Power cables and hot water pipes.

[Gary Tollison]

Hello
Just been doing some investigations into running power from the CU in the house out to my shed.
I lifted the floorboards on the upstairs landing and found that power cables have been laid right next to the central heating water pipes.
This can’t be safe, surely?

 

[Spoon]

Hello
Just been doing some investigations into running power from the CU in the house out to my shed.
I lifted the floorboards on the upstairs landing and found that power cables have been laid right next to the central heating water pipes.
This can’t be safe, surely?

A pic would be great. The cables should not be in close proximity to any hot water pipes. Unless the cable has been sized for such an environment.

 

[Gary Tollison]

There you go.

 

[Spoon]

 

[LankyWill]

Bit rough but if you lag the pipes it should be fine.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You see that sort of stuff all over the place. Not best practice, but not life threatening. It has been working like that for a l-o-n-g time, looking at the cables.

I would be more concerned about the structural soundness of the joists, especially if it’s neighbours are chopped in a similar way!

 

[Midwest]

I would be more concerned about the structural soundness of the joists, especially if it’s neighbours are chopped in a similar way!

I expect there's more wood in that house than makes up 10 new builds.

 

[Wilko]

Yes, not correctly done but certainly not rare. Since you've got it apart perhaps have a close look for any heat damage, hopefully it will be ok.

 

[Octopus]

Not unusual ............ this is obviously an older installation.

Certainly wouldn't do it that we these days ....................

 

[Andy78]

I've seen plenty cables installed as above, damaged through heat to the point of sheath and insulation failure, and the inevitable fault of negligible impedance type bangs.

 

[loplug]

is that a joist or a noggin looks to be running in the same direction as the floor boards

 

[Toneyz]

Bit rough but if you lag the pipes it should be fine.

Maybe up to the joists it's a shame that one of the cables is wrapped over the pipe as you could have bunched cables central between the pipes and inserted an insulating shielding each side and a safe plate over + marking on the floor above if not rewiring.

 

[stevethesparks]

10-1 the cables were there before the pipes.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

You see that sort of stuff all over the place. Not best practice, but not life threatening. It has been working like that for a l-o-n-g time, looking at the cables.

I would be more concerned about the structural soundness of the joists, especially if it’s neighbours are chopped in a similar way!

It always makes me laugh when I see the great big chunks taken out by the plumber for the water pipes yet we have strict criteria on the size and position of holes we make for the cables.

 

[GB.Kayak]

is that a joist or a noggin looks to be running in the same direction as the floor boards

Whichever it is, it does not appear to be between 7 % and 25 % of span ... and almost certainly deeper than 12.5 % of depth!