Gun barrel heating system query

Clarence01

Have a gun barrel heating system, 58 years old. Want to convert the bathroom and adjacent toilet into one bigger bathroom. This means I have to remove a radiator from the adjoining wall. Have been told by one contractor that this will open a can of worms because the system has gun barrel piping and I would end up replacing the entire system. Is this correct? Anyone have this experience?

K.Flyer

Clarence01 wrote: »

Have a gun barrel heating system, 58 years old. Want to convert the bathroom and adjacent toilet into one bigger bathroom. This means I have to remove a radiator from the adjoining wall. Have been told by one contractor that this will open a can of worms because the system has gun barrel piping and I would end up replacing the entire system. Is this correct? Anyone have this experience?

This shouldn't be a problem for any decent competent Plumber.
To relocate Radiator.
Bathroom floors up, identify pipework routing, drain system, cut gun-barrel (GB) as required, re thread GB pipes, make up new route and bring new pipework out through the floor for new radiator connection.
Refill and check for leaks.
Or..
Just to blank off the pipework for one Radiator.
Floor up at the radiator position. Drain system.
Unscrew pipe work at nearest joint and blank off same.
Or if needs be, cut and thread pipework at convenient point then blank off same ends.
Refill and test for leaks.
Simples!

Tails142

I pulled all my gun barrel piping out and replaced it with qualpex after we bought the house and before I put new floors down.

It would have been a similar age as yours and I have to say it was in great condition, the only corrosion was at the actual rad connections which made it look worse than it was, I had to cut through it in many places with the angle grinder to remove it and there was no fear of pin hole leaks or anything like that happening which I have had in another old house on copper pipes. I cant remember exactly now but the pipe wall was several millimetres thick and in perfect condition internally. I can't image yours would be any different, this was on an open vented system that was constantly pitching so plenty of air in the system.

I was DIYing it and the thought of trying to rethread gb piping for the connections scared me off so I went with pex and compression fittings as we wanted to move and replace rads as well as changing the piping for good measure but in realty was probably needless work.

I would say have no fear and keep the gun barrel piping, I would imagine every plumber works on it and people just have a knee jerk reaction to pull it out because it's not commonly installed anymore. I would say it's streets ahead of some of the dodgy copper piping that went into houses in the last couple of decades. Pex way easier to work with though so probably the way of the future... Anyway I'm rambling now...

K.Flyer

Tails142 wrote: »

[...]
Pex way easier to work with though so probably the way of the future...

MultiLayer is way way ahead of Pex.