Plumbing & Heating
Pegler Yorkshire
bends the rules
of plumbing
Phil Jackson,
Marketing and Business
Development Director for
Pegler Yorkshire
examines the materials and
systems available for
domestic plumbing installations
For the last 30 years or so, plumbing contractors have
been faced with two options when it comes to the type
of plumbing system they choose to install: copper or
plastic.
Soldered copper is the traditional option, and was
long considered the best material for the job, ahead
of lead (which is poisonous) and iron (which is heavy
and inflexible); copper, on the other hand, proved
reliable, durable and longlasting. As well as being
non-permeable and resistant to water corrosion obvious ‘musts’ for plumbed pipes - it provides a
biostatic atmosphere, which discourages the growth of
bacteria. Copper can withstand extreme hot and cold
temperatures without long-term degradation.
When it comes to installation, too, copper has
numerous advantages. For one, copper tubes can be
joined using capillary fittings, which results in strong,
smooth joints that will wear well. It also saves space
in a plumbing environment, as it doesn’t need to be
manufactured to the same thickness as other threaded
pipes. It’s lightweight, too - a benefit that need not be
explained to the suspension of any plumber’s van.
Plastic emerged as a viable alternative in the 1980’s,
principally due to its flexibility, affordability and ease of
installation. Whether you use cross-linked polyethylene
(PEX) or polybutylene (PB), the installation process
is less labour-intensive than with copper, since no
soldering torches or expensive tooling is required and
far fewer elbows and couplers are required. Plastics
are cheaper than copper too, especially as copper
has become more expensive in recent years as a
result of increasing raw material costs and the growing
occurrence of mental theft.
However, plastic is not as robust as copper, nor as
resistant to extremes of temperature or rodent damage.
Indeed, most professionals would accept that copper
is the superior solution in terms of performance,
aesthetics and overall quality of finish; the key
attraction of plastic is the reduced cost of the materials
involved.
Although and unsurprisingly, there is still reticence
among professionals to abandon copper solutions and
adopt plastic. Indeed, plastic solutions still account
for less than half of all UK domestic pipe sales and
research suggests most installers would choose copper
for their own homes.
PEGLER YORKSHIRE GROUP
THE ALTERNATIVE
As a leading plumbing products and systems
manufacturer Pegler Yorkshire offers an alternative
solution! We have drawn on 125 years of British
manufacturing experience to create the unique Tectite
Flexible Metal system, a product like no other on the
market.
Tectite uses multi-layer composite pipe (MLCP)
tubing, which is constructed using a thin layer of
aluminium flanked by cross linked polyethylene, an
environmentally friendly, industrial-strength plastic.
This offers installers and specifiers the perfect balance
between the integrity of metal and the flexibility of
plastic. Indeed, the aluminium lends the tubing a
malleable quality, as it can easily be bent and shaped
by hand to allow for tight bends. This also saves time
and money compared with copper, as fewer tools are
needed, and it means the number of fittings required,
such as couplers and elbows, is significantly reduced
(by as much as 40%).
Despite the malleability afforded by the composite
structure of MLCP, it behaves far more like copper
than plastic. First, it is highly resistant to warping - it
expands almost 8 times less than Pex or PB and can
handle temperatures of more than 100ºC and working
pressures up to 16 bar. Second, the aluminium also
provides a guaranteed oxygen barrier. Third, the
smooth surface prevents the build-up of scale and
makes Tectite Tube resistant to corrosion and wear.
Tectite Tube has been designed for installation
alongside the high performance metal push-fit fittings
range from Pegler Yorkshire. The jointing of which do
not require any expensive tooling - and is twice as
quick as the capillary method, thanks to the use of prelubricated seals.
Available in two sizes 15mm and 22mm, Tectite Tube
is WRAS-approved, which means it is suitable for all
UK domestic plumbing applications, including drinking
water and central heating.
TEL: 0844 243 4400
PRODUCT COMPATIBILITY
We have based the Tectite Flexible Metal System
around the Tectite Classic and Pro fittings ranges which
provide a slim-line, stiff and reliable joint incorporating
a demountable function. We have also incorporated
a growing valve portfol [