What are these weird ugly pipes on wall?

[GreenandNew]

We moved from a newbuild flat into a Victorian fixer upper and there are pipes running along the walls. Example attached - first pipe running from bottom of staircase to right by front door. Second running along kitchen wall. Wondering what they are and if there’s anything we can do to hide them. They’re so dirty wondering if we should replace them. Thanks!

 

[Notch7]

Copper pipe, can’t tell if 1/2” or 3/4”

Probably mains water but could be hot or cold water feed pipes to bathrooms, heating pipes or gas pipe.

 

[brig001]

Second one looks like steel conduit for electrical cables
Not sure about the first. Are they magnetic?

Brian

 

[GreenandNew]

Copper pipe, can’t tell if 1/2” or 3/4”

Probably mains water but could be hot or cold water feed pipes to bathrooms, heating pipes or gas pipe.

Thank you Notch7! Guess I’m just not used to having pipes running up the walls - do people often find a way to hide them in the wall somehow?

 

[GreenandNew]

Second one looks like steel conduit for electrical cables
Not sure about the first. Are they magnetic?

Brian

Thanks Brian I don’t know if it’s magnetic… but I can try to find out. Since it’s in the kitchen I guess some sort of electrical cable system could make sense?

 

[Madrab]

scratch it with a knife or similar, soon see whether it's copper or steel.

1st one actually looks like 10mm, not sure why there'd only be one though. 2nd one looks like a soldered pipe to me.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Scratch the paint off, to see the colour of the metal underneath, and/or follow the pipes, and see where they go.

The first looks like it might be copper, perhaps a gas pipe - is there a gas meter under the stairs?

Second one looks like electrical conduit - there looks to be a thin coupling just up the wall, from the bend.

 

[mattylad]

After scratching it with the knife, bang it with the back edge - is the sound a thud or a ting?
The prior suggests water, the latter that it's got air in it.

 

[JBR]

scratch it with a knife or similar, soon see whether it's copper or steel.

Or use a magnet!

 

[Madrab]

Or use a magnet!

Everyone has a knife .... not everyone has a magnet!!

 

[JBR]

Everyone has a knife .... not everyone has a magnet!!

Ah, but magnets don't scrape the paint off the pipes!

 

[Madrab]

Ah, but magnets don't scrape the paint off the pipes!

Errrrmmm ... seriously ... have you actually looked at the pictures? No need to scrape the immaculate paint , scrape a bit where the paint's already missing, lots of areas to choose from.

 

[Rodders53]

Follow the pipes to where they (may) reappear... the 'other ends' will give the biggest clues to their use (and if still in use or defunct).

Most likely uses are: water (cold/hot/heating) and gas (fire, cooker, boiler, gas meter even).

Does the first go outside through the wall?? If so where then?? What about under the stairs (in cupboard??)

 

[Jackrae]

I would guess an electrical conduit on the basis that the coupling two tiles up from the floor isn't a gas fitting

 

[Notch7]

I would guess an electrical conduit on the basis that the coupling two tiles up from the floor isn't a gas fitting

I assumed that was end feed copper, but It could well be a conduit coupling