Extending central heating

[jimbo5050]

I am wanting to extend my central heating system into a ground floor extension.
I am prepared to do the work myself but I would probably find using the plastic 'speedfit' stuff easier to use as I am a novice at soldering, although I have done small amounts before.
What are the disadvantages, if any, to the use of the plastic plumbing?

 

[Agile]

Extra cost, leaks, floppy pipes?

Why not use capillary ( solder ring ) fittings and practice as you go. Its really VERY easy!

Copper is SO VERY much better!

Tony

 

[Expertboy]

Yuk - Nasty plastic

Don't do it. Went out to one of these so called excellent plastic installations last week, what a shambles it looked for starters, one of the fittings on the mains cold feed had blown off, nice mess and a nice £100 bill for the customer at 11pm at night.

DON'T DO IT !!

 

[HarrogateGas]

I went last week toa 3 month old bathroom where they had fitted the towel rail in plastic and the push fit coupling had popped out and brught the ceiling down., i repiped in copper knowing it will be trouble free for many a year.

 

[tim-spam]

Like most things in life, if you choose good quality components and install them properly, you will have no problems. Plastic pipe + good quality fittings (eg. Tectite, Cuprofit) + doing the job properly = a good reliable installation.
One of the pitfalls is the thermal expansion (although on long runs this can also be a problem with copper), which is around 10 times that for copper, but, again, if properly designed and installed, there will be no problem.
Plastic plumbing has a very high market share in mainland Europe - it would not have achieved this by being no good.

 

[jimbo5050]

Many thanks guys for all your responses.
Not quite unanimous but I have been swayed against the plastic a bit!