Plastic pipe on full installs

[bikerbas]

who uses plastice pipes when doing central heating installs,im working with a few plumbers and they only use copper were you can see it everything else is plastic.

 

[prs1]

Copper every time for me,but at the end of the day its the customers choice.
Also using copper for were u can see and plastic for the out of sight bits generaly means putting fittings in places that arent easily acsessable especialy when all floors are back down and carpets or laminate is in place.
To be honest a customer that wants cheap that much can get someone else to do it for them,they usually ask what would u put if u was doing it in your house and thats the end of it the difference in cost is negligable if ur splashing out 2 to 2.5 grand.
Oh and mice and squirrels love plastic!
It does have its uses though when its the only solution to issue and cant be done any other way!
Rant over (it takes 99% of the skill out of our job and turns it into a diy project) which is why alot of people these days begrudge our charges.

 

[bikerbas]

Thats what i thought loads of joints under the floor boards.

 

[pauls]

copper for me only use plastic in extreme cases

 

[prs1]

Even four years on pal it will be u they ring!

 

[NellyC]

All new house builds are done in plastic nowadays arent they??

 

[wnjswozo]

less corresion,easy to use,plastic out of the way ,and then copper stabbers on show

 

[migoplumber]

sorry but im a strong believer in copper, plastic is just not a true engineers choice, handy sometimes - but just not professional. very diy. imho.

 

[ecowarm]

All new house builds are done in plastic nowadays arent they??

Not all new builds.

 

[NellyC]

Not all new builds.

Ok most, well all the 1 's ive been in! and very badly done at that.

 

[gakmonkey]

I have seen too many plastic fittings leak due to scored and damaged pipe and one too many cases of vermin chewing through it to use it every day. If i do have to use it its uni pipe which is an alupex and costs more than copper anyway!

 

[Mbear]

I prefer 22mm copper pipework with 10mm manifolds, it lasts longer and looks better IMHO but I don't mind using plastic if that's what the cust prefers due to cost of material or less labour cost, my only condition Is they have to take a magnaclean or something similar. I don't like ch in plastic with no corrosion protection. Alot of new estates round our way fitted plastic with no protection and they notorious now for choked diverter valves/pumps knackered trvs and cold spot rads

 

[ceedy]

I can only comment on my experience.

I did my own DIY CH installation in 1976 in our Cottage and due to the solid floors and not wanting external pipes in the decor ( built in 1700), I used the dreaded plastic pipe, from a company in the USA, found in the Exchange and Mart ! . it used screw ferrules not the pushins of today .

But I've never had a single problem with the pipework in all that time.
inc little furry beings.. and there were quite a few around

I have only just just replaced all the piping with PEX pipe a couple of years ago , because just didn't know the life expectancy and because I had the oportunity ( being made redundant, and needed to do something LOL. ) and it being easy to thread through the existing holes. and it gave me the chance to up the pipe sizes a bit . as it was working on 3/8 inch pipe.

So still in the same home , and still got plastic.
Still have no visible pipework showing anywhere in the house.
That my experience anyways for whats its worth .
take care all.


Chris

 

[hamish72]

I prefer 22mm copper pipework with 10mm manifolds, it lasts longer and looks better IMHO but I don't mind using plastic if that's what the cust prefers due to cost of material or less labour cost, my only condition Is they have to take a magnaclean or something similar. I don't like ch in plastic with no corrosion protection. Alot of new estates round our way fitted plastic with no protection and they notorious now for choked diverter valves/pumps knackered trvs and cold spot rads

Why would valves etc on plastic be more prone to bunging up without protection ?

 

[NellyC]

I prefer 22mm copper pipework with 10mm manifolds, it lasts longer and looks better IMHO but I don't mind using plastic if that's what the cust prefers due to cost of material or less labour cost, my only condition Is they have to take a magnaclean or something similar. I don't like ch in plastic with no corrosion protection. Alot of new estates round our way fitted plastic with no protection and they notorious now for choked diverter valves/pumps knackered trvs and cold spot rads

Forgive me if this is a stupid question! but why would plastic give corrosion, that is one of the advantages of using plastic (no corrosion).