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General: Push fit or press fit?

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1 to 19 of 19

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    If you were to replumb a house for central heating and water which system would you choose?

    I did the last house in hep20 without issue but thinking press fit seems popular lately.

    Also, are people still preferring to run 15 to showers, 22 to baths, 10 to sinks all from manifolds?
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeOct 19th 2024 edited
     
    I ran one length of 15 to each room and split each there to feed basin, shower, loo & bath. Reducing overall heat loss seemed most important.

    edit to add: my pipes are plastic (JG Speedfit) flow rates are fine. Run to the bath is about 10 m.
    • CommentAuthorArtiglio
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2024
     
    I’ve not used pressfit , i like the demountable flexibility of push fit, end feed copper if its going to be seen. Imdon’t see there’s a need for 22mmto baths unless you’re on a gravity system, anything i’ve done has been from a combi or mains pressure hot water cylinder and been smaller properties where its very unlikely water would be drawn at multiple points at the same time, and even if they were the limiting factor would be the inlet pressure/volume from the main.
  4.  
    15mm pushfit plastic pipe has an internal bore of about 11mm as the walls are thicker than copper pipe, and flow is restricted even more by the pipe inserts at each fitting.

    15mm copper pipe has a bore of 13.6mm, can work with pushfit/solder/press/compression but is awkward to retrofit

    16mm mlcp pipe for press fittings has a bore of 12mm.

    The extra mms make a disproportionately big difference to flow resistance which depends on diameter^5. So it may be that you could get away with (say) 15mm copper, but have to go up a size, to 20 mm mlcp or 22mm p-b.



    I used to like push fit, but my in-laws just had to rip out the floors of their nearly-new home to trace where a mouse had chewed through a plastic fitting and drained down their whole central heating. In future I think I will go for plastic pipe with metal fittings, either pushfit or press fit.
    • CommentAuthorJeff B
    • CommentTimeOct 20th 2024
     
    Posted By: WillInAberdeen

    I used to like push fit, but my in-laws just had to rip out the floors of their nearly-new home to trace where a mouse had chewed through a plastic fitting and drained down their whole central heating. In future I think I will go for plastic pipe with metal fittings, either pushfit or press fit.


    Why I still only use copper pipe/fittings everywhere!
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeOct 21st 2024
     
    What's wrong with that story is that they're still building houses where mice can get access!
  7.  
    Mice can and will access any building sooner or later, they're amazingly adapted creatures (I have to _very_ reluctantly admit).

    If they're not already in your home, they will be soon, it might just be that you haven't noticed them yet!

    In my in laws' case, they still have no idea how it got under their floor, they suspect a blocked-off duct that was there for a gas supply pipe that wasn't subsequently installed, but really no way to tell for sure or prevent it happening again. The house is pretty air-tight but that certainly doesn't make it mouse -tight.
    • CommentAuthorJeff B
    • CommentTimeOct 21st 2024
     
    Mice can reputedly get through a hole the width of a pencil.

    https://www.terminix.com/rodents/mice/house/
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeOct 21st 2024
     
    Hmm, famous last words but we've seen no evidence of any mice so far. Neither sight, nor sound, nor smell. I suppose they could come in through the drains and swim through the toilet bowl but only if they brought a long enough ladder to climb out of the bowl! But we don't leave food around, where my wife comes from that's an invitation to an army of termites.

    We saw a rat in the garden, which my wife liked because it was dragging an adder, and a couple of days ago I saw the rat with its throat ripped out by something else. But I expect there are more out there. And lots of squirrels, which we had in the loft of our old house. Next door built some bird boxes, which now provide des res for squirrels. They like our walnuts and hazelnuts and this year they've discovered the apples as well.
  10.  
    My ASHP supplier has recommended plumbing everything in 16mm PEX-al-PEX

    I'm tempted to give this option a go but will need to buy a press tool of some sort. She's anyone have any recommendations on a tool?

    It would likely only be for my own install but may come in handy further down the line.

    ?
  11.  
    The usual way to manage the jointing tool for al-pex is to put ALL the pipework in place then go hire the tool for a day. If you think you need one for your business then perhaps hire one anyway for the experience and buy one if/when the commercial need arises.
  12.  
    Fair one. The pipes and fittings seem more expensive than say hep20. It's 16mm pipe really going to make much difference over 15mm? Granted the internal diameter is more in the PEX but still...

    Any brands of fittings to look at / compare prices?
    • CommentAuthorrevor
    • CommentTimeDec 7th 2024
     
    Posted By: VictorianecoI'm tempted to give this option a go but will need to buy a press tool of some sort. She's anyone have any recommendations on a tool?


    There is a hand jointing tool here don't know if it would suit you but worth a look.

    https://www.bes.co.uk/alpha-press-jt-1632-manual-press-fit-kit-25468/?nosto=nosto-page-category1

    Posted By: VictorianecoMy ASHP supplier has recommended plumbing everything in 16mm PEX-al-PEX


    If I was doing my project now and not 10/12 years go I would go down this route
  14.  
    Any idea on reliability? I was thinking of going hep20 due to their warranty and they can always be taken apart

    I'll price them up both ways
    • CommentAuthorrevor
    • CommentTimeDec 7th 2024
     
    Can't decide between fitting bends and bending pipe? See this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC7bb_bA-OM
  16.  
    I would always bend the pipe unless there was no room to arc the pipe. The reasons are as per the above video - less opportunity for leaks and better flow. Also quicker and cheaper.
  17.  
    I think having seen the above video and further reading I think I will go down this route.

    Any preference on brands?
    • CommentAuthorrevor
    • CommentTimeDec 8th 2024
     
    Have come across this push fit not sure if it comes apart easily though not got that far into it. far less bulky than Hep20 or JG. There id an implication it can be released if not pressure tested. Anyway worth a look.

    https://www.fraenkische.com/en/product/alpex-plus-steckfitting
    • CommentAuthorminisaurus
    • CommentTimeDec 23rd 2024
     

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