| Author |
Message |
    
TomR
Citizen
Username: Tomr
Post Number: 465
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:59 am: | 
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I'm considering having a portion of the basement return line on my steam heating system replaced.
Old pipe is (I assume) cast iron, and new pipe will be copper. ~1.5" OD.
Can anybody make a guesstimate as to the cost for a plumber to do the work for about fifty feet of pipe?
Thanks in advance.
TomR |
parkah
Citizen
Username: Parkah
Post Number: 89
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 6:56 am: |
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i thought mixing copper pipe in with the old (cast iron) boiler piping was a "no-no"? something about causing corrosion?
sorry... don't know about the cost. i can tell you that we had 2 joints and about 2 feet of return piping replaced not to long ago, and it took 2 guys about 2 hours to accomplish the job. don't remember the total price... but it was something like $100 per guy per hour.
goodluck |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4175
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 9:27 am: |
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I just had 5 feet of 4 feet main cut out and replaced on a job I'm doing. The cost I paid was $300. The footage is not the price driver. While it will have some cost effect, the cutting, joints and labor is the price.
I would guess you can get it done for around $600.
Oh, that is all iron pipe. Since this is a return, and if it is in the wet section, you can use copper. Iron would be better, but wet returns will do will in copper.
In my Opinion |
TomR
Citizen
Username: Tomr
Post Number: 466
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:19 pm: |
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parkah,
The leak I have now is immediately after a cast iron "T" fitting on one side of which is copper pipe and on the other is an older iron pipe nipple. It does look like the leak is the result of electrolysis.
The above is why I'm considering replacing the rest of the lower return.
Tomr. |
TomR
Citizen
Username: Tomr
Post Number: 467
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:20 pm: |
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Jgberkeley,
Why is iror pipe better for this application, other than the fact that it is less expensive?
Thanks
TomR. |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 312
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 12:54 pm: |
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I agree that copper is fine for return piping.
In fact, I prefer it.
Gateway Plumbing & Heating |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4176
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 10:51 pm: |
|
Tom,
Iron pipe and copper pipe expand and contract at different rates. So given the same degree of heated return water, one will expand more than the other.
If the system is all one type, all will move alike.
If you mix iron and copper, one will expand, and the next section will expand more or less than the other. When that happens, you will have stress on the joints and will, over time, break a joint.
Now that said, on the return wet side, as I suggested, the heat is not at the range where you will see the extreme and the breaks. So copper mixed with iron will work, however, it is not the best. The best is to keep it all the same as it was.
Never mix copper and iron on the steam side.
Again, in my opinion. |
themp
Citizen
Username: Themp
Post Number: 1396
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 31, 2005 - 11:34 am: |
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How much of an issue is a minor leak? I have a slow dripper that needs fixing, but I figured I'd wait until spring, which is what I said last year(actually, George, I think you saw it when you were at my house). |
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