Plumbing copper or plastic

[TMC]

Hi all

have a small amount of plumbing to do on same project as earlier question posted

However I may be refitting the bathroom later (this is a modern wet room where plastic pipe has been used but son wants a bath fitting)

I will be using at most 8 metres of 15 mm pipe a few elbows and the odd straight connector to replace the outside toilet and cold feed a utilty room for tap, washing machine and american style fridge with chilled water output

all will be surface mounted and visible

I can solder and usually use end feed fittings although have not needed to do so for a few years

As copper pipe is expensive at the moment should I move to plastic?

I t will be easier and the pipe cheaper but the pipe costs would be offset by the cost of the fittings...... except that I do not need bags of 25 end feed fittings so the offset cost is not what it might be

what do the team think?

regards

Tony

[TheOldFellow]

If you do decide to use plastic, try to get the straight lengths of pipe, and not a coil. It is next to impossible to straighten a coil without using excessively many clips.

I use plastic all the time now. Far easier, and completely reliable if done well.

R.

[TMC]

so the Toolstation offering with straight coil technology is not what it seems?

Regards

[dom]

Plastic is ridiculously easy - but note that hot water plastic pipes tend to sag, which does look really rubbish on exposed pipework. I don't use plastic unless the pipes can all be firmly mounted - fittings swivel around too easily in service, again looking rubbish and possibly exposing them to damage. However, if it's all cold plumbing, and well mounted, it could stay looking pretty good though.

[fred]

In article , TMC writes

I've used speedfit barrier pipe in the past and it is a bugger to straighten out but if it's not on the surface then don't worry about it and let it find its own path, it's easy to control on long runs. Coil will let you do the job with fewer joints which is what you want for keeping costs down and reducing the chance of leaks under wetroom floors.

On fittings, remember you can use brass compression too which are ten a penny in 15mm and result in a bombproof connection. Don't forget the pipe inserts.

Hepworth Hep2o is reputedly easier to bend about.

Overall, use plastic in coil.

[Dean Heighington]

If it's visible and your keen to keep it looking nice then use copper as it stays straight without the need for loads of pipe clips. Plastic wants to meander wherever it can (alright maybe not 'meander') but you get the idea!

also, copper fittings are less obtrusive than pushfit (and cheaper).

Also, if you haven't sweated a joint for a while, the new lead free solder and flux is not as easy to sweat and wipe as the old lead stuff.

For best results use chrome or plastic coated copper tubing and appropriate joints and clips.

Enjoy... Deano.

[Roger Mills]

Plastic is great for feeding through awkward places - but I *never* use it where it will be visible. Copper is *much* neater.

[Steve Walker]

Yup. When I put a second toilet in, I used plastic for the feeds under the floor, which saved ripping up half the house, as I could thread it around and I used copper as it came through the floor, all neatly bent to shape, so the only fittings in there are at either end of the copper pipes.

SteveW

[Jon Fairbairn]

What?s the expected lifetime of this kind of plastic pipe?

[Dean Heighington]

[PeterC]

pipe. I had to replace copper pipe when the combi was fitted as the 50-year-old pipe near the cooker couldn't take the 5 Bar pressure. The fumes and condensation had corroded it to pinhole drips. All of the HW & CW piping was replaced, on the grounds that if one part was leaking...

[Dean Heighington]

Well, on page 4 of that link for Hep, they say 50 year guarantee, so thats quite some time... Longer than my guarantee anyway :)

[fred]

What's the guarantee period on copper pipe?

[Dean Heighington]

Not long with the scrap value of copper these days ;-)

[Steve Walker]

I've just been under my floor adding a couple of connections to the central heating system - I'd completely forgotten the quantity of disused copper and lead pipes and wires down there. Over the years I've basically totally re-wired and re-plumbed the house and never got round to stripping all the old stuff from under the floor. I think that I may have to do so with current metal prices!

SteveW