Plumbing, Barrier Plastic Pipe Advice:

[MrMessy]

Advice needed on plastic pipe. Being Old School I have always used copper pipe. I am replumbing our house to get rid of the old lead pipe and connect up the extension. Plastic pipe appears to be "the future":) Toolstation sell JG Speedfit and a cheaper make. Is it best to use the Speedfit or is the other O/K? Also what is the difference between the PEX and PB Barrier pipe? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

[timwilky]

used the speedfit, for the first time a few years back, old school as well. Brother had been using it for a while and swore it was the future. Fantastic.

Don't forget the inserts for your joints. buy a cutting tool for a quick clean cut. small water leaks do a lot of damage. so don't skimp on low cost.

[Spank86]

make sure you remember where you put the pipes, wouldn't want to drill through them at a later date!

[dirtydog]

The difference between pex and pb is basically how it's made and it's properties, have a little read of this
http://www.pexmall.com/difference-beetwen-pex-and-pb-pipe
I'd go for the better quality pipe like the JG stuff, a Tim says don't forget the inserts and make sure they're the right inserts for the pipe and fitting. E.g john guest has 2 types of insert the superseal and standard. The superseal is only to be used in JG push fittings but if you're connecting a compression fitting to the pipe you need standard insert and copper olive in the fitting as the brass ones are too hard. Also with the JG ones make sure you tighten them once the pipe is fully in otherwise they will leak at some point.

[NTECUK]

Jg fan hear. Used in boilier feed after 2 meters of copper too.
Decorating behind the radiator is a breeze as the joints rotate :), just unscrew and twist.
They don't work on chrome pipe. That's about it.

[dirtydog]

Jg fan hear. Used in boilier feed after 2 meters of copper too.
Decorating behind the radiator is a breeze as the joints rotate :), just unscrew and twist.
They don't work on chrome pipe. That's about it.

I generally use polyplumb or hep2o stuff

None of the push fit works on chrome pipe.

[NTECUK]

Screwfix is the easiest way to pick it up. And they always have J&S in stock round hear.
Just checked and they do the polly pipe too!

[MrMessy]

Thanks everybody for the replies.

[dirtydog]

Screwfix is the easiest way to pick it up. And they always have J&S in stock round hear.
Just checked and they do the polly pipe too!

They won't be doing poly pipe for much longer, was in there the other day and speaking to the manager he told me that they're stopping it soon.

I get mine from my local trade merchants

[sniff]

just had the house rebuilt more or less and almost all are JG stuff. Cant fault it. My builder swears by the stuff.

[DanSp]

JG are so much easier if you ever need to remove/re-use it too as you simply pull the collar in and pipe out at the same time, the grey polyplumb is a nightmare to remove and re-use!

[Specialone]

I use shed loads of the jg speed fit stuff, it's great for rad moves when you're going through loads of floor joists, as the alignment of your drilling doesn't have to be perfect and I'm not one of these butchers who just notch the crap out of the joists.
I've tried other brands and they are crap IMO.

As dirty dog said, never, never ever try and use it on chrome or stainless pipe, it WILL leak, don't ask me how I know.

[dirtydog]

JG are so much easier if you ever need to remove/re-use it too as you simply pull the collar in and pipe out at the same time, the grey polyplumb is a nightmare to remove and re-use!

And that's one of the reasons that I normally use the polyplumb stuff, once it's in, it's in. If it's done properly you shouldn't need to take it apart




As dirty dog said, never, never ever try and use it on chrome or stainless pipe, it WILL leak, don't ask me how I know.

Bet you've only done it once though :smt036

[Specialone]

Yep :oops:

[suzukigt380paul]

ive used both john guest speedfit and Wavin Hep2O,both work well,but i prefer the added security of h2o fitting,they still can be seperated with the right tool and are slightly less bulky,ive found that the coiled pipe needs warming up winter time to unroll and paas through joists,water from a boiled kettle poured in to the pipe seems to work,22mm is the worst for being stiff