Plumbing copper or plastic
 

Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier question
posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet room
where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the odd
straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a utilty room
for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with chilled water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not needed to
do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be offset
by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need bags of 25 end
feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

On Fri, 2 Sep 2011 13:23:45 +0100
"TMC" wrote:

Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier
question posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet
room where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the
odd straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a
utilty room for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with
chilled water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not
needed to do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be
offset by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need
bags of 25 end feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might
be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony


If you do decide to use plastic, try to get the straight lengths of
pipe, and not a coil. It is next to impossible to straighten a coil
without using excessively many clips.

I use plastic all the time now. Far easier, and completely reliable if
done well.

R.

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

"TheOldFellow" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 2 Sep 2011 13:23:45 +0100
"TMC" wrote:

Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier
question posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet
room where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the
odd straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a
utilty room for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with
chilled water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not
needed to do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be
offset by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need
bags of 25 end feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might
be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony


If you do decide to use plastic, try to get the straight lengths of
pipe, and not a coil. It is next to impossible to straighten a coil
without using excessively many clips.

I use plastic all the time now. Far easier, and completely reliable if
done well.

R.


so the Toolstation offering with straight coil technology is not what it
seems?


Regards

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

On Sep 2, 1:23*pm, "TMC" wrote:
Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier question
posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet room
where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the odd
straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a utilty room
for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with chilled water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not needed to
do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be offset
by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need bags of 25 end
feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony

Plastic is ridiculously easy - but note that hot water plastic pipes
tend to sag, which does look really rubbish on exposed pipework. I
don't use plastic unless the pipes can all be firmly mounted -
fittings swivel around too easily in service, again looking rubbish
and possibly exposing them to damage. However, if it's all cold
plumbing, and well mounted, it could stay looking pretty good though.

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

In article , TMC
writes

"TheOldFellow" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 2 Sep 2011 13:23:45 +0100
"TMC" wrote:

Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier
question posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet
room where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the
odd straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a
utilty room for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with
chilled water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not
needed to do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be
offset by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need
bags of 25 end feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might
be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony


If you do decide to use plastic, try to get the straight lengths of
pipe, and not a coil. It is next to impossible to straighten a coil
without using excessively many clips.

I use plastic all the time now. Far easier, and completely reliable if
done well.

R.


so the Toolstation offering with straight coil technology is not what it
seems?

I've used speedfit barrier pipe in the past and it is a bugger to
straighten out but if it's not on the surface then don't worry about it
and let it find its own path, it's easy to control on long runs. Coil
will let you do the job with fewer joints which is what you want for
keeping costs down and reducing the chance of leaks under wetroom
floors.

On fittings, remember you can use brass compression too which are ten a
penny in 15mm and result in a bombproof connection. Don't forget the
pipe inserts.

Hepworth Hep2o is reputedly easier to bend about.

Overall, use plastic in coil.
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's ********

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

"TMC" wrote:
Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier question posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet room
where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the odd
straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a utilty
room for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with chilled water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not needed
to do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be
offset by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need bags
of 25 end feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony

If it's visible and your keen to keep it looking nice then use copper as it
stays straight without the need for loads of pipe clips. Plastic wants to
meander wherever it can (alright maybe not 'meander') but you get the idea!

also, copper fittings are less obtrusive than pushfit (and cheaper).

Also, if you haven't sweated a joint for a while, the new lead free solder
and flux is not as easy to sweat and wipe as the old lead stuff.

For best results use chrome or plastic coated copper tubing and appropriate
joints and clips.

Enjoy...
Deano.

--
What else are opposable thumbs for? Get to me at
masterfix{at}btinternet{dot}com

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

On 02/09/2011 13:23, TMC wrote:
Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier
question posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet room
where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the odd
straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a utilty
room for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with chilled
water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not needed
to do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be
offset by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need bags
of 25 end feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony

Plastic is great for feeding through awkward places - but I *never* use
it where it will be visible. Copper is *much* neater.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

On 02/09/2011 20:52, Roger Mills wrote:
On 02/09/2011 13:23, TMC wrote:
Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier
question posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet room
where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the odd
straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a utilty
room for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with chilled
water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not needed
to do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be
offset by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need bags
of 25 end feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony

Plastic is great for feeding through awkward places - but I *never* use
it where it will be visible. Copper is *much* neater.

Yup. When I put a second toilet in, I used plastic for the feeds under
the floor, which saved ripping up half the house, as I could thread it
around and I used copper as it came through the floor, all neatly bent
to shape, so the only fittings in there are at either end of the copper
pipes.

SteveW

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

Roger Mills writes:

On 02/09/2011 13:23, TMC wrote:
As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

Plastic is great for feeding through awkward places - but I
*never* use it where it will be visible. Copper is *much*
neater.

Whats the expected lifetime of this kind of plastic pipe?

--
Jón Fairbairn
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~jf/Stuff-I-dont-want.html (updated 2010-09-14)

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

Jon Fairbairn wrote:
Roger Mills writes:

Whats the expected lifetime of this kind of plastic pipe?

http://www.hepstore.co.uk/downloadPDF.aspx?id=1021

--
What else are opposable thumbs for? Get to me at
masterfix{at}btinternet{dot}com

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

On Sat, 3 Sep 2011 09:23:55 +0000 (UTC), Dean Heighington wrote:

Jon Fairbairn wrote:
Roger Mills writes:

What¢s the expected lifetime of this kind of plastic pipe?

http://www.hepstore.co.uk/downloadPDF.aspx?id=1021

Speedfit Barrier Pipe carries a 25 year guarantee, so not as good as copper
pipe.
I had to replace copper pipe when the combi was fitted as the 50-year-old
pipe near the cooker couldn't take the 5 Bar pressure. The fumes and
condensation had corroded it to pinhole drips.
All of the HW & CW piping was replaced, on the grounds that if one part was
leaking...
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

PeterC wrote:

Speedfit Barrier Pipe carries a 25 year guarantee, so not as good as copper
pipe.
I had to replace copper pipe when the combi was fitted as the 50-year-old
pipe near the cooker couldn't take the 5 Bar pressure. The fumes and
condensation had corroded it to pinhole drips.
All of the HW & CW piping was replaced, on the grounds that if one part was
leaking...

Well, on page 4 of that link for Hep, they say 50 year guarantee, so thats
quite some time... Longer than my guarantee anyway :)

--
What else are opposable thumbs for? Get to me at
masterfix{at}btinternet{dot}com

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

In article , PeterC
writes
On Sat, 3 Sep 2011 09:23:55 +0000 (UTC), Dean Heighington wrote:

Jon Fairbairn wrote:
Roger Mills writes:

What€šs the expected lifetime of this kind of plastic pipe?

http://www.hepstore.co.uk/downloadPDF.aspx?id=1021

Speedfit Barrier Pipe carries a 25 year guarantee, so not as good as copper
pipe.

What's the guarantee period on copper pipe?
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's ********

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

fred wrote:
In article , PeterC
writes

What's the guarantee period on copper pipe?

Not long with the scrap value of copper these days ;-)

--
What else are opposable thumbs for? Get to me at
masterfix{at}btinternet{dot}com

Plumbing copper or plastic
 

On 03/09/2011 21:56, Dean Heighington wrote:
wrote:
In , PeterC
writes

What's the guarantee period on copper pipe?

Not long with the scrap value of copper these days ;-)

I've just been under my floor adding a couple of connections to the
central heating system - I'd completely forgotten the quantity of
disused copper and lead pipes and wires down there. Over the years I've
basically totally re-wired and re-plumbed the house and never got round
to stripping all the old stuff from under the floor. I think that I may
have to do so with current metal prices!

SteveW