copper vs qualplex

L

looper

Registered User
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Hi all,

What are the benefits of using copper compared to qualplex. what are the pros and cons of both?
re plumbing a house and looking at having a sealed system for heating rads. And a stainless steel cyclinder ; pressurre system for water etc with 3 heating zones.
any advice welcome
 
I am no expert but I would see pro's and cons as follows:

Qualpex:
1. Easy to work with.
2. Faster to install.
3. Not as astethically pleasing as copper.
4. Less expensive than copper.
5. May retain heat better in line (as it is less conductive than copper)
6. Comes in long rolls so less joints required under the floor (less possible leaks).
7. No bending machinery needed.

Copper:
1. Expensive.
2. Stronger (will withstand more abuse - possibly).
3. Slower to work with.
4. Looks better.
5. More joints due to restriction on lengths of copper available.

A good mix is as follows:
Qualpex underfloor and use copper 'risers' to rads when the pipe comes above floor level. It looks good and is still pretty fast to install.


J.
 
thanks jildy,

It would seem that qualplex is the way forward the labour cost and material cost is less the less chance of leaks due to less joint( less insurance claims down the line .possibly of course)it sounds like a no brainer. As my house is all timber frame you would only have to drill holes in joists etc to pull the qualplex.
 
looper said:
thanks jildy,

It would seem that qualplex is the way forward the labour cost and material cost is less the less chance of leaks due to less joint( less insurance claims down the line .possibly of course)it sounds like a no brainer. As my house is all timber frame you would only have to drill holes in joists etc to pull the qualplex.
Click to expand...


All advice here is good.

Qualplex is great for pulling through drilled holes, joists should not be notched. If you were to use copper you would need to drill holes perfectly stairght and knock a hole out of wall to feed pipes through....not likely, I hear you say.

As said already you could use copper legs/risers to radiators, but it you want no fittings below floor level, you could run into rad in qual and through a white or different coloured sleeve/conduit.

Qualplex should never be run where it is exposed. When it heats it sags and buckles, very unsightly.
No qualplex should be used in hot press or around boiler, for above reason and plastic pipe should not be used within a metre of the boiler for spec requirement.
 
Remember that copper is tried and tested over years and years.

Qaulplex has advantages, but personally I don’t believe its impossible for the qaulplex washers to perish over long periods time, e.g. will they last 30 years without perishing in pipes that can be located in very inaccessible places. Lets wait and see.

Depends if its going to be you're own house or not, and how long you plan being there.
 
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