Push Fit onto Copper Pipes

[tmf786]

I have hired someone to renovate the bathroom.

We are having a new shower, bath, basin installed in a different layout to the existing layout. We agreed that we would have copper pipes for all work.

I have come home and found that pushfit fittings have been used in certain places. My personal preference is always copper and that was what was agreed before the work started.

The contractor has said they were not able to use copper in certain places.

I wanted some opinions on the following work so far:


1. Is it ok / reliable to put push fit onto copper pipes? Could they come off due to the pressure? Is it more likely to leak with the transition between copper and plastic?

2. The reasoning I was given about the shower pipes is that it was next to the plasterboard and that soldering there could damage the plasterboard? (I would think there is something flammable resistent that could shield the plasterboard?

3. Would it be possible to replace all of the places where the pushfit has been fitted with copper?

4. Would these elbow joints be difficult to replace with copper elbows

5. These are going from 22mm to 15mm - would it be better to reduce with copper solder?

6. These are the old pipes. Would you use compression fitting or solder end caps?

7. I was told these plastic pipes that will go to the basin and they are plastic to make it easier to go under the existing pipes that are already there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[denso13]

Plastic fittings can last ok if fitted properly. However, there's no excuse for mixing fittings like that, it could all easily have been done in copper.

 

[Wayners]

Good grief.
Where are all the skilled trades gone?
One big race to the bottom.
It upsets me.

No. That's terrible.
I will say start with a vacuum on the debris! Clean it up first for Petes sake. Gee!
I'd also say never leave a dead leg on pipe work.
You asked the question because you know that's not good

 

[tmf786]

Thanks, it's good to hear others views and it is bugging me so it will bug me if it gets left like that.

I think I will have to ask these to be removed and replaced with copper soldering.

 

[Wayners]

Here you go.
And he's no even a plumber.
Will help you understand what it should be like

 

[tmf786]

Here you go.
And he's no even a plumber.
Will help you understand what it should be like

Excellent video, thanks!

 

[CountryFan]

You asked for copper, it was agreed and now they're backtracking with pitiful excuses imo. Also as mentioned you don't want read legs if that's what they are (the ones with stop ends)

 

[tmf786]

Those stop ends, I guess they would need to cut the section out and then solder with straight coupling?

 

[CountryFan]

Those stop ends, I guess they would need to cut the section out and then solder with straight coupling?

Yes or at least at the branch if not practicable

 

[tmf786]

Got it. I've just read up on dead legs ( my only reference was when you get kicked or punched on your leg and it goes numb)

But looking on Google tells me it's to do with stagnant water which makes sense.

Will ask for this as well.

 

[johnny2007]

Probably the guy can't solder.
All of that could've been soldered, there are heat resistant mats that are used to shield anything when soldering, even a wet cloth would do.
Dead legs: should've been removed completely, not a big job really.
Copper in pushfit fittings don't usually leak if the copper has been cleaned properly and deburred.
Unfortunately the joint can't be swapped for soldered ones because the pipes will be slightly short now.

 

[endecotp]

Have you paid them yet?

 

[cdbe]

Do you really want to ask them to try to solder those joints when they clearly can't?

They'll probably be ok if you're confident that they're all fully pushed in - let's hope they're experienced push fitters.

 

[drives]

I solder (as a diy’er) all the time in confined spaces exactly like the photos, next to various things that may catch fire. I use a heat resistant mat which I tape or pin to whatever adjacent surface I need to protect. Very simple and I can’t think of many, if any places in our house where I could not solder for this reason.

The key is that you agreed it would be in copper so personally I’d be asking them to redo it. I’ve asked a plumber to redo work like this before, when they did it all in plastic under floorboards- before the days that I had my own torch. In fact I think it was that incident that led me to just learn to solder myself as I realised it was easier and less stressful to learn rather than relying on trades.

I use Yorkshire fittings which make it dead simple.