Plastic central heating pipes

I would not worry about the plastic pipework it is tested thoroughly and will only blow out if fitted incorrectly and if this is going to happen it usually does within days of being installed. I only fit copper pipe and only use end feed fittings, but with todays tradesmen speed is everything and results in higher profits which is why a lot of plumbers use it today. It is quite comical that you should post this today as this morning i was in my local merchants and saw a plumber who i happen to know and [he is a very good plumber]he was buying a lot of 15mm pushfit fittings, when i questioned him about his use of them he said he needed to get the bathroom suite in and working this afternoon so therefore speed was of the essence

Also in cut's on other trades work such as equipotential bonding with earth straps and reduces fire risk on the construction site, ie...no soldering...

Fire risk would be minimal to non existent, only in very old buildings would you be concerned about that happening

Plastic pipes will absorb the expansion and contraction of long runs of pipe work without pulling out of the joints.

Also much easier to bend round complex structures and probably more resistant to corrosion from cement.

Really, plastic expands far greater than copper and as for pulling out of the joints this only happens in extreme temperatures [usually freezing] oh and plastic pipes. [check out some of the plastic guttering in the summer]
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Also much easier to bend round complex structures and probably more resistant to corrosion from cement. quote

This is why we spend four years at college learning to use bending equipment, and i could get a tighter bend on copper than you could on plastic because plastic is only capable of long radius bends before it fractures or flattens and where copper passes through cement based products such as walls it should be sleeved or protected with products such as Denso tape

I'm taking / asking as a lay-person here ... but isn't one of the advantages of plastic pipe that you can have a lot longer run without joints which eliminates possible points of failure?

I also know that plastic is a lot easier to work with if you're an amateur doing plumbing!

Eloise

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I also know that plastic is a lot easier to work with if you're an amateur doing plumbing!

Cue burst of scorn from DL.

If you're going to stay in the house for many years, fit copper pipes. If the pipes are under floorboards, make sure the insulation is a minimum of 19mm thick and totally covers (no gaps) all pipes including bends.

One issue with plastic pipes is that they can be difficult to locate, when drilling holes through a wall - Just ask my SKY installation man !

WE had a long run of copper pipe and over a period of 6 years the pipe pulled out of the T junction twice - so the plumber fitted an expansion system based on plastic pipe.

This was all fitted by professional plumbers.

I have also seen professional plumbers using plastic pipe in awkward places and then commenting on how difficult it would have been to do the job with copper piping.

All our CH piping is copper. (just to keep vaguely on topic )

I'm currently trying to persuade SWMBO that we should have an acrylic bath when we get our second bathroom refitted. She's still insisting she wants a stainless steel one. I've tried all the arguments such as "keeps warmer for the grandkids", not so heavy, etc. Not working so far. Possibly my fault because I caved when we had bathroom 1 redone.

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WE had a long run of copper pipe and over a period of 6 years the pipe pulled out of the T junction twice - so the plumber fitted an expansion system based on plastic pipe.

You must have a massive house in length or the fitting of the tee junction was sub standard.
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I have also seen professional plumbers using plastic pipe in awkward places and then commenting on how difficult it would have been to do the job with copper piping.Quote

there`s plumbers and then there are the six month wonders who have no ability to use pipe benders,plumbers use plastic for ease and speed, there is no skill involved in fitting plastic at all and to be blunt with you i did not spend the years at tech and my own money to dumb down my skill and fit bloody plastic pipe.

Dungassin the old cast iron and steel baths are superior to acrylic ones as when most of the latter are held upright you can see daylight through them, the better quality ones are eight millimetres or more thick. choose wisely

So it is pride rather than practicality that determines your point of view.

The length of pipe was about 40 feet.

When I learnt my trade - whatever that was - I used log books and slide rules, I do not use them now.

Derek, copper piping shouldn't be fixed solid (freely hanging under suspended floor or run in plastic trunking for concrete floors) so there should be no stress on properly installed copper joints and there should be no cement contact, so there is no issue there.

Plastic pipe joints are much more likely to fail in the long term. and the pipes are more susceptable to damage in real life situations.

Plastic heating pipes are fitted for cost and ease of installation reasons only.

Count d - 20 20 hindsight for a house built in 1978 to the then current specs. <g>

Is there not some ruling or other that prohibits the use of plastic piping in exposed areas? (real life situations)

Lots of pros and cons for both I see.

My main concern was with the push fit joints (with some kind of rubber seals I presume), but having said that solder joints fail too....

I'll probably stick with them for now - it's a lot of hassle taking carpets and floor boards up, channelling joists etc - probably as DL points out why plastic pipes were used in the first place!

Interesting topic though!

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So it is pride rather than practicality that determines your point of view.

Guilty as charged m`lud

The length of pipe was about 40 feet.Quote
That is a long run for a straight piece of pipe,i have only done that length in commercial and industrial situations and then a expansion section was put in.
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When I learnt my trade - whatever that was - I used log books and slide rules, I do not use them now Quote

this will be like me as it is second nature now i don`t measure bends or swan necks i just look and do them
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Is there not some ruling or other that prohibits the use of plastic piping in exposed areas? (real life situations)Quote

Don`t think so to my knowledge, it is not put on show because it......well it just looks shit
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I'll probably stick with them for now - it's a lot of hassle taking carpets and floor boards up, channelling joists etc - probably as DL points out why plastic pipes were used in the first place!Quote

CORRECT, The penny has dropped

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Originally posted by Dungassin:
All our CH piping is copper. (just to keep vaguely on topic )

I'm currently trying to persuade SWMBO that we should have an acrylic bath when we get our second bathroom refitted. She's still insisting she wants a stainless steel one. I've tried all the arguments such as "keeps warmer for the grandkids", not so heavy, etc. Not working so far. Possibly my fault because I caved when we had bathroom 1 redone.

We changed from a cast iron to an acrylic bath a couple of years back. Now suffer terrible condensation when anyone takes a shower. Metal bath was a great heatsink.

Willy.

For anyone that still has a cast iron bath and may be thinking of changing it because it may be grotty, you can get them repaired or re-enamelled

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We changed from a cast iron to an acrylic bath a couple of years back. Now suffer terrible condensation when anyone takes a shower. Metal bath was a great heatsink

You may have a point. When we did Bathroom 1 with the 3.5mm Stainless Steel bath and fully tiled walls, we were told we needed an extractor fan. In practice we've never used the fan! SWMBO's main objection to acrylic baths is that she thinks they scratch more easily. I think I may just give in and let her have her own way.

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Dungassin the old cast iron and steel baths are superior to acrylic ones as when most of the latter are held upright you can see daylight through them, the better quality ones are eight millimetres or more thick. choose wisely

I wasn't planning on having one of the thin ones. We inflicted one of those on our successors when we moved from Birmingham 30 years ago - had to do the bathroom up to sell the house. Looked OK, but you could feel it flexing if you stood up in it.