Please help me identify a pipe!?!

[lolalotta]

Hello, I was wondering if somebody might be able to help me identify a pipe in my bedroom! It is a 1930s semi-detached house we have just moved in to last week. In the master bedroom at the front of the house in the alcove to the left of the chimney breast, inside the built in cupboard there is a pipe that runs down beside the chimney breast that stops half way down and has a bit of black tape stuck on the bottom?!? We are thinking of removing the built in cupboard (it's very shallow at the momemt and a bit useless) so we can put a free standing wardrobe in instead...do could do with finding out what this pipe is!!! Thank you!!

Sorry that was so long..just a bit puzzled!

It could be anything but if it has a piece of tape over the end, rather than a proper cap, it will be unused.

• When you say it "stops half way down" do you mean it's chopped off or that it disappears into the chimney breast?
• When you say it has "a bit of black tape stuck on the bottom", do you mean round the pipe or across an end?
• What's it made of? - Metal pipes are water or gas, or very old (disconnected) electric cables; plastic ones may house electric cables.
• Feel it - Is it hot or cold?
• Run your taps and feel it - Does it change temperature or vibrate slightly to let you know water flows through it?

If it doesn't seem to be currently in use, then the most likely thing is probably that it was a water pipe between an old cold water header tank (which were usually up in the loft) and a back boiler (i.e. a tank build in behind a fireplace to heat water). We have a few of these old pipes still in the back of cupboards.

If you need to remove it, bear in mind old pipes were often made of lead, and try not to inhale bits as you cut it out!

Thank you so much for your replies!
Flow, it is just sort of hanging there! It looks like it has been cut half way down, the scrappy bit of black tape is stuck across the bottom, and it is cold! I'm pretty sure it's not in use I just wanted to find out if it would be alright to remove it. I won't do it myself, I would be too scared, plus I'm pregnant so thank you for the warning about the lead, I will bear it in mind when I get someone to sort it! Would it be best to go up into the loft to get it sorted so the hole in the ceiling can be filled?

If it's chopped in half, it's definitely not in use!
It probably doesn't need someone to get up into the loft... It should be possible to cut it off close to the ceiling and fill it from below.

Ummmm, sorry if this is a silly question but what sort of tool would you use to do it? Some sort of saw? DIY novice here, incase you hadn't guessed?!?

Yes, some sort of saw :) A hacksaw probably... But whoever does it for you will know. :)

Thanks Flow!