www.heatingandventilating.net


Pipes, valves & fittings


Press fitting solution is to the manor born


Always keen to use the latest techniques, when Heatworks Plumbing & Heating won the contract to replace an ageing heating system in a sprawling Surrey manor house, the company chose press technology as the pipework jointing solution


H


is interest in a flame-free alternative to traditional brazing was sparked via social media and the growing popularity among


other heating engineers and installers of this ‘new’ fast-to-fit and safer method. Shaun da Silva, director and senior engineer at Dorking-based Heatworks Plumbing and Heating, partnered with Matt Lancley, of Hartswood Heating, for the install at the 12-bedroom, six bathroom property in South Holmwood. They used Conex Bänninger >B< Press copper


fittings for the vast majority of the installation, which included removing two 30-year-old floor standing LPG boilers (50kW and 70kW) and replacing them with two 64 kW Vaillant boilers. It also involved reconnecting more than 50


radiators and extensive pipework runs in the 10,200ft2 property.


Shaun said that at the time of the manor house job (September 2021), he’d been using press for just six weeks but had been won over by its benefits and advantages over brazing. “I’d seen other guys using press on Instagram and as I like a tool and keeping up with the latest technology, I went for it,” he said. “It was like ‘day and night’. It’s so much quicker than soldering and it’s safer and better for my health, with no fumes.There are no hot works, so no fumes as we wouldn’t be burning.” Another benefit of using press was not having


to keep draining the system. “With 50 radiators above us there was no way we would want to have to keep draining the whole system down, which we would have done with soldering if there was a leak – there’s no chance of soldering with water in the system,” said Shaun. “After we’d completed the whole preparation and set it all up, we went around and ‘press, press, press’, we did the whole lot in 10 to 15 minutes.” A huge benefit of >B< Press fittings is that they


create secure, permanent leak-free joints that are suitable for multiple applications, having one press either side of the bead and a third on the O-ring. The fittings also have an unpressed joint indicator, so unsecure joints can be easily identified. Shaun said he preferred the ‘B’ profile over the


‘M’ profile because of its innovative 3-point press, compared to two press points.


completed, it takes just five seconds to press each joint, using a compatible press tool and jaws. This creates a permanent, leak free joint. The repeatability and confidence in the time it


He added: “With the exception of where we used


compression fittings on the brass tails coming out of the two heat exchangers, we used >B< Press fittings throughout. “The press tool is comparatively expensive but all the benefits outweigh the cost, and with the faster speed at which you can complete installations, I believe it’s paid for itself in those six weeks.”


Press technology


The popularity of copper press fittings for plumbing and heating installations is continuing to increase among installers and specifiers. As a flame-free solution, this purely mechanical pipework jointing method is thought to have a number of significant advantages over brazing and soldering. With press technology, no hot works are required, meaning it’s safer for the user as no potentially hazardous fumes are given off from noxious gases, and the faster speed of installation boosts productivity and reduces costs. Once initial preparation of the tube and fitting is


takes are key benefits for individual installers and contracting companies, as they can plan projects with trust that they will be completed on schedule. The technology was initially created in the 1980s and further developed with a 3-point press. The fittings were introduced to the market in the 1990s. Further enhancement in the latter 2000s saw the


introduction of an innovative unpressed joint feature, which makes identifying any unpressed joints during the test phase easier, saving time and money. There is no need to drain down the system as the


pressing operation can be carried out while the water is still in the system. Copper press fittings are suitable for a wide range of applications. This includes drinking water, hot water heaters, thermal solar systems, local and district heating, chilled and cooling water, rainwater, compressed air, industrial and processing water, vacuum piping and shipbuilding. More recent innovation has seen the benefits


of press extended to the air conditioning and refrigeration sectors, where the fittings have been specially redesigned and engineered for the higher pressures involved in ACR installations.


DOWNLOAD THE HVR APP NOW


January 2022


15


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