Extension

[Geordie Spark]

Re: how not to wire your extension

I have such a headache - stress.

Whenever I mention the fitting they say "this is the way we always do it, push fit has been used for 15 years now no problems".

I have printed out the speedfit info on installing in ground and selotaped it to the radiator. Will insist that it is done as set out by Speedfit.

When I was working, I was sparking, plumbing gas fitting and doing wet central heating work.


I used Speedfit when it was new to the marked and was sceptical about it so when I first used it to install a heating system in an upstairs flat I air tested the installation to 3Bar & left it overnight.

Next day I water tested to I (think) 4 Bar for the whole day.

When the job was completed, I handed it over to the customer fully working running at 1.5 Bar.

It was almost a week later when I took his phone call telling me that during the night there had been a masive leak and it had brought-down the ceiling in the flat below.

Investigations showed a 22 x 15 x 22 tee had failed catastrophically.

Speedfit offered to replace the fitting Free of Charge.

I have been very wary of ALL plastic pipe and push fit fittings ever since.

 

[jonwade]

Re: how not to wire your extension

Just spoke to my friend who is a plumber. He has seen it and agreed to come around and do it all properly - chasing through the walls etc.

Paying him myself if I have to. Head thumping, but feeling slightly happier. Will now tell the builder not to come and fix today.

 

[telectrix]

Re: how not to wire your extension

Speedfit offered to replace the fitting Free of Charge.

WOW. a fitting costing a couple of quid compared with the hundreds to repair the damage. i'd have sued the arse off them.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Re: how not to wire your extension

Speedfit offered to replace the fitting Free of Charge.

WOW. a fitting costing a couple of quid compared with the hundreds to repair the damage. i'd have sued the arse off them.

I would too.

At the time I was working for a builder, so it was his problem.

 

[jonwade]

Re: how not to wire your extension

I was just chatting to a friend about this, as my plumbing pal said last night he had been on new build sites 6 months old to repair leaks in screed due to plastic fittings. The thing is - if you have some building work done and there is a leak 6 months or a year later, who do you call? Your builder or a local plumber? I bet most people just call the plumber and the builder never gets the feedback that the push fit stuff keeps failing.

I am feeling so much happier. And thanks to this forum for raising the issues. Buying the domain to blog my extension may have been the best investment I made so far!

 

[Geordie Spark]

Re: how not to wire your extension

I was just chatting to a friend about this, as my plumbing pal said last night he had been on new build sites 6 months old to repair leaks in screed due to plastic fittings. The thing is - if you have some building work done and there is a leak 6 months or a year later, who do you call? Your builder or a local plumber? I bet most people just call the plumber and the builder never gets the feedback that the push fit stuff keeps failing.

I am feeling so much happier. And thanks to this forum for raising the issues. Buying the domain to blog my extension may have been the best investment I made so far!

Well after the debacle with the failed Speedfit fitting, I tried some more "upmarket brands and had a couple of problems with those too.

I didn't have any problems with the pipe, just the fittings, so from then on IF I needed to use plastic pipe I used it with conventional compression fittings and the pipe manufacturers pipe inserts and all was good.

I never like (d) using plastic pipe where it could be seen - always use (d) copper there - but where the pipe isn't seen, or where it would be a struggle to fit copper, then I think plastic pipe has its place and uses - just DON'T use it for gas !!!

 

[jonwade]

Re: how not to wire your extension

Something I did not mention (I get enough flak already!) was that last night we noticed a small leak where the copper pipes fits into the fitting to connect with the original radiator pipes. The builder came round and pushed it in further - said it just had not been pushed in enough. Made be wonder (again) how reliable the push fits are.

A few days ago I knew absolutely nothing about plumbing (or electrics) and now feel like I know slightly more than nothing (which is a lot of information in my head).

Updated my blog, Day 29. Wrote a little about the plumbing experience and posted a photo of the current pipes which are going to be replaced.

Building on hold for now.

 

[jonwade]

Re: how not to wire your extension

If you have opinions on where radiator pipes are run, maybe comment here: Your thoughts on running radiator pipes along a wall - Plumbing Forum

if you are also a member. I was going to ask here but then saw the message to ask plumbing questions on the plumbing forum.

 

[Sparkysoldman]

Re: how not to wire your extension

Why oh why are you pussyfooting around this builder I've never heard anything so ridiculess as paying somebody to correct his work before he has even finished. Get rid of the cowboy and get somebody who knows what they are doing. Ie a builder a plumber and an electrician. Not a jack of all trades who actually appears to know sod all about any of the trades.
kick him out and don't pay him !!!!! Keep all the photos and he will get laughed out of court if he's got the nerve to take that route!!!

 

[trev]

Re: how not to wire your extension

If you have opinions on where radiator pipes are run, maybe comment here: Your thoughts on running radiator pipes along a wall - Plumbing Forum

if you are also a member. I was going to ask here but then saw the message to ask plumbing questions on the plumbing forum.

In this instance I doubt anyone would object to you asking Geordie a plumbing related question

 

[telectrix]

Re: how not to wire your extension

he'll get a lot more sense out of geordie than he'll ever get on a wet-pants forum.

 

[telectrix]

Re: how not to wire your extension

If you have opinions on where radiator pipes are run, maybe comment here: Your thoughts on running radiator pipes along a wall - Plumbing Forum

if you are also a member. I was going to ask here but then saw the message to ask plumbing questions on the plumbing forum.

builders build, plumbers plumb, sparks do electrics. getting a builder to do all 3 is like asking capt. edward smith to navigate. OH, i see he did.


View attachment 20346View attachment 20346

 

[trev]

Re: how not to wire your extension

To be fair Tel he did ok for most of it, it was just the last few miles he had a problem with.

 

[telectrix]

Re: how not to wire your extension

his problem was steering. he turned to port to try and avoid. if he'd gone to starboard and hit head on, titanic would not have sunk.

 

[Des 56]

Re: how not to wire your extension

his problem was steering. he turned to port to try and avoid. if he'd gone to starboard and hit head on, titanic would not have sunk.

Tel,Im not sure where you got that duff information

Had he hit the berg head on,it most certainly would have caused a tragedy
That girl standing on the rail would have been the worlds first cryogenic patient