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1998 Plastic heating pipes

Posted by Graham Procter, on
My rental house was built in 1998 with plastic heating pipes. The rads keep getting sludged up and cold. My plumber tells me the pipes used were the wrong spec and allow air through the pipes, causing the rads to sludge up. He says the pipes alone need changing to cure it. Any comments / advice please?
Rafal Kaczynski

Rafal Kaczynski

Hi Graham It is common problem for plastic pipes used before 2000. It all depend what heating sustem Do you have? 6-Jan-13 12:37 have you got a open vented system in your house if so, you may have a micro leak under the floor which is introducing fresh water into the system which causes electrolitic corrosion (black sludge). normal plastic pipe can let oxygen into the system but in my view if been power flushed to a high standard would not cause sludge to that degree. check for small leaks through out the house especially on radiator valves and connections to boiler, cheaper way to get out of the solution would probably to fit a magnaclean or tf1 which as a built in magnet to catch the sludge, has to be fitted on the return to the boiler and will have to be cleaned out regular. if its a combi boiler or sealed system, and you are forever topping up with water it could be same as above, also check for stain on the discharge pipe outside this could mean that the pressure vessel on the boiler could have failed. hope this help Regards Rafal
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Dean Cox

Dean Cox

Your plumber is right, early pipe (acorn) brown plastic was not a barrier pipe and so oxygen was able to permeate the pipe into the water. This action over time oxygenates the water allowing the water to readily rust the radiators etc. Sludge is a result. Repipe and flush to remedy. Best advice I can give.
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Iain McAlpine

Iain McAlpine

Hi Graham The sludge comes from the rads not the pipes, but might be better re piping, if you try a power flush it could cause more problems, really depends how bad the circulation is Iain
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anthony dale

anthony dale

Yes I agree I have had a lot of experience with this problem. When it first came out some manufacturers made cheap pipe ( not barrier pipe) and it allows air in through the connections and pipe itself. Think of gortex fabric it's 100% water proof but breathable. This is how I used to explain it to customers, hope this helps tony @ sml gas ltd.
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Bogdan Banasiewicz

Bogdan Banasiewicz

I suggest to change your plumber . From time to time you need clean up heating system - best before winter comes . Slud comes from water not from pipe .
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Karl Hockless

For your info Graham, there are indeed different types of plastic piping, for central heating and for just normal water plumbing. If the wrong ones have been used and you want to change them for the correct type, it will most likely mean taking up floor boards throughout the property to get to the pipes.
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Dave Claringbould

Dave Claringbould

Never heard of air being drawn into system througplastic pipes,if that was the case water Would be getting out, I'm happy to give u a free Survey,easy to tell if there thr correct barrier Pipes, regards Dave DcBuilders
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