Hello. I have a dilemma. I have the front room of my house currently lifted for floor works and have noticed that the mains water pipe comes in from the front of the house (from the boundary water cock) on about 3m of 15mm copper pipe.
There is then a joint in this front room that connects it to a 22mm galvanised steel pipe.
The steel pipe then runs under a supporting wall through the rest of the house to the kitchen, where the internal stopcock is.
Water pressure is really, really good both downstairs and upstairs and after leaving the house for days or even weeks the water always flows clear, so no signs of rust or blockages.
Since the house is 1930's built, though i have no idea when the pipes were installed (noting there's already this copper pipe change in place). Is it worth changing this steel pipe now?
Also is the 15mm incoming pipe okay or should I increase to 22mm? House is on a combi boiler.
The dilemma is that it would mean tearing up the rest of the floors in the other rooms and kitchen and I'm really not sure if i have the appetite to do that if the steel pipe still has many years left in it. Esp. the kitchen with the units and appliances and everything. I guess I'm asking what the likely risk is and is it really a problem (leaks, blockages, health etc). I'm just glad its not lead!
Edit: I've managed to find the other end/ bend point of the pipe without too much damage so ill attempt a swap out for copper by feeding a straight run through. Luckily the bend also converts to another copper pipe! Thanks for everyone's input
I did something similar years ago with a house built in the 30s, but notably lived in it quite a while first which influenced my decision. In the years leading up to the moment of convenience for plumbing access I had all sorts of issues with water shifting ground, your experience may be different.
Anyway, I fully gutted and remodeled because I was tired of constant surprise urgent issues. The pipes I discovered were a mashup of galvanized, copper, pex, and even a little lead on one drain.
I installed a full home run led system beside the existing plumbing and then cutover to that one day and regret nothing.
I was considering running a spare pipe system from boundary to kitchen (poking as far through through the wall as possible) and then "terminating" both sides in future but then its an added issue breaking the concrete out the front of the house to get through near the boundary stopcock...
I think ill see if i can cut a small section of the kitchen floor to where the straight run would end and reconsider my options from there when i see whats up