pipework for central heating - is this work OK?

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PipG

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My parents are having a complete new oil fired central heating installation - new boiler, new pipework and new rads.
The company is registered with HETAS, OFTEC,CORGI & NICEIC but some of the copper piping is dented, slightly flattened on bends in places and at a couple of points where it will join the radiator the piping is almost the shape of an egg timer. Photos below - I hope.
I have plenty more photos if wanted.
A couple of building contractors doing other work have commented that they have not seen anything like it before - but they were not plumbers - so, any professional advice would be greatly appreciated !

Photos are in my album if you just click on the PipG





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From the photographs, very poor quality work. I would be worried about the following:

a. The crushing of the pipes at bends will significantly reduce their water carrying capacity, which may mean the radiators don't get hot enough to heat the rooms.

b. The crushing / bad bending may give rise to stress fractures in the pipes in the future.

c. The pipes look as if they are going to be buried in plaster, with only a front covering of white plastic electrical capping. This won't stop the plaster getting round the back and potentially pin holing the copper.

I think you would be well advised to stop any further work and get what has been done so far independently inspected. Get someone with long standing membership of the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineers. The cost of a brief report and the delay could well be worth it.
 
All looks a bit rough. Will probably work, but they have introduced a number of unnecessary restrictions to the flow.

Don't know if it's just the camera angle, but the first pic of the TRV on it's own looks particularly strangled.

What other delights lie hidden from view?
 
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Some of that pipework looks like existing :confused: , terrible state of affairs , monkey who got hold of the bender wants stringing up , absolute ****e.
 
That pipework is in 10 mm which is described as microbore.

I do hope that 10 mm was what was quoted for.

The pipe costs about the same as 15mm but its far quicker to install and as shown in the pictures can be fitted pretty much as if its cable.

Whilst its not very nice looking, I dont think there will be any operational consequentials.

Tony
 
Agile said:
That pipework is in 10 mm which is described as microbore.

I do hope that 10 mm was what was quoted for.

The pipe costs about the same as 15mm but its far quicker to install and as shown in the pictures can be fitted pretty much as if its cable.

Whilst its not very nice looking, I dont think there will be any operational consequentials.

Tony
Click to expand...

The bore was not specified in the quote. It is a large house and the radiators are Quinn double convectors and most are fairly large rads for large rooms. I have a horrible feeling that one of the 3 quotes they received was for 15mm/22mm. Is 10mm suitable for this application. ?
I have attached some more photos to my album.
 
oldbuffer said:
From the photographs, very poor quality work. I would be worried about the following:

a. The crushing of the pipes at bends will significantly reduce their water carrying capacity, which may mean the radiators don't get hot enough to heat the rooms.

b. The crushing / bad bending may give rise to stress fractures in the pipes in the future.

c. The pipes look as if they are going to be buried in plaster, with only a front covering of white plastic electrical capping. This won't stop the plaster getting round the back and potentially pin holing the copper.

I think you would be well advised to stop any further work and get what has been done so far independently inspected. Get someone with long standing membership of the Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineers. The cost of a brief report and the delay could well be worth it.
Click to expand...

Many thanks - I do not have a good feeling about this !
I think your suggestion of an inspection at this stage - before everything is buried - makes a great deal of sense. I did query the strangled pipe in one of the photos and was told that the man who did that radiator had an old spring pipe bender that wasn't working properly. That was when the second set of alarm bells went off.
Should copper pipes be protected before plastering over ?
 
Looking at that mess the best thing they can do is tell them to sling there hook.

Hope they haven't paid.

Where did they find them, Under the Hammer perhaps :rolleyes:
 
The traditional best practice is to use 22/15mm.

Without seeing the whole installation its difficult to say if using 10 mm is likely to give any problem.

Its a lot easier to install and in theory should result in a lower quotation.

Tony
 
The state of that pipe I can guarantee it will give problems.

The lot wants ripping out.
 
As DIA says get it ripped out and start again dont pay him it is an absolute abortion.
If that is what is on show fek knows what he has hiddden . Cannot be a proper plumber/heating guy
 
D

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