| Lead and stainless steel pipe | | | | curves. |
| New copper pipe can be joined to lead pipe by using | | | | Hunter Genova pipe cannot be bent around curves |
| special compression fit¬tings; making a proper | | | | and needs a hacksaw or pipe cutter to cut it. It is |
| 'wiped' soldered joint is a job probably best left to a | | | | joined with special fittings using solvent-weld cement. |
| quali¬fied plumber. If your house contains much lead | | | | Although these are cheap and fairly easy to use, |
| pipe, consider stripping it all out and having a joint | | | | adequate ventilation is vital as the cement gives off |
| made near the main stopcock in the house - this will | | | | strong fumes and the joint needs to be left before |
| make it easier to carry out future work. | | | | the pipe is used. |
| Stainless steel was used in the 1970s for central | | | | For running pipes outside, medium-density polythene |
| heating system when copper was expensive. Sizes | | | | pipe (coloured blue) is used. This is joined with special |
| of stainless-steel pipe are the same as copper 15mm, | | | | brass compression fittings avoid having any joints |
| 22mm and 28mm. It can be cut with a hacksaw or | | | | under ground. |
| pipe cutting tool and bent with a bending machine. It | | | | Buying hints |
| is easier to make joints in stainless-steel pipe with | | | | When buying your plumbing goods: |
| compression fit¬tings rather than with capillary | | | | • decide on the material |
| fittings. | | | | Nowadays, cop¬per is the natural choice, but for |
| Plastic pipe | | | | large jobs plastics could work out cheaper. |
| There are three types of plastic pipe avail¬able for | | | | Con¬sider using flexible plastic pipe for long twisting |
| use as hot and cold water pipes inside houses: | | | | runs inside houses |
| • flexible polybutylene ('Acorn') | | | | • plan the system |
| • semi-flexible cross-linked polyethylene ('Pipex') | | | | Always plan to use the fewest fittings and try to |
| • rigid CPVC ("Hunter Genova'). | | | | stick to simple couplers and tees |
| Pipex and Hunter Genova come in lengths of 2m and | | | | • shop around for prices |
| 3m; Acorn also comes in much longer rolls, which | | | | List the materials you need and try a number of |
| makes it cheaper to use as fittings can often be | | | | do-it-yourself superstores prices can vary a lot. For |
| dis¬pensed with on long runs. | | | | more unusual fittings, you may need to go to a |
| Both Acorn and Pipex can be cut with a sharp knife | | | | plumbers' merchants |
| or a special secateur-type cutter; they are joined | | | | • buy in bulk |
| either with plastic push-fit fittings (expensive) or by | | | | Many plumbing fittings (tees or straight couplings, for |
| using normal compression fittings with a metal insert | | | | example) are often much cheaper if bought in packs |
| to support the pipe. Both can be bent around gentle | | | | of 10 or 20. |