From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y


I recently watched a YT video on a new kind of push fit fitting. The
presenter made a statement that on new builds now all pipework should not involve hot work ie soldering, he went on to say plastic only. Is this
correct, can you not use copper even with mechanically fixed fittings such
as compression fittings, crimp fittings and what are called in the USA as sharkbite fittings?

Are push fit now that good? I must admit having had a few bad experiences
with early versions of push fit so tend to use copper and solder whenever possible.

Richard

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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 19/09/2026 09:48, Tricky Dicky wrote:

I recently watched a YT video on a new kind of push fit fitting. The presenter made a statement that on new builds now all pipework should not involve hot work ie soldering, he went on to say plastic only. Is this correct, can you not use copper even with mechanically fixed fittings such
as compression fittings, crimp fittings and what are called in the USA as sharkbite fittings?

The plumber my daughter employed for installing central heating and reversing the hot water flow used copper pipes and copper pushfit, with occasional soldering.

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Nick Finnigan <nix@genie.co.uk> wrote:

On 19/09/2026 09:48, Tricky Dicky wrote:

I recently watched a YT video on a new kind of push fit fitting. The presenter made a statement that on new builds now all pipework should not involve hot work ie soldering, he went on to say plastic only. Is this correct, can you not use copper even with mechanically fixed fittings such as compression fittings, crimp fittings and what are called in the USA as sharkbite fittings?

I expect they use pushfit because it's quicker. There may also be a ban on
hot work on site to reduce paperwork, especially where stud walls are
involved.

The plumber my daughter employed for installing central heating and reversing the hot water flow used copper pipes and copper pushfit, with occasional soldering.

There's also copper pressfit. About as quick as pushfit but more compact in boiler rooms etc. Also in larger sizes (28mm etc) pushfit gets expensive.

Theo
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Tricky Dicky wrote:

I recently watched a YT video on a new kind of push fit fitting. The presenter made a statement that on new builds now all pipework should not involve hot work ie soldering, he went on to say plastic only. Is this correct

No; if it's your build. do what you like. But I dare say some building
sites insist on no "hot works" for RAMS/insurance reasons ...

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On 19 Sep 2026 at 10:39:43 BST, Theo wrote:

Nick Finnigan <nix@genie.co.uk> wrote:

On 19/09/2026 09:48, Tricky Dicky wrote:

I recently watched a YT video on a new kind of push fit fitting. The
presenter made a statement that on new builds now all pipework should not >>> involve hot work ie soldering, he went on to say plastic only. Is this
correct, can you not use copper even with mechanically fixed fittings such >>> as compression fittings, crimp fittings and what are called in the USA as >>> sharkbite fittings?

I expect they use pushfit because it's quicker. There may also be a ban on hot work on site to reduce paperwork, especially where stud walls are involved.

The plumber my daughter employed for installing central heating and
reversing the hot water flow used copper pipes and copper pushfit, with
occasional soldering.

I've used a few copper pushfit at radiator valve elbows, mainly for appearance as they're on show. Seem unlikely but so far they've held.

There's also copper pressfit. About as quick as pushfit but more compact in boiler rooms etc. Also in larger sizes (28mm etc) pushfit gets expensive.

They look good but IIUC they do need an expensive tool (-u1000+) for installation, and a fair bit of space around the fitting to use it.

That said, if I could solder I would. Looks better, cheaper, and at least
seems as if it would be more reliable than push or press fit.
--
Cheers, Rob
Sheffield, UK
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RJH <patchmoney@gmx.com> wrote:

On 19 Sep 2026 at 10:39:43 BST, Theo wrote:

I've used a few copper pushfit at radiator valve elbows, mainly for appearance
as they're on show. Seem unlikely but so far they've held.

They have a long rated life like 50 years.

There's also copper pressfit. About as quick as pushfit but more compact in boiler rooms etc. Also in larger sizes (28mm etc) pushfit gets expensive.

They look good but IIUC they do need an expensive tool (-u1000+) for installation, and a fair bit of space around the fitting to use it.

There are manual pressfit tools, basically a hand pumped hydraulic press,
for ~-u50 on Aliexpress, and battery ones for ~-u300. But you do need the space for access. For a pro on a building site pressfit is quicker, the
space is often still open (no plasterboard yet) and the official tool price
is not a problem.

If you're fixing a central heating pipe under the floorboards, hot work is
more risky. Then other methods are more attractive.

That said, if I could solder I would. Looks better, cheaper, and at least seems as if it would be more reliable than push or press fit.

The other thing about solder is things need to be perfectly dry. In a new build they are, but in a DIY scenario it may be more annoying to achieve.

I've been working on some 50 year old soldered copper this week. The copper looks sound, the solder joints have oxidised to a manky green, but otherwise
it appears to be in good order. I'm not sure whether I'd trust the EPDM
seals in push/pressfit to be good at that point - and 'tear apart the
bathroom to get at the leaking joint' is not a nice thing to have to do at
any age. Even if you redo the bathroom more frequently, are you going to be remaking every single joint?

If not soldered, compression at least has metal to metal contact so there should be no dependence on a rubber seal.

(To avoid hot work inside, I've been assembling and soldering my pipework outside and then compression-fitting it to the existing pipes. That way I
have only a handful of compression joints and the rest is soldered. Solder ring fittings plus a dab of extra solder for insurance purposes.)

Theo
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On 19/09/2026 09:48, Tricky Dicky wrote:

I recently watched a YT video on a new kind of push fit fitting. The presenter made a statement that on new builds now all pipework should not involve hot work ie soldering, he went on to say plastic only.

On low end house builds it will be plastic, as it is cheap, easy to do,
can be ran in non-straight lines and pretty much idiot proof
connections. It is shite.
On better quality new builds, it will be crimped copper connections. Far better quality, far more expensive, and look better.
Yes, gas torches have been banned from many sites now. It's mainly
insurance based, my own liability insurance forbids the use of heat
guns/gas torches in a premises. Even grinders are now banned inside on
many sites.
The only people using soldered pipe connections now are small companies
who are stuck in their ways, and their insurance still allows gas
torches for soldering. The way forward is definitely crimped copper, and
yes, it can be used for gas.
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From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 19/09/2026 09:48, Tricky Dicky wrote:

I recently watched a YT video on a new kind of push fit fitting. The presenter made a statement that on new builds now all pipework should not involve hot work ie soldering, he went on to say plastic only. Is this correct, can you not use copper even with mechanically fixed fittings such
as compression fittings, crimp fittings and what are called in the USA as sharkbite fittings?

Are push fit now that good? I must admit having had a few bad experiences with early versions of push fit so tend to use copper and solder whenever possible.

Richard

A plumber I was getting quotes from says he has moved to "multilayer
composite pipe (MLCP) " from normal PEX as a result of working on new
builds.
Sounds good stuff but I would suspect diy modifications or even work by another plumber on it later may be problematic as non-standard ?
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I've been working on some 50 year old soldered copper this week. The copper looks sound, the solder joints have oxidised to a manky green, but otherwise it appears to be in good order. I'm not sure whether I'd trust the EPDM seals in push/pressfit to be good at that point - and 'tear apart the bathroom to get at the leaking joint' is not a nice thing to have to do at any age. Even if you redo the bathroom more frequently, are you going to be remaking every single joint?

I believe the "manky green oxide" might be caused by the residue from
the flux not being cleaned off ?

(not that its of any practical use whatever :-\ )
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Abandoned Trolley <that.bloke@microsoft.com> wrote:

I've been working on some 50 year old soldered copper this week. The copper
looks sound, the solder joints have oxidised to a manky green, but otherwise
it appears to be in good order. I'm not sure whether I'd trust the EPDM seals in push/pressfit to be good at that point - and 'tear apart the bathroom to get at the leaking joint' is not a nice thing to have to do at any age. Even if you redo the bathroom more frequently, are you going to be
remaking every single joint?

I believe the "manky green oxide" might be caused by the residue from
the flux not being cleaned off ?

(not that its of any practical use whatever :-\ )

Possibly, or maybe a reaction product of tin and/or copper in the presence
of water? (mains water feed so naturally colder than ambient and attracts condensation)

I should clean it up, but I imagine whatever acidic properties it once had
have gone over the past 50 years.

Theo
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I should clean it up, but I imagine whatever acidic properties it once had have gone over the past 50 years.

As I said .... of any practical use whatever
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On 20/09/2026 14:21, Abandoned Trolley wrote:

I've been working on some 50 year old soldered copper this week.-a The
copper
looks sound, the solder joints have oxidised to a manky green, but
otherwise
it appears to be in good order.-a I'm not sure whether I'd trust the EPDM
seals in push/pressfit to be good at that point - and 'tear apart the
bathroom to get at the leaking joint' is not a nice thing to have to
do at
any age.-a Even if you redo the bathroom more frequently, are you going
to be
remaking every single joint?

I believe the "manky green oxide" might be caused by the residue from
the flux not being cleaned off ?

Yes. Its something like copper carbonate.

(not that its of any practical use whatever :-\ )

Nope.
--
"It was a lot more fun being 20 in the 70's that it is being 70 in the 20's" Joew Walsh

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