H
HouseholderXX
As a new user of this site I posted the following in an existing CH thread but I think it is of interest to any CH installer, so here it is again.
I'm a householder with a new CH system with JG Speedfit plastic 'barrier' pipe installed under the suspended floors. Only 8 weeks after start-up we lost pressure (don't ask me about previous pressure losses...we spent £3k digging up and replacing old pipe under solid floors to cure that!).
We were lucky - our plumber thought one of his joints had gone, so we ripped up floors where he'd got most joints, and the mouse had obligingly done his tiny chew right there too.
Three points (I think):
1. Our plumber hadn't read or believed the small print on the JG Speedfit website that says put plastic pipe in trunking if there might be vermin around.
2. Most people don't think most houses have mice. Reality, so the pest control guys said later (council and a commercial firm) is that they get into almost all houses at one time or another, but especially into older houses, or those with greenery growing up the walls. They get through many airbricks too. Arrgghh.
3. Some people seem to think 'barrier' pipe means barrier to mice chewing and have told me so...not so, I can now see, it's a vapour barrier, plastic foil I think.
So my advice to any householder is to keep to copper when pipes are underfloor or in wall cavities and roofs, or run plastic inside the rooms where you can see the mice at work! We had copper in this same house for 25 years, and mice, and no trouble (and no wiring damage either). Is this plastic pipe tasty? Are our fieldmice Fernox freaks?
What do you professionals think?
Wiser-now Householder (and expert mouse-catcher).
I'm a householder with a new CH system with JG Speedfit plastic 'barrier' pipe installed under the suspended floors. Only 8 weeks after start-up we lost pressure (don't ask me about previous pressure losses...we spent £3k digging up and replacing old pipe under solid floors to cure that!).
We were lucky - our plumber thought one of his joints had gone, so we ripped up floors where he'd got most joints, and the mouse had obligingly done his tiny chew right there too.
Three points (I think):
1. Our plumber hadn't read or believed the small print on the JG Speedfit website that says put plastic pipe in trunking if there might be vermin around.
2. Most people don't think most houses have mice. Reality, so the pest control guys said later (council and a commercial firm) is that they get into almost all houses at one time or another, but especially into older houses, or those with greenery growing up the walls. They get through many airbricks too. Arrgghh.
3. Some people seem to think 'barrier' pipe means barrier to mice chewing and have told me so...not so, I can now see, it's a vapour barrier, plastic foil I think.
So my advice to any householder is to keep to copper when pipes are underfloor or in wall cavities and roofs, or run plastic inside the rooms where you can see the mice at work! We had copper in this same house for 25 years, and mice, and no trouble (and no wiring damage either). Is this plastic pipe tasty? Are our fieldmice Fernox freaks?
What do you professionals think?
Wiser-now Householder (and expert mouse-catcher).