Pushfit

[Old Account]

Hello guys,

I have seen now many times people consider plastic pipe in regards with pushfit ( hep2o, JG speedfit, ) as Cowboy work or as a lazy plumbing etc.
I mean I am an oldschool fan and love the old way which is pure copper and solder or press, but wondering why are you guys consider this type of style as cowboy ?
Is it because it looks like a mess because nothing is being straight,clipped and floppy ?
Is it because it's highly likely that joints leak much faster than soldered ones ?

Just wondering what your thoughts are regarding the plastic pipes and pushfit fittings. I just would like to know why are you considering pushfit fitting as not good even though good manufactures produce good stuff ?

If you are willing to debate and willing to share your point of view then do not hesitate.

Kind regards

ron

 

[AlexGas]

Just wondering what your thoughts are regarding the plastic pipes and pushfit fittings.

Sorry, bin it!

 

[Old Account]

Sorry, bin it!

Bin it ?

It's too easy to say " bin it " ?

Give me an appropriate opinion why you saying bin it. You surely have a reason why you against the plastic pipes and push fits.

Please let me know why you think it's rubbish.

 

[Destroyer2813]

Its because it can look rubbish of not clipped properly, also think some people just cant accept change though things change get used to it they say takes the skill out of the trade yeah makes it easier to put together still need the knowlodge to back up where the pipes need to go though. Imagine the i only fit copper brigade trying to thread copper through joists in new builds soldering sockets every 600-800mm as its all that will go through the joists

 

[AlexGas]

Bin it ?

It's too easy to say " bin it " ?

Give me an appropriate opinion why you saying bin it. You surely have a reason why you against the plastic pipes and push fits.

Please let me know why you think it's rubbish.

Had a call from a customer, water is coming down from a loft – mains… Whoops! Turns out that a squirrel had a go at a cold feed to an electric shower. Rodents and plastic pipes… it never looks good. And the rest...
That’s just me, sorry. I’m sure it can work, if installed properly. I stick to copper.

 

[Old Account]

Had a call from a customer, water is coming down from a loft – mains… Whoops! Turns out that a squirrel had a go at a cold feed to an electric shower. Rodents and plastic pipes… it never looks good. And the rest...
That’s just me, sorry. I’m sure it can work, if installed properly. I stick to copper.

[/QUOTE]Its because it can look rubbish of not clipped properly, also think some people just cant accept change though things change get used to it they say takes the skill out of the trade yeah makes it easier to put together still need the knowlodge to back up where the pipes need to go though. Imagine the i only fit copper brigade trying to thread copper through joists in new builds soldering sockets every 600-800mm as its all that will go through the joists[/QUOTE]

I agree, it's not easy to make that look good. I also agree it's an easy fast way of installing things but as you said you should know how to install it. I have rigged up a lot of times pushfit fittings left in pure concrete floors, capped of pipes behind walls.

Thank you for your opinions appreciate!

 

[Old Account]

Had a call from a customer, water is coming down from a loft – mains… Whoops! Turns out that a squirrel had a go at a cold feed to an electric shower. Rodents and plastic pipes… it never looks good. And the rest...
That’s just me, sorry. I’m sure it can work, if installed properly. I stick to copper.

[/QUOTE]Its because it can look rubbish of not clipped properly, also think some people just cant accept change though things change get used to it they say takes the skill out of the trade yeah makes it easier to put together still need the knowlodge to back up where the pipes need to go though. Imagine the i only fit copper brigade trying to thread copper through joists in new builds soldering sockets every 600-800mm as its all that will go through the joists[/QUOTE]

I agree, it's not easy to make that look good. I also agree it's an easy fast way of installing things but as you said you should know how to install it. I have rigged up a lot of times pushfit fittings left in pure concrete floors, capped of pipes behind walls.

Thank you for your opinions appreciate!

 

[thereisawizza]

Never had any issues with any of the Hep I've installed over the last 8 years. Always use a sharp pipe shear and spray the fittings before mounting. From the fittings I've come across from others that do leak, it always seems to be installer error...........

 

[Old Account]

Never had any issues with any of the Hep I've installed over the last 8 years. Always use a sharp pipe shear and spray the fittings before mounting. From the fittings I've come across from others that do leak, it always seems to be installer error...........

What spray are you using ? Do you use plastic pipework very often? But I just hate when someone uses it on vented or unvented cylinders it just doesn't look good ... I prefer copper though. I think it just looks to floppy and not straight at all

 

[Old Account]

Never had any issues with any of the Hep I've installed over the last 8 years. Always use a sharp pipe shear and spray the fittings before mounting. From the fittings I've come across from others that do leak, it always seems to be installer error...........

What spray are you using ? Do you use plastic pipework very often? But I just hate when someone uses it on vented or unvented cylinders it just doesn't look good ... I prefer copper though. I think it just looks to floppy and not straight at all

 

[thereisawizza]

Silicone spray on fittings, NEVER use Hep where it can be seen thought, just under floor, lofts etc. Can't beat an airing cupboard in pulled copper ++

 

[townfanjon]

Last resort and use it if I have to , pushfit copper under kitchen sinks etc looks ok .

 

[Last Plumber]

I think the dislike is down to aesthetics and distrust.

the aesthetics is self explanatory, I think the distrust id down to the 'O' ring thing. Eventually they perish like any rubber ( presumably ).

The skill is lost in using it. It's a quick n easy job to shuv it together and there's little you can do to make it look like a professional tradesman installed it .

I also agree that change is hard to accept and if you've always done something a certain way, you see things that are easier to use as a cop out ! or a loss of need for a skill that you posses.

The generation of plumbers above me, used to find it amusing if you couldn't wipe a joint.

I've even known em laugh if you needed a blow lamp instead of a ladle. That meant you weren't a 'proper' plumber !

I personally find it hard to bring myself to use plastic but I can see the reasons why people do.

I do stick to copper because i've always used it and prefer it

 

[Old Account]

I think the dislike is down to aesthetics and distrust.

the aesthetics is self explanatory, I think the distrust id down to the 'O' ring thing. Eventually they perish like any rubber ( presumably ).

The skill is lost in using it. It's a quick n easy job to shuv it together and there's little you can do to make it look like a professional tradesman installed it .

I also agree that change is hard to accept and if you've always done something a certain way, you see things that are easier to use as a cop out ! or a loss of need for a skill that you posses.

The generation of plumbers above me, used to find it amusing if you couldn't wipe a joint.

I've even known em laugh if you needed a blow lamp instead of a ladle. That meant you weren't a 'proper' plumber !

I personally find it hard to bring myself to use plastic but I can see the reasons why people do.

I do stick to copper because i've always used it and prefer it

Thank you very much For sharing your opinion.

I think it's not wrong to use plastic pipe and fittings but as you mentioned the O-ring will eventually perish.
Therefore I would think 3 times to use those fittings under the floorboards, behind walls or anywhere you hide pipes.

It definitely has something to do with aesthetics but also with lazy plumbing. I also think when it comes to making money a lot of people think the way to get in and out - getting paid and never return.

But can we really call it cowboy plumbing just because some other engineers stick to the easy and fast way? I guess there are more rouge customers out there than cowboy builders.

 

[thereisawizza]

If it was cowboy plumbing would it be a multi-million pound side of the industry? Or do we as a whole need to move with the times.

In 30 years time there will be something new and all our apprentices will be saying "no thank you, I'll stick with my hep/speedfit

 

[thereisawizza]

If it was cowboy plumbing would it be a multi-million pound side of the industry? Or do we as a whole need to move with the times.

In 30 years time there will be something new and all our apprentices will be saying "no thank you, I'll stick with my hep/speedfit

 

[tolly]

Theres plenty of other plastic systems out there that arnt pushfit (axial and radial pressfit systems) and are more professional than using Hep/speedfit/polyplumb etc.

Polysure, mepla, rehau everloc, buteline, Uponor MLCP

 

[Best]

Not cowboy to use plastic & pushfit if customer happy to use it, as it is allowed.
But definitely cowboy, in my opinion, to push it onto the customer by using the excuse that plastic is as good or better than copper in certain jobs that it clearly isn't, just because you want easier work, or haven't the skills to use copper.

 

[Old Account]

Theres plenty of other plastic systems out there that arnt pushfit (axial and radial pressfit systems) and are more professional than using Hep/speedfit/polyplumb etc.

Polysure, mepla, rehau everloc, buteline, Uponor MLCP

True!
I didn't know mepla it looks really nice though, but the machine must be very expensive though and not easy to get in stores ... what about polysure any chance to get those in plumbing stores ? What the price for the tools though?

 

[mfgs]

I would never use it where it can be seen as it doesn't look pretty and doesn't look overly professional either.
Using it under floors though I don't have an issue with. I do a lot of new build work and its all plastic out of site and copper where it comes through the walls. Except the 10mm plastic to the rads on some jobs.

A lot of people don't want to use it as it seems to devalue the trade, a lets face it, anyone can push a pipe in a fitting. The only thing I would say is, you need to pressure test it as per the manufacturer's instructions. Not easily done when working on existing systems.

Given a choice I would always use copper, I prefer it and I actually enjoy doing copper pipework with soldered joints and pulled bends. Boiler and cylinder cupboards are my favourite part of the job. The reality is plastic saves time and money and can get you out of tricky situations where you cant lift the floor etc.

 

[mfgs]

I would never use it where it can be seen as it doesn't look pretty and doesn't look overly professional either.
Using it under floors though I don't have an issue with. I do a lot of new build work and its all plastic out of site and copper where it comes through the walls. Except the 10mm plastic to the rads on some jobs.

A lot of people don't want to use it as it seems to devalue the trade, a lets face it, anyone can push a pipe in a fitting. The only thing I would say is, you need to pressure test it as per the manufacturer's instructions. Not easily done when working on existing systems.

Given a choice I would always use copper, I prefer it and I actually enjoy doing copper pipework with soldered joints and pulled bends. Boiler and cylinder cupboards are my favourite part of the job. The reality is plastic saves time and money and can get you out of tricky situations where you cant lift the floor etc.

 

[rpm]

Once had to tell a lady that her young daughters loft conversation bedroom & en-suite bathroom needed a visit from Pest control.

Another one was a stuck up posh lady in a 15th century mansion and she freaked out when I told her she had mice in her bedroom.

 

[rpm]

DP edit

 

[woodsy]

Never had any issues with any of the Hep I've installed over the last 8 years. Always use a sharp pipe shear and spray the fittings before mounting. From the fittings I've come across from others that do leak, it always seems to be installer error...........

Totally agree, nowt wrong with it if used in the correct application and installed correctly. Lots around installed by cowboys incorrectly but seen some real dogs dinners of copper pipe work too by supposed plumbers.