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Steam pipes

Hi Dan,

My contractors plumber in New York City (a licensed plumber) used welded copper tubing to tie into the building steam heating system. There was a leak in one of the pipes coming out of the steam riser and the super is now claiming that the wrong piping was used. My contractors plumber claims that copper tubing is commonly used for this purpose and that this should be no problem. The super says that a different kind of pipe (black piping) should be threaded at the joints because over time the welds on the copper tubing can leak. Who is correct? Will there be on going problems with the copper tubing?

Thanks in advance for your assistance

Comments

  • kevin coppinger_4
    kevin coppinger_4 Member Posts: 2,124
    your super.....

    is correct. This is especially true for supply piping on steam...Yes it may be commonly done ,but it is poor practice...kpc

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  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,290
    You've just described

    why copper should not be used on steam pipes.

    The basic problem is that, unlike the threaded joints on steel pipe, soldered or brazed joints as used on copper will not "give" as the pipe expands or contracts. Add the fact that copper expands more than steel and you have a recipe for broken joints.

    If that contractor wont repipe the boiler in black steel according to the manufacturer's instructions, find someone who will.

    Here are two shots of what a good installation might look like. Note that the returns are copper, but that's OK since they do not carry steam.

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  • Marc Brody
    Marc Brody Member Posts: 3
    copper steam pipes

    if the copper tubing is already in a concret flor should I have them taken out and replaced?
  • Marc Brody
    Marc Brody Member Posts: 3
    Correct pipes for steam heat

    The current copper steam pipes are buried in a concrete floor..... should they be removed and replaced??????????Will they cause additional problems over time?
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