Ok so let’s be honest here, do you trust plastic plumbing? and if you are willing to give it a go, then with so many different systems how do you know which is write for you? Now this is where we knuckle down and get serious about plumbing – Plastic plumbing.
We will be over viewing things like
What is plastic plumbing?
Which system is best for you?
What should i know when using it?
How much does is cost?
When should you not use plastic plumbing?
What it is Plastic Plumbing
Technically most plastic pipe products come as Cross-linked polyethylene (PE-X) barrier pipe or Polybutylene (PB1) but seriously we are not scientists so all you really need to know is that in the building trade it is just referred to as poly pipe and below is why i personally would recommend it.
- Extremely high strength high impact strength, high tear strength, high puncture resistance)
- Very flexible allowing you to get in, out, around joists, walls, and other difficult spaces
- No corrosion or scale build-up
- Low noise transmission
- Low thermal conductivity
- withstands very low temperatures before freezing
- Allows you to get the job done in a fraction of the time allowing you to make more money
- Low in cost
- Parts can be disconnected and reconnected allowing for no waste when miss measures happen
Which System Is best For You
There are many different manufacturers with there own particular system and they all go on about how good they are and why you should choose them. There doesn’t seem to be much competition between manufacturers, i would imagine because their systems are quite different from one another. My advise is, once you have familiarised yourself with a brand and you are happy, then stick to it as you would most likely be carrying spare parts and pipes, saving you more trips to the shops.
Personally i would avoid the cheap own brand stuff as these branded guys have a good and strong reputation.
Check this out, with the first two (pictured above from the left) all you do is cut the pipe, feed an insert into the end of the pipe and feed into the fitting. With the one on the right, you just use a special tool and crimp (compress) the part creating a locked seal. So it must just be down to the price and personal preference?
What should i know when using it?
With the john guest and Hep 2o systems, you must always use the pipe inserts to be inserted toboth ends of any pipe. This ensures that the pipe always keeps its perfectly round shape which will then ensure a best sealed fit. Don’t worry as this can take way more pressure than you would ever think- up to around 50 bar, where as in a typical house you would see between 1 and 10 bar.
Where ever you lay this pipe along with its joints, you must make sure there is nothing pressing on it. For example, if you lay it under floor, you would spade drill through the joists which would give the pipe and joints plenty of clearance from the floor boards.
- Do not reuse old plastic plumbing as you don’t know what the last guy did.
- Do not use pipe which is scratched as this could affect the seal guarantee
- Do not use when you need to fit a thermostatic or electric shower connection (better practice using copper)
- Do not plaster or cement into walls or floors
- Plastic pipe can be used with brass (copper) fittings
- Just use new clean parts and don’t kink the pipe
How Much Does It Cost
So here is the thing. I wont give you individual prices but what i can tell you is that i personally ihave always stuck with JG (john guest speed fit) They have a very good strong reputation, are amazingly cheap compared with other brands and have never let me down.
Picture this, i have made a lot of money simply down to the amount of work i can do in one day when using plastic plumbing for the reasons above. i have been fitting kitchens and bathrooms (most of which were on my own) for nearly 1o years and although i do work with copper sometime cant imaging doing ALL that plumbing with copper especially in places where using a blow torch is a huge fire risk to the zone you are working in.