dodgy plumbing?

message from Derek on 11 May 2004

Hi all,

I was up in the attic last night (as you do!) and I noticed that my rising
main was connected to my water tank by the plumber pushing the hydrodare
pipe 2' over the end of a 1/2' copper pipe. Is this proper/usual practice?

It is a 3 year old house with a good strong mains pressure - is there some
sort of compression fitting for this job? should I alert the 7 neighbours
that had the same plumber?

Thanks for any advice.

Derek.

BigWallop replied to Derek on 11 May 2004

Are you sure that the Hydrodare isn't just lagging around 15mm copper pipe ? As far
as I know, Hydrodare, especially at that diameter (2'') is soft lagging and not
actually water carrying pipework.

Derek replied to BigWallop on 11 May 2004

Hi,

Positive, sorry it was not that clear from the mail the hydrodare is
pushed 2 inches onto the end of the copper pipe (not 2 inch hydrodare
diameger). No the copper makes the hydrodare stiff where it is pushed over
- there is a noticable buldge in the hydrodare where it stops and then it
is "bendy" heading down towards the kitchen sink. I think this is
hydrodare, just a black plastic water carrying pipe with blue text.

Thanks,

Derek.

BigWallop replied to Derek on 11 May 2004

<<snipped>>

Then you should warn your neighbours. :-)) The only thing I can think of is that the
plumbing is buried in a wall cavity and hydrodare is being used as a protective
barrier for copper pipe inside it. Normal water carrying pipework is normally done in
thick wall blue coloured polypropylene pipe for mains use. But I could be totally
wrong. Hydrodare pipe is normally very rigid and is used as protection for cables and
/ or pipes as they pass through concrete or brickwork.

Ed Sirett replied to BigWallop on 11 May 2004

I'm unfamiliar with the term hydrodare is this the same as the black
plastic pipe favoured in the 60s/70s? for mains water?

I don't think this is the same as the black plastic water pipe favoured in
the 60s&70s. As that stuuf is nominal 1/2" ID.
What you have sounds much more like a 'hose'.

If this were my own house I would probably stick a jubilee clip on the
join and put foam lagging (aka donkey dong) on and forget it.

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