New Radiators on old pipes

[Conan]

Any recommendations for installing new radiators but continuing to use existing 50 year old pipes. It has been suggested that I need to completely change the central heating pipes and that new radiators will not be effective using the existing pipes.

 

[noproblem]

Are they gun barrel fittings?
In any case, new piping is metric and the old stuff was ins, etc. You can get fittings that will join the 2, but the wise thing to do is change to the new piping. The advice you were given was good advice.

 

[Leo]

It's not that 50 year old pipes will be ineffective, it's that they're at the end of, or beyond their lifespan. They corrode over time and will eventually leak. Mating new fittings to pipes that old is troublesome and risky, must plumbers won't want to do it due to the extra messing required and the likelihood they'll get blamed for any future leaks.

 

[DublinHead54]

What is the issue that you want to replace the radiators?

I agree with the others that the right thing to do is to replace the entire system. However, this is the most costly and disruptive which needs to be factored in.

I was in a similar situation and couldn't afford to replumb, so I did a system flush and replaced one or two radiators. The system greatly improved after the flush. However, I don't believe my system was as old as 50 years, and I didn't have gun barrel pipes but did have a few micro pipes in the system.

 

[TeslaTim]

It can be done, but shouldn't be done at 50 years old they are a leak waiting to happen if not already leaking underground. Also you would have to question if or how these pipes are currently insulated and how efficient they are.

 

[Horatio]

I'd echo what most are saying here, replace them while you're at it. Anything else is kicking the proverbial can down the road & perhaps not that far down the road because if you choose to keep the pipes the plumber will almost certainty flush the pipes & any crud that may be preventing or hiding existing leaks may well be wash away as part of the flush process. Also are you replacing the systems with a pressurised system?
Will the pressure blow out leaks in the old pipes.

Insist on pre-insulated PEX crimped piping for the job.

On a separate but related note if you do decide to replace the pipes do not automatically assume that you must route them along the exact same path or with the exact same configuration as the current pipes.

Think about your options here.
- Do you really need to dig up the floor to pull out all the old pipes?
- Do you really need to route the new pipes under the floor?
- Could you route them through an attic or crawl space or in the upstairs floor & drop them down rather than rise them up?
- Can you site your new radiators more intelligently to minimize run length?
- Can you site your new radiators more intelligently to minimize floor digging? back to back on a shared wall in adjacent rooms for example.
- Think about abandoning the old piping system & leave it in place but just disconnecting it.
- Think about partial replacement of the old pipe now & partial later. Are there rooms in your house that you're not ready to turn into a building site today but are on plan for renovations in 2 years time? Consider coinciding any plumbing works with those works. Touch it once & once only.

good luck with the job...