Speedfit on an external wall

[Davao]

I want to supply the loft conversion by running 15mm speedfit up an external wall through the bathroom floor and again continuing vertically to the bathroo ceiling. The speedfit will then bend close to the eaves. I have the idea of using the silvered radiator reflector to line the boxing/trunking.

M house is a 100 year old terrace with solid walls. Is this a solution to the external wall exposure.

The speedfit running close to the eaves is a bigger problem. Would welcome your ideas on this?

Thanks.

Arthur

[Doctor Drivel]

It looks crap and prone to degrade with UV light. Not a good idea at all. Then it will freeze.

[David Hansen]

On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:21:10 +0100 someone who may be Davao wrote this:-

External walls are not the place for water pipes, especially in 100 year old terrace with solid walls. Good passive design against freezing is to put them against warmer walls.

This is not how many older houses are plumbed, but the ones which suffer frozen pipes tend to be the ones with bad passive design.

[nightjar]

Black HDPE pipe is the right material for external above-ground applications. You can get adaptors to standard Speedfit pipes when it is inside again. However, water feed pipes should run inside a building, to help keep them from freezing.

Colin Bignell

[Donwill]

Except for The Lloyds Building in London, but I suppose if your name is Richard Rogers you can get away with it. :-)

[Andy Hall]

Well he's got away with the Pompidou Centre, the Millenium Dome and Madrid Barajas airport. He'll probably get away with LHR T5 as well. The plumbing doesn't work in there either.

[Arthur 51]

Shit! I'm sorry gents. I should have said I will be running the speedfit up an external wall but of course inside the house..

Arthur

[Andy Hall]

No need to apologise, and there's no gents around here.

Some thick Armalite foam lagging would be a good choice.

Also, it might be better to make the run 22mm to improve the flow.

[Doctor Drivel]

Use brass compression joints and the right pipe inserts. Then clip it well. Surface mounted plastic pipe is ugly. Speedfit is very rigid too.

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 1 Apr 2008 10:47:00 +0100 someone who may be "Donwill" wrote this:-

A colleague of mine was taken round that building. He was shown an air-conditioned plant room. Apparently plant is terribly sensitive stuff and needs to be kept in an air-conditioned environment.

No-doubt someone was being paid a percentage of the installed system cost and not in the least interested in the running cost or greenhouse gas emissions.

All in all a good example of how not to design a building.

[Arthur 51]

I was thinking that if I run a single length of 15mm speedfit from near to rising main to the loft that would suffice for improving the flow.

Arthur

[Andy Hall]

If you have good pressure, yes. Otherwise.....

Since you're having to do the job anyway and there is little cost difference, I'd go for 22mm, but up to you.

[Doctor Drivel]

That building a is brilliant practical design it is meant to expand and contract as demand dictates.

[Doctor Drivel]

What do you aim to achieve.

[Arthur 51]

To supply a wash basin. And maybe a thermostatic shower (hot from combi) or electric shower.

Arthur

[Doctor Drivel]

Is the pressure/flow at the kitchen tap good? If so 15mm should be fine, as it will have its own dedicated supply.

Have a "22mm" dedicated supply from the stoptap to the Combi too. Then, when flushing a toilet the hot is not so much affected. That's is a dedicated cold supply to the combi (priority as it is in 22mm and a dedicated cold supply.