COVER STORY
Why plastic water supply systems are on the rise
Copper has been widely used in water supply systems for decades due to its durability and antimicrobial properties. However, in recent years usage has started to decline as plastic alternatives have become more popular. Approximately 60 per cent of existing domestic water supply pipes in the UK are made of copper, however the use of plastic is on the rise. Here, Juan Ramiro, Design Engineer at Polypipe Building Services, looks at the benefits of plastic, especially when it comes to installation.
W
ater supply systems must be installed safely, accurately, and efficiently to meet tight project deadlines. Cutting, fluxing, de-burring and soldering
copper pipe joints takes time and involves hot works. Plastic pipes, in contrast, can be joined by various methods which are easier to learn and execute, and several methods can be used at different points in the system. For example, large diameter pipes used for risers and headers can be simply joined using butt welding techniques. Further along the system as the diameter of pipes decreases, electrofusion welding comes into play. It takes just a few hours to learn this technique, which uses light equipment and produces joints that are just as strong as an unjointed section of pipe. In conventional electrofusion, pipes are clamped in place until the joint has solidified on cooling to ambient temperature. The MecFlow Fusion system from Polypipe Building Services is also available with patented CLICKWELD electrofusion joints, which uses fittings that have integrated clips which eliminate the need for clamping. This enables sections with multiple joints to be assembled prior to welding, cutting installation time by as much as 30%. As pipe diameters reduce further, socket welding is typically used. As a manual technique, socket welding requires a little more skill than electrofusion jointing, but both can be learned far more quickly than soldering copper joints. The last leg of a water supply system, often
from the meter to the tap, is where plastic plumbing stretches further away from copper in terms of speed and ease of fitting. The low-diameter plastic piping used here is very lightweight and flexible. Used straight off the reel, it can be fed through awkward runs, avoiding the need for the skills, tooling and time required to bend and join multiple sections of copper piping.
All water supply systems must be rigorously tested as part of the installation process, making sure the water system is leak-free and
12 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER APRIL 2025
can withstand the required pressures and temperatures. Again, the MecFlow Press system has a ‘leak before press’ function that enables installers to identify potential leaks before a system is fully commissioned. In my view, plastic pipes are easier, safer and
more efficient to install than copper, as well as being significantly less expensive. High-quality plastic water supply systems like Polypipe’s MecFlow have the mechanical strength, together with the temperature and pressure resistance needed to perform just as well as copper, for just as long.
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42
