is at the tip and I'm putting down ply, but before I fasten the boards down I decide to address this 'problem' we were having with the cold tap being quite warm - at least until you ran it for ~20 seconds. Hot tap had the same thing of course but, hey, it's kind of a long pipe run and it's just physics. I thought I'd improve the situation by adding insulation so I'm sitting there putting the sleeves on and... I see this thing:



What the heck is that? The top two pipes are the cold/hot pair and they are solidly attached. I scratched where they join and it looks like solder. It's a real chunky piece - at least 4-5mm deep. This just seems incredibly dumb to me. I can't think of any sane reason for it. Is this some kind of common error trying to solder a straight couple? Uncommon?

There I am putting insulation on when 2m away the cold pipe is a freaking heat sink for the hot 🙄

Any easy way of dealing with this or is it drain/blowtorch/cutter time? 😛

 

[oz-plumber]

Real tricky problem....

Call a plumber...

With the pipes being soldered together you may and up with a burst pipe due to the different expansion rates of the hot and cold pipes.

I would get the pipes cut and joined and remove the section where the pipes are soldered together

 

[Mike Jackson]

The solder is softer than the copper and you may be able to separate them by carefully using a stanley knife. If that doesn't work a thin knife heated to red heat can work but be careful that you don't burn yourself or set fire to anything in the process.

 

[stevetheplumber]

i would wedge a screwdriver in between to get some pressure pushing them apart and the hot it up do it live and the pipe joints wont melt

 

[AWheating]

what you want to do is cut the notch larger/wider, move the cold away from the hot enough to be able to put lagging on the cold, or even better both the hot and cold.

 

[Best]

With plumbing done like that, I would replace the whole plumbing if doing any major work on it, tbh.
For anyone to put the hot & cold pipes together is silly. On chipboard or plywood sheeted floors any hot pipes, (heating system or hot water) should be well clear of all cold pipes & no pipes should be touching anyhow. An individual notch into joists for each pipe if possible is best & easier to solder etc.
Agree as has been said, - try to cut the solder with a Stanley knife or a junior hacksaw blade.

 

[justlead1]

Hi
If nothing else noises in the house my be reduced with the solder bond removed, just hope its not acting as an earthing bond.
Good Luck

 

[Lieu]

Prying it was bending the copper before anything was coming off (the bond area was 30 x 8 mm). Tried to cut it very carefully with an oscillating tool plunge cutter but the pipe walls were just too close together and were compromised. Had to cut it out and replace it. Oh well, at least that route always works 😀 Probably for the best really - and got that lagging to fit.

Really doesn't instill confidence in the rest of the plumbing though. Coincidentally I'm getting someone down to replace the boiler+cylinder in a week so I'll see if there are any more "surprises".

 

[Worcester]

any hot pipes, (heating system or hot water) should be well clear of all cold pipes & no pipes should be touching anyhow.

I agree that's common sense - {apart from the fact that it is breach of The Water Regulations 1999 part 11 par 3 🙂 }

Is there any / where is the specific guidance on separation distances?

 

[Howsie]

Get the torch on it on high. Sorted.

 

[Koogatubac]

Lieu - very wise getting a plumber to deal with the boiler and cylinder. If there is any problems the plumber should be able to put it right 🙂