Old boiler in the loft.

[Beezerk]

Not the mother in law, an old electric immersion heater 😁
So anyway, I'm after a bit of plumbing advice.
Our house is a bit iggledy piggledy (was an old police station made into 2 houses), I've been boarding the loft for storage and the last large section has a large copper immersion heater right in the middle so needs to go. Btw the heater isn't used anymore as we have a combi boiler in the kitchen.
My initial plan was to disconnect the heater, remove from loft and scrap/weigh in the copper.
I managed to board 1/3 of this loft section which gave me access to get a good look at the heater, there's 2 plastic overflow pipes at the top but worryingly there's 4 copper pipes (about 1 1/2" diameter) at the lower end of the tank.
I don't want a flood or to mess up our current system so I left it at that, can't really find much info on the internet either.
Is it worth getting a plumber in to check it out/remove or are there any tests I can carry out to ensure it's safe to disconnect?
Here's hoping there's a plumber on here 😉

 

[Deleted member 1740]

It shouldn't be connected to your combi, I'd say because it was too much hassle to get it out, it's been cut off and your new boiler has been fitted.

The only way you find out if it is connected is to turn your heating on and see if any of the pipes going to cylinder get hot. If they dont then your good.

I'd turn the mains off just Incase whilst you done it.

 

[srixon 1]

Give it a wrap with your knuckles to see if it is full of water.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

When the combi was fitted in my house the old tank in the loft was drained and then left up there. Still there now. I presume you would need to cut it up in the loft so that it could A/ fit through and B/ be light enough to move. It's a bit naughty of the plumbers if they left your old one up there with water in it still.

 

[Beezerk]

It shouldn't be connected to your combi, I'd say because it was too much hassle to get it out, it's been cut off and your new boiler has been fitted.

The only way you find out if it is connected is to turn your heating on and see if any of the pipes going to cylinder get hot. If they dont then your good.

I'd turn the mains off just Incase whilst you done it.

Ahaa good idea.
I gave it a wobble yesterday and it sounded like there's a small bit of water in it, I reckon it will fit through the loft hatch as well with a bit of fettling.
I looked at the combi when I left this morning, there's 4 pipes coming down into the combi which worryingly look similar to those in the loft. Water pressure is poor where we live, is it possible the old immersion tank could be getting used as some kind of header tank to supply the combi?

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Ahaa good idea.
I gave it a wobble yesterday and it sounded like there's a small bit of water in it, I reckon it will fit through the loft hatch as well with a bit of fettling.
I looked at the combi when I left this morning, there's 4 pipes coming down into the combi which worryingly look similar to those in the loft. Water pressure is poor where we live, is it possible the old immersion tank could be getting used as some kind of header tank to supply the combi?

No a combi runs off mains pressure. Your 4pipes will be heating flow and return, hot and cold pipes and your gas will probably be fed from below.

you will have a bit of water in the bottom Of The tank but it won't be that much

 

[bigslice]

I would check that it isnt for the other house, just incase. Ive never done that before honest

 

[Stegsie]

Biggest problem you might have is getting it out of the loft hatch. In the 1930s (when my house was built) they would often put the immersion tanks in before finishing the roof etc. Make double sure it'll fit out the hatch!

 

[Beezerk]

Biggest problem you might have is getting it out of the loft hatch. In the 1930s (when my house was built) they would often put the immersion tanks in before finishing the roof etc. Make double sure it'll fit out the hatch!

The cylinder is 600mm diameter, it will just fit down the hatch if I remove the door and hinges.
I meant to go up earlier to see if any of the pipes were hot but I forgot cos the football came on oo: