but I can see the issue. the pipe goes through a hole in breeze block thats only just bigger than the pipe . with nothing between it and the block. Is it the same where it goes through the external skin (brick I assume)?
the hole needs to be a LOT bigger than the pipe diameter then there should be thick insulation around the pipe filling the hole. insulation of exterior grade. the stuff on your cylinder is interior grade (which is fine for where it is). this(first link I found with a decent picture) indicates what it should be like.
as it stands the pipe can easily vibrate against the blockwork, thats your noise. Its also going to let cold air in.
the primary under the floor in your bedroom should also be lagged all the way to the cylinder with interior grade insulation.
I have the measurements and the pictures of the flow pipes coming into the bedroom for context
these are next to the bed and going in and out of the exterior wall in the garage ceiling
Is it my eyes, or is one pipe of larger diameter than the other one? Also in the first photo the pipes look as though they could be touching each other.
Thanks Ian, I thought it was going to have something to do with that wall!!!
So in your opinion should I be getting back onto the installer and demanding that they sort out the wall and the internal lagging of those bigger pipes? There is a lot of pipe going from that exterior wall to the bathroom (which are on opposite sides of the house! - about 13 metres.....)
@dannymoss23 for the run under the floor inside, the pipes need moving further apart so there is room for interior grade lagging. they may possibly need supporting and antivibration measures taking , but the insulation will help with damping this, and will also improve your HP's efficiency (you dont want these pipes heating the room they pass through).
the big fail is that the method they have used to get the primaries out through the wall of your house to reach the ASHP doesn't comply with any best practice. The best practice will be in all of the training and guideliness they've been given. It would fail an MCS inspection.
roughly whats needed:
remove pipes.
2 very big holes with a core drill.
exterior grade insulation (from an ASHP exterior grade insulation supplier) all the way through the big hole from outside to inside. joined with sealant to the external insulation (which I assume exists... photo?)
pipe through centre of insulation.
correct sealant around all holes and to join insulation lengths together.
@dannymoss23 for the run under the floor inside, the pipes need moving further apart so there is room for interior grade lagging. they may possibly need supporting and antivibration measures taking , but the insulation will help with damping this, and will also improve your HP's efficiency (you dont want these pipes heating the room they pass through).
I had them back to attend to the antivibration measures as we had quite a bit of knocking - which has now gone - the only thing left is this bloody flow noise which sounds like we live next door to a waterfall.
Really appreciate your input @iancalderbank - I'll be getting back to them to sort my exterior wall. I'll get out to the garage ceiling in a bit and try to get a picture of the pipes after they go through the wall.
@dannymoss23 no worries. copper pipe will transmit vibration to any hard surface its in contact with, particularly one carrying a high flow rate such as an ASHP primary.
But in this case specifically for an ASHP primary it MUST be properly insulated through he wall at the exit of the house, and taking care of that will , to a very high degree of confidence , also take care of the noise you're getting.
Do try to also get the primary run under your bedroom insulated if possible. they'll have been used to not doing so because in boiler installs they'd have not bothered. But it will make a small improvement for a trivial outlay (internal insulation is cheap). and avoid overheating that room.
@dannymoss23 yes although that is interior grade insulation. It needs to be exterior grade thickness in any unheated space, so the easiest it just to use exterior grade. those sections will need to come off anyway in order to be done through the wall properly as per previous. Joints should be sealed not gaffer taped on an external section.
I definitely recommend watching the primary pro install videos, if you learn how it should be done, you'll have a better idea of what you should be getting when they come to remediate.
what does it look like on the last leg from the garage to the ashp itself?
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