Worth paying extra for copper pipes for radiators ?

Currently have very old 10mm plastic pipes that have failed in a few places (after switch to combi). Plumber is giving me option of copper or (better/modern) plastic pipes. The copper is more expensive as they will have to cut deeper channels in the floors.

I vote for copper where you can see it plastic where you can’t.

This is because the copper is straighter and neater (assuming soldered joints)

they will have to cut deeper channels in the floors

You got microbore or whatever it is called? Not keen but I’d probably stick with the same size plastic unless someone comes up with a really good reason not to.

I’d go with plastic.
If the look of the exposed pipework is an issue then plastic with copper tails to the rads.

I’d do away with the microbore if you can , it’s hateful stuff.

yes currently – there is no void in the downstairs rooms. There are floorboards over a concrete base.

I vote for copper where you can see it plastic where you can’t.

So you can join plastic up to copper ? i.e up to the rads from the floor

is microbore 10mm plastic? if so any larger and we will need to cut channels anyway.

So you can join plastic up to copper ? i.e up to the rads from the floor

Yes, its all push fit these days. As long as you do it right no issues at all. You can get chromed copper for upto the rads which is what we did, if you do that dont use push fit on the chrome though, it needs compression fittings. Someone told us that and my Dad was not sure, so we did a destruction test with some offcuts and found 1 of 5 pushfits didnt actually bite into the chrome so would pull out with moderate force.

By failed what do you mean . Plastic failed or the joints.

Very common for cheapskates not to use inserts on poly pipe gravity fed systems….

Don’t ask how is know. Just glad it was in the floor void.

I would go plastic, my house is heating and water with copper tails, no issues in 15 years. Used it myself to the garage, again no issues if installed properly i.e. use inserts.

it failed at the two bits where all the pipes come together (manifolds?)

Microbore is quite noisy compared with 15mm copper.

I’d go for copper as it will last 50 years or more. No one really knows how long the pastic friction seal things will last….

My plumber used plastic Hep20 fittings with copper where you could see it, but to be honest I would have been happy with plastic where you could see it as I now have to find a way to make the copper pipes white either with paint or covers.

You don’t have to buy the plastic in coils, straight lengths are available you could use to the rads.

Hep20 fittings don’t work with chromer, they do seal but they don’t grip the shiny surface (they need to dig in) so as soon as pressure comes through the pipes they pop off. Ask me how I know this…….. 🙁

I’m sold on Hep20 though, love it, never get any problems. It isn’t cheap but its much better than the JG Speedfit stuff I used to use.

go copper

Go copper, lead solder and moleskin for the classic look 🙂

Go copper, lead solder and moleskin for the classic look 🙂

Unipipe would be my choice, possibly with copper tails if they are that long, if not unipipe will be straight enough due to it’s aluminuim core.

getting my house replumbed and rads fitted, will be copper all the way. work with quite a few differant plumbers and none of them use plastic unless its temporay.
most rads will have pipes straight out of wall into valve but any visible pipes to rads will be chromed copper which if the chrome is cleaned of can be soldered same as all other joints.

Nothing wrong with plastic. There are some very good systems out there.
I’ve seen too many pin holes in copper pipe and failed joints in all systems to say one is better than the other. The only thing that seems to be better is crimp fittings both in copper and plastic. And has flame free advantage too

I’d go for copper as it will last 50 years or more. No one really knows how long the pastic friction seal things will last….

If you’re using the couplings as friction fit only then you’re definitely in trouble! Speedfit have metal barbs on the fitting that bite into the pipework when you twist the collar. Again, fine for copper but not chrome. The only friction fit parts you get with Speedfit are the end caps and they survived at mains pressure for about a year in my new kitchen.

I did my house out in 22mm Speedfit with 15mm spurs and copper tails. You don’t hear the heating, with the old microbore it was noisy as anything.

Copper, and Brasso them to get the shine up (well, it worked for doing my curtain rails anyway)!