Copper pipe cost/quality at screwfix

[Woody Alan]

Hi

I am doing a major overhaul of my groundfloor heating, and after umming and harring about whether to use plastic I decided on copper and digging up the floor to fit galvanised duct tray. I need to buy in about 50-60 metres of 22mm pipe and screwfix seem to be about the best price. The thing that concerns me is what is the quality of the pipe like. It all conforms to BS standard but I have had some of the Wickes rubbish in the past and the stuff won't bend in a bender without wrinkling. I need to know the Screwfix stuff is good quality.
Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.

Cheers Alan

 

[SketchUp Guru]

I don't know the answer to your question but I'm curious as to why you would choose copper over plastic these days. Over here houses a getting plumbed with cross linked Polyethylene (PEX) tubing. If I were replumbing my house now I would replace the existing copper with PEX. Actually, I bet I could turn in the opper plumbing in my house for recycling and get more than the cost of the PEX for it.

In the US the value of copper is high enough that people have been stealing the electrical wiring out of farmers' barns (some of these thieves aren't bright enough to make sure the power is off first and electrocute themselves) and plumbing electrical contractors are frequently reporting the theft of copper from their yards or from building sites.

 

[Slim]

I have reservations about plastic fittings, because of the fact that it relies on a rubber seal. Fine for a number of years, but will it last for a long time?

As for your question Alan, I would find your local independant plumbers merchant. When I was doing out my house, I went into my local and chummed up the guys behind the counter. The advice they gave was invaluable and they were about half the price of Screwfix. They also gave me extra discount when I asked for it.

HTH

 

[Woody Alan]

To satisfy your curiosity, as an American you probably know about the class action lawsuit brought about by some of the early "plastic". Who is to say this "new" plastic is any better, speaking as an individual here not as someone making a living from it, the manufacturers?.
I am laying my pipe in a tray as I have said and plastic joints take up more room. In truth the cost between the systems may surpise you in this country, whilst the plastic pipe may be cheaper the fittings are much more expensive, making the two set ups cost similar so given a choice copper is better because I have the time to do the job.
Having said all that when I do upstairs in phase 2 I will use plastic because I can drill through joists and because of the flexibility get the pipe to it's destination without any or very few joints, almost impossible in copper unless nothching in which weakens the joists more and is a pain on crossovers.
EDIT I forgot to add there is the reduced diameter with plastic, also upstairs which won't need so much flow or heat on much at all, I will be able to access the centre of the house to radially feed with smaller diameter plastic, which I can't do downstairs.

Alan

 

[motownmartin]

I have had some of the Wickes rubbish in the past and the stuff won't bend in a bender without wrinkling.

Cheers Alan

Do you insert the spring inside the pipe before bending? i am no plumber but I have installed my own central heating and never had a problem bending the pipes with a spring inserted for support, unless you try to bend it at an acute angle, but then you would use an elbow, well I did.

Martin

 

[Woody Alan]

Do you insert the spring inside the pipe before bending

No because that's not the purpose of a spring. a spring is for freehand bending. I must say when using quality pipe I have never had a problem hence my question.

Alan

 

[motownmartin]

Do you insert the spring inside the pipe before bending

No because that's not the purpose of a spring. a spring is for freehand bending. I must say when using quality pipe I have never had a problem hence my question.

Alan

SORRY

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Slimjim, we have been using the same kind of plastic tubing for years here in the hospital. Much of it and its fittings carry pure O2 which tends to hasten the oxidation and degradation of rubber O-rings. We have applications that are 20 years old and older that have no leaks in fitting and they're under higher pressure than the typical water supply lines.

I believe the seals are silicone now which is better than rubber.

Alan, I see your point about the fittings. I was just asking because I was curious.

 

[RogerS]

I have reservations about plastic fittings, because of the fact that it relies on a rubber seal. Fine for a number of years, but will it last for a long time?

HTH

We fitted Hep20 in our central heating system over 15 years ago and no leaks so far . While renovating the cottage I found one of the soldered copper joints simply pulled out, it was that good!

 

[ike]

Screwfix pipe bends OK with a proper pipe bender. Don't use a spring - it's a faff. Even my slightly mickey mouse £15 Draper bender does an acceptable job. All copper pipe is much thinner than it used to be but as already said - as long as it meets British Standard....

cheers,

Ike

 

[Woody Alan]

Martin I thought one of us had slightly the wrong end of the stick makes a change for it not to be me

Roger, the joint couldn't have been soldered properly properly then or it wouldn't have pulled out, so illustrating the point most failures are down to installation, and to be fair I think it is becoming more readily accepted that most plastic failures are in the short term and due to fitting problems. (i.e. not following instruction) cleanliness is paramount.

Dave I hope I have gone some way to satisfying your curiosity

Slimjim thanks for the advice will try that.

Ike bang on thge money answered the original question if I can't get a local price match I will "chance my arm" I certainly do have a proper bender

Cheers Alan

 

[Jake]

Screwfix stuff is fine, but their delivery can be a bit brutal, the ends were crushed on the lot I bought - and wouldn't give me any discount worth a mention. Haven't been back to them for copper pipe for that reason.

I haven't had the problem you mention with Wickes pipe, which I've used a fair bit - always works fine for me.

The last lot I bought a couple of weeks ago ... from B&Q. Two bundles of 3m 22mm pipes, all of which had got bent about 50cm from one end. The manager discounted them down to £30 for the two. All of it is usable apart from the inch or so of the actual bend. Steal!

I also use plumbers merchants now and then, but at least around me they tend to be more expensive than Wickes (at least for cash accounts), which is why I end up going back there usually.

It's all thinner and harder than old pipe.

 

[Woody Alan]

Thanks Jake
I've just been quoted £6 a metre +vat by my local plumbcentre, he said if I went in he'd be able to do a little more, but freely admitted he can't beat wickes or B&Q . Screwfix are £3.10 a metre on a bundle. I don't suppose you can recall B&Q's price can you, because if I can get an undamaged one by seeing it that might save delivery damage hassle which is bound to occur the way these herbet's handle stuff these days.

Alan

 

[Jake]

The shelf tickets at the time were flashing recent reductions - I think I recall that 30m of 15mm had been reduced from £50 to £40, but I can't recall the base price of the 22mm packs. Cheaper than screwfix though, by the looks of it (if they haven't put it back up since). I'd call your local branches though, as B&Q prices seem to vary.

 

[Woody Alan]

Thanks Jake will call in I have to return one of their crappy pipe cutters that cuts a nice spiral down the pipe instead of a circular cut. When I investigated the roller are not perfectly at right angles to the cutting wheel. :roll:

Alan

 

[gwaithcoed]

Hello Alan,

Never had any trouble with Wickes pipe. If you do use plastic make sure you support it as any sagging between supports after the heat has been in it will give you hellish air lock problems if you have to drain down and refill later on.

Alan.

 

[KevinOKane]

The value of copper has been increasing in a number of years. As an experienced water and gas plumber, I have witnessed a number of thefts of copper in my area. I would suggest to use the latest plastic plumbing materials as these are inexpensive compared to copper, and the materials are people-friendly. No danger of the materials being toxic. Manufacturing of these has improved over the years.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Welcome to the forum Kevin.
I suspect that the OP has finished his plumbing project at some point in the last 6 years....
S

 

[MIGNAL]

Not sure about that. Us men are renowned for never finishing proje

 

[No skills]

I started laying an oak floor around 5 1/2 years ago, not finished it yet.