Serious question about copper vs plastic pipe for plumbing.

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

2 things are crap in houses plastic pipes and chipboard floors

I'd add composite joists to that list too I think!

 

[Parm]

There has been plastic for 30+ years, yes you will get stories of failures and doom but badly fitted copper is just as bad as badly fitted plastic

I know you said leave it aside but the difference really is time and money, copper is expensive and slow, plastic pipe is cheap, good fittings are expensive but it's fast to install

All things being equal, I would want copper in my house but I would use plastic where it was suitable

I have seen a 54mm elbow blow off a boosted cold pipe, but it doesn't put me off copper in general, same as the odd failed plastic fitting I have seen doesn't put me off plastic

That’s a proper politician’s answer

 

[Keithmac]

I have noticed modern copper pipe seems less coppery and thinner wall section than pipe of old?

I did some plumbing work on our house when we moved in (17 years ago), bought some new pipe a few years back and had some old copper pipe as well which was left over..

The difference in wall thickness between the two was amazing, looked like the newly bought pipe was probably half as thick as the old stuff. Was a bit gutted really as it wasn't cheap.

 

[Danez]

if you use plastic whatever you do don’t forget the inserts

 

[Hood]

I think it has been mentioned but just to reiterate, if going plastic get decent fittings. When I converted the small bedroom into an upstairs bathroom I used plastic and push on fittings from Screwfix, most started leaking after a while, maybe 5 years. I have since replaced with John Guest speedfit (you push in and then turn to lock) and they seem to be holding up much better.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Question:
How common are roof tanks in UK nowadays?
Here and in Spain and Portugal, houses run direct off the supply. So the push fit stuff that I understand is common in UK is no use here.
Not checked the pressure here (plenty) but my last place down south was 5 bar. In one local village, it was high enough to dribble PRVs on hot water cylinders, so they had to fit reducing valves on the inputs.

 

[cheb]

I'd mix and match personally. Long runs from a single plastic pipe makes more sense than multiple joints.

That, which I was I did when I renovated my house. I did my best to make the house rodent proof, it had rats when I first moved in.

Copper piping throughout gets very expensive, especially for the sink waste and soil pipe sizes.

 

[Bornfree]

I have seen a 54mm elbow blow off a boosted cold pipe, but it doesn't put me off copper in general, same as the odd failed plastic fitting I have seen doesn't put me off plastic

The largest copper pipe I joined was 76mm. I had to cut it in two places to change a feather washing machine. The solder fittings come in three parts with a tinned cone that goes over the pipe and into the coupling. I had never done one before. Had to use oxy acetylene to get it hot enough. I had all my fingers crossed when I very slowly turned on the 5bar supply to it. But luckily it held.

 

[mike os]

Question:
How common are roof tanks in UK nowadays?
Here and in Spain and Portugal, houses run direct off the supply. So the push fit stuff that I understand is common in UK is no use here.
Not checked the pressure here (plenty) but my last place down south was 5 bar. In one local village, it was high enough to dribble PRVs on hot water cylinders, so they had to fit reducing valves on the inputs.

proper plastic systems are 10 bar

the important thing with plastic is use a system, dont mix and match and use a pipe cutting tool

 

[Kayos]

That’s a proper politician’s answer

Now, in response to the right honourable gentleman; let me be absolutely clear, I in no way intended for that answer to be considered a politicians answer, further more I do not know what a politician is and I can categorically state I have never met one

 

[Kayos]

The largest copper pipe I joined was 76mm. I had to cut it in two places to change a feather washing machine. The solder fittings come in three parts with a tinned cone that goes over the pipe and into the coupling. I had never done one before. Had to use oxy acetylene to get it hot enough. I had all my fingers crossed when I very slowly turned on the 5bar supply to it. But luckily it held.

We have an officially unofficial rule that copper max size is 54mm, in reality we will be using steel at 1.5" (anyone else love imperimetric plumbing) or crimped stainless

 

[Kayos]

youngsters are in the plastic camp. old timers that have been around are for copper tried and tested

What does 22 years in the trade make me? Far from a youngster but I'm not stuck in the past

 

[brightspark]

What does 22 years in the trade make me? Far from a youngster but I'm not stuck in the past

still learning try 52 years and still dont know it all

 

[Kayos]

still learning try 52 years and still dont know it all

No real answer as usual

The young uns (as you say) might just be receptive to modern tech?

 

[Mikey D]

You can get copper in 6 m lengths .......

One small thing to factor into your choice is if a significant portion of the pipes will be exposed. For anything meeting that description, I would go for copper. It just looks neater as it is straight, end feed fittings are small and it is more robust.

Edit:

As you say you are remodelling, plastic can be very helpful as it is flexible. You can poke it through a smaller opening than a rigid 3m length of copper tube. You can feed it through a series of joists. Also, copper is only available in max. 3m lengths, so if you need to run more than that, it needs to be joined. A coil of plastic pulled through could save making a hole in a difficult location.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Going back a bit, there was some grief about peeps using copper destined for gas, as opposed for water. Apparently, the gas stuff had impurities that corroded it when used for water. Need to be selective...
KF

 

[Kayos]

Going back a bit, there was some grief about peeps using copper destined for gas, as opposed for water. Apparently, the gas stuff had impurities that corroded it when used for water. Need to be selective...
KF

Sounds like a misremembered story

In the 70s there was a copper shortage, thin wall copper with a red stripe was produced to save copper, however as it was under 0.9mm wall thickness it couldn't be used for gas. Always gutting to rip a load of red stripe out, only about 2/3 the weight of normal copper

 

[sako243]

If its on a private supply like my in laws then they have been replacing copper pipes with plastic as the water is slowly eating through the copper pipes.

 

[mike os]

Soft water is a real problem

 

[gaz1]

copper 40+ years ive known copper to be in longer than that and still in working use

plastic hasnt lasted the test of time more so with the fittings being the issue