fitting plastic pipe in new fit

[b21playa]

Since purchasing a house for renovation, I've ripped out all the old pipes to start again. (no previous central heating)

I was thinking of plastic pipe as i have all the ceilings off so i can feed the pipes thru the joists.

After reading around the feeling i got was the pipe was fine but the plastic fittings were not that good, and some recommended brass compression with metal inserts.

I want to use this on the DHW and central heating.

What are th fellow forum'ers opinion on this?

I need to know before I buy the stuff

Thanks

 

[gas4you]

You have probably opened up the old argument again

I always use copper but if used and installed correctly I do not think you should have any problems with plastic. Remember to use inserts in the pipe on all fittings and to clip it regularly as it will sag ridiculously when hot.

Plastic will reduce your installation times by around 50%. Stick to joist drilling regs and only use copper for any gas pipe work.

Plastic fittings are a lot more costly than copper but for an installer this is made up for in speed of installation.

 

[b21playa]

You have probably opened up the old argument again

I always use copper but if used and installed correctly I do not think you should have any problems with plastic. Remember to use inserts in the pipe on all fittings and to clip it regularly as it will sag ridiculously when hot.

Plastic will reduce your installation times by around 50%. Stick to joist drilling regs and only use copper for any gas pipe work.

Plastic fittings are a lot more costly than copper but for an installer this is made up for in speed of installation.

cheers

what about the fact of using brass compression fittings?

 

[gas4you]

If I were to use plastic I would use plastic fittings. My only real experience of normal compression fittings onto plastic are rad valves and I have found some of these have started dripping due to the expansion and shrinkage on heating and cooling.

 

[Nige F]

I`d still do it in copper....I use plastic when it`s impossible to get a decent length of copper threaded thru a void.......and the plastic needs to be barrier pipe for the c/h.

 

[Dan Robinson]

You shouldn't use comrpession fittings where you can't get at them - i.e., in celing voids.


We use (almost exclusviely) Tectite fittings with pushfit or where we can not solder for whatever reason.