planning route for new CH system and advice on Hep2o pipes

[Best]

Copper may actually work out similar price to plastic as you need less fittings with copper & end feed copper fittings are cheap & good quality. Remember each plastic joint end requires a support inside the pipe & you are supposed to clip plastic pipes fully. If you can solder & bend copper well, then it is the job. Forget the "50" year warranty with plastic - there's no such thing, - only a limited warranty. Think uv rays, all that heat - especially excessive heat if it occurs & rodents! Copper is faultless on heating. All that said, if you want to do the plastic stuff & do it carefully, it might be around for long enough. Just seems a shame to go to all that bother to carefully fit second best! Make sure you fit the pipes near the sides of rooms & not in the middle of floor.

I often recall builders telling me they use plastic on all their jobs, where hidden. Then they said they don't use it in their own homes though....!

 

[AWheating]

i agree clipping/support is very important with plastic every 300mm is recommended by most plastic manufacturer's and its important to avoid any strain on the fittings. the new hep2o is about the same size as the old style stuff. Id use polyplumb or speedfit if it was me.

radiator choice is down to your own likes tbh. Just get the heat outputs correct and fit whatever floats your boat.

running pipes in the walls will depend on the wall tbh, what are they made from?

 

[happyflyer]

Copper may actually work out similar price to plastic as you need less fittings with copper & end feed copper fittings are cheap & good quality. Remember each plastic joint end requires a support inside the pipe & you are supposed to clip plastic pipes fully. If you can solder & bend copper well, then it is the job. Forget the "50" year warranty with plastic - there's no such thing, - only a limited warranty. Think uv rays, all that heat - especially excessive heat if it occurs & rodents! Copper is faultless on heating. All that said, if you want to do the plastic stuff & do it carefully, it might be around for long enough. Just seems a shame to go to all that bother to carefully fit second best! Make sure you fit the pipes near the sides of rooms & not in the middle of floor.

I often recall builders telling me they use plastic on all their jobs, where hidden. Then they said they don't use it in their own homes though....!

I could't have put it better myself, now I know why your stage name is BEST, you saved me typing, you must be an old sod like me, nice one Best.


Tony

 

[pana37]

Copper may actually work out similar price to plastic as you need less fittings with copper & end feed copper fittings are cheap & good quality. Remember each plastic joint end requires a support inside the pipe & you are supposed to clip plastic pipes fully. If you can solder & bend copper well, then it is the job. Forget the "50" year warranty with plastic - there's no such thing, - only a limited warranty. Think uv rays, all that heat - especially excessive heat if it occurs & rodents! Copper is faultless on heating. All that said, if you want to do the plastic stuff & do it carefully, it might be around for long enough. Just seems a shame to go to all that bother to carefully fit second best! Make sure you fit the pipes near the sides of rooms & not in the middle of floor.

I often recall builders telling me they use plastic on all their jobs, where hidden. Then they said they don't use it in their own homes though....!

Soldering is not my strong point tried it before with flame and those things you clamp near the fittings, shame really. Also you mention go near the edge which I will do in some of the run, what's the reason behind this? Thanks again

 

[pana37]

i agree clipping/support is very important with plastic every 300mm is recommended by most plastic manufacturer's and its important to avoid any strain on the fittings. the new hep2o is about the same size as the old style stuff. Id use polyplumb or speedfit if it was me.

radiator choice is down to your own likes tbh. Just get the heat outputs correct and fit whatever floats your boat.

running pipes in the walls will depend on the wall tbh, what are they made from?

Its a 70's build house so solid breeze block I guess, it's not stud that's for sure.

 

[dancinplumba]

Plastic will use less fittings and is not second best, have it in my house, been there 25 years, just re done bathroom and re used all old fittings . plastic, no probs, just looks tat on show

 

[happyflyer]

Plastic will use less fittings and is not second best, have it in my house, been there 25 years, just re done bathroom and re used all old fittings . plastic, no probs, just looks tat on show

Hope you turn your water of when you go down the shops.... plastic is tat when on or off show, I still have a little pride even when I lift the floor boards and stand back and say I did that, or my kids say my dad did that when he was alive...:4:

 

[dancinplumba]

Hope you turn your water of when you go down the shops.... plastic is tat when on or off show, I still have a little pride even when I lift the floor boards and stand back and say I did that, or my kids say my dad did that when he was alive...:4:

Why ?

 

[dancinplumba]

Oh, I know, when you fit it it leaks

 

[dancinplumba]

When I lift the boards and see copper I think kerrching scrap

 

[TBServices]

Plastic is okay under floors I guess. I'd rather use copper, but plastic is easier.

Do yourself a favour, if you're drilling joists, hire an angle drill and make sure you drill your holes in line with each other, the same height and straight! This will make threading your pipes much easier. Also, plan your runs carefully.

Any radiators with dropped supplies, use lock shield valves with built in drainoff's.

You could even consider using a manifold system.

 

[Best]

I could't have put it better myself, now I know why your stage name is BEST, you saved me typing, you must be an old sod like me, nice one Best.


Tony

I am getting on a bit & wary of anything made of plastic must admit! When I look at plastic fittings that have had hot heating water in them for a few years, I worry. Looking recently at a 22mm stopend, on a few years I guess & had been on return pipe i removed close to a boiler & it looked like it was about to die - colour brown & inside it poor.

As to the name "Best" - it was just a name I had thought of in a couple of seconds, & it is easy to type! Always think it is nice to try your best though. :smile:

 

[Best]

Soldering is not my strong point tried it before with flame and those things you clamp near the fittings, shame really. Also you mention go near the edge which I will do in some of the run, what's the reason behind this? Thanks again

At least you know your limits. Only a mug would attempt to do a whole house in copper if he can't solder really well. A really good plumber would be able to do a professional job in copper probably for not a fortune & likely before you would barely start your plastic pipe install! See this very often - DIY "saves" himself £500 & buys a lot of expensive "cheap" materials & spends 3 weeks worrying about & doing a job a pro will do properly in 3 days!
Copper notched into joists are better not in middle of room because it weakens joists more there & it is easier to roll back a carpet at the side of room (where you enter the room) a couple of feet to accesss them if you ever had to. Landings & halls can be a nuisance to access pipes if carpets fitted, as carpet will be hard to lift there often, plus you disturb the main thoroughfare & there tends to be a lot of wiring there.
If you do use plastic it will require care & some skill also though.
Use a chalk line (if you havent a straight line to work to) to mark a dead straight line on top of joists & use a level to mark plumb lines down. Then mark centre of holes exact distance down you require.

 

[happyflyer]

Use a chalk line (if you haven't a straight line to work to) to mark a dead straight line on top of joists & use a level to mark plumb lines down. Then mark centre of holes exact distance down you require.

Best you are simply the best, chalk line most plumbers have never seen one, the nearest brick with some plumbers will do and plastic tube will move to the nearest brick when it gets warm.

Best I asked a question on a thread yesterday, when was the first plastic tube used for heating minibore? and no one answered, do you know, I do I will let it bubble a bit before I tell you.

Tony

 

[dancinplumba]

Bubble away