What's wrong with copperand soldered joint's

[stevetheplumber]

scroll back 60 years
aye you'll not catch me using that new fangled copper, lead were good enough for my father and his father before
ludites rule ok

 

[WaterTight]

the question shouldn't be what's wrong with copper it should be what's wrong with plastic?

actually it shouldn't even be that. it should be "is that which makes plastic worse than copper bad enough to make copper the preferred choice given plastic's benefits (ease and speed of installation, demountability, no soldering, price)?"

for many people, especially those for who plumbing is a just a job, the answer it would appear is no.

 

[AWheating]

most plumbing systems are good, cant guarantee the person fitting it is any good tho!

 

[Guest123]

Just a note about copper and I wonder if others are finding the same thing in that a lot of copper pipe for sale just now is poor quality and in many ways like thin wall tube. I'm good with a bending spring which I sometimes use for speed over the bending machine, but a lot of the copper pipe just ripples no matter how careful I am. I suspect that perhaps a lot of pipe is being imported and not as good quality as our BS Kitemark stuff?

I use Speedfit and have not had any problems of any kind on a install. The problems I get to fix are builders, joiners, diy'ers trying to be plumbers and not following the manufacturers installation . Seen many joints with no inserts, even joints with flux in them. No wonder it gets a bad name. Incedantally, we've all been using plastic pushfit, glue and plastic compression fittings for years....on waste pipe. No stigma attached to that then?

 

[Ian10261]

....and competant plumber who is prepared to embrace new and alternative technology?.

Fair comment, i once inherrited a job that had been started off in Hep2o so thats how we finished it, 10mm rad pipes exiting wall via patress boxes and into right angled push fit rad valves makes for a tidy (and quick) install. Still cant bring meself to trust the pipe and fittings especially when hot though, feels like nowt more than a bit of owd hose pipe...but thats just me.

 

[Kimou]

....and competant plumber who is prepared to embrace new and alternative technology?.

We have to. Plastic is not just plastic, it has various form; PE PEX PVC etc and uses designed specifically the right job. In some instances it is far better suited than copper. This is something that the 'traditional' plumber overlooks with a 'if it's not broke don't fix it' reasoning. But this attitude is being phased out with new entrants into the sector.
I do have tendency to use copper more often as I feel there is more of a specialist aspect and professionalism to its application, but I can't tell you the amount of times I wished I wasn't such a stickler and gone for an easier option for myself. I just swap and change only when I feel it's required.

 

[gaspastemania]

My only vex with plastic is that anyone can use it and encourages the diy'er to do small works at home with it . This i sometimes feel is one of several reasons why we dont get the phone call to install /pipe up kitchen sink etc . Most diy'ers would shun away from trying to solder in a new kitchen cupboard ,,,,,scorchio everywhere!!!

 

[Kimou]

Uponor pipe is the "daddy" of pipes.

A bugger if you have to do a repair job. No one seems to carry their fittings

 

[Kimou]

My only vex with plastic is that anyone can use it and encourages the diy'er to do small works at home with it .!

Pipoes don't do that, people do that.
They can still use copper and push fit fittings and Youtube.

 

[gaspastemania]

Pipoes don't do that, people do that.
They can still use copper and push fit fittings and Youtube.

fair point even the commercial works now favour mapress
Maybe i'm old fashioned