Plastic pipe verus copper pipe

[mark_mc]

I used to be a copper only plumber and still use a lot of copper. but on some jobs i have used plastic pipe and plastic fittings never under concrete floors or anywhere like that.

but plastic pipe is handy and to tell the truth takes a pipe from A-B and then to C just as good as any type of pipe.

and in the current climate where copper is so expensive and our customers have less cash we have to go with plastic.

me personally I will be using plastic pipe more than ever will still do all exposed work in copper but where it is not to be seen again i think plastic is the way to go.

plastic with compression is a better job and where its under floors i tend to use compression with pfte round the olive.

like anything it has to be tested hep20 recommend testing to 16bar and i think this is where the bad press is no-one tests to this pressure and expect all to be ok. at 10 bar you start to hear the fitting click and the teeth take hold, so if untested with heat on and off and pipe expanding and contracting without a test off course over time the fittng may fail

any other views on plastic pipe in are trade.

[Gray0689]

I'm a fan of pipe in pipe back to manifolds no joints under floor

[AWheating]

Plastic pipe is great, if fitted correctly! most of the problems you get from it is poor installation. Not enough clipping, not cut correctly, not pressure tested etc....

I have first fixed a site of 120+ family houses and only had one fitting leak after passing the pressure testing and that was a drip due to a scratch on the pipe into a fitting. I solved any further problems like this by adjusting my pressure testing into 3 stages.... 1 test at 1.5-2 bar (working pressure), 2 test at 5bar (2x working pressure) and then max manufactures recommended pressure which can range from 10bar to 18bar.
Polyplumb/fit fittings were tested to 18bar for 15mins, the rep from them told me that this was decided to be the best method because it caused the grab rings to bite just the right amount into the pipe to guarantee it cant pop off.

the question of copper over plastic is a hard answer as there are jobs where you will need to use one or the other, new joist types make copper installs very, very hard but i would rather use copper in drops in walls especially now with the regs on tracing runs and having to make plastic pipe detectable by wall scanners. Both are here to stay!!

[Nat]

Plastic pipe is great, if fitted correctly! most of the problems you get from it is poor installation. Not enough clipping, not cut correctly, not pressure tested etc....I have first fixed a site of 120+ family houses and only had one fitting leak after passing the pressure testing and that was a drip due to a scratch on the pipe into a fitting. I solved any further problems like this by adjusting my pressure testing into 3 stages.... 1 test at 1.5-2 bar (working pressure), 2 test at 5bar (2x working pressure) and then max manufactures recommended pressure which can range from 10bar to 18bar. Polyplumb/fit fittings were tested to 18bar for 15mins, the rep from them told me that this was decided to be the best method because it caused the grab rings to bite just the right amount into the pipe to guarantee it cant pop off. the question of copper over plastic is a hard answer as there are jobs where you will need to use one or the other, new joist types make copper installs very, very hard but i would rather use copper in drops in walls especially now with the regs on tracing runs and having to make plastic pipe detectable by wall scanners. Both are here to stay!!

Just to let you know building regs allow you to get over the detectable drops by putting metal tape that you can buy in the merchants behind the plastic pipe. Do not stick it on the pipe though as apparently the adhesive is no good for the plastic. Have done this many times in new build.

[Blackcatgas]

Just to let you know building regs allow you to get over the detectable drops by putting metal tape that you can buy in the merchants behind the plastic pipe. Do not stick it on the pipe though as apparently the adhesive is no good for the plastic. Have done this many times in new build.

or a bit of strap banding?

[gaspastemania]

uponor knocks socks of all the others imo

[gaspastemania]

Aquatherm is good as well

[AWheating]

Just to let you know building regs allow you to get over the detectable drops by putting metal tape that you can buy in the merchants behind the plastic pipe. Do not stick it on the pipe though as apparently the adhesive is no good for the plastic. Have done this many times in new build.

yes you right, have used it many times, not so good in stud walls tho as like you say you cant stick it to the plastic pipe because the manufactures wont guarantee the adhesive on the tape wont effect the chemical structure of the pipe. In stud wall we used to have to lagg the pipe and then tape the lagging and then tape the tape as it always falls off..... easier to drop some copper in if possible.

[Nat]

yes you right, have used it many times, not so good in stud walls tho as like you say you cant stick it to the plastic pipe because the manufactures wont guarantee the adhesive on the tape wont effect the chemical structure of the pipe. In stud wall we used to have to lagg the pipe and then tape the lagging and then tape the tape as it always falls off..... easier to drop some copper in if possible.

I just stick it to the plasterboard behind the pipe.

[GQuigley67]

silver foil tape good enough ?

[Nat]

silver foil tape good enough ?

That's the stuff. Usually used by laggers to tape up the joints in the foil lagging.

[GQuigley67]

ahh yeah I've got me some of that !! thank god lol

[AWheating]

I just stick it to the plasterboard behind the pipe.

how do you access both inside sides of the wall? are you as small as a nat Nat?? sorry could not help myself.

[Nat]

how do you access both inside sides of the wall? are you as small as a nat Nat?? sorry could not help myself.

Ha ha! A gnat you mean?No mate I just stick it to one side of the wall than the boarders close it up after. It will still be detectable from both sides of the wall. See what I mean?

[system3]

Best way to find plastic pipes is to send a couple of rodents down your pipe chase.