D Yuniskis wibbled on Wednesday 27 January 2010 17:31
No - we do parallel feeds for each rad (flow+return). Usually in 8/10/15mm dropped off a main run of 22mm copper or plastic. So yes, each rad will have a valve at one end (old=flow control, new=thermostatic) and a flow balancing valve at the other end.
I'm likely to dispense with the valve at the rad and stick it where the flow for that rad tees off the main 22mm circuit.
Indeed. I used some proper "dunnies" (wooden hut and box) outside in Latvia when I toured there. Not bad in summer. Wouldn't fancy it at 0F!
Ditto.
Yep. It's fine but not *that* mechanically strong. Fine inside, wouldn't put it in front of a doorstep (though I met a registered gas fitter who wanted to).
You can use iron, but no one can be arsed with that now, except the gas companies for the last leg into the house, especially where it's likely to get a good kicking, eg in the garage.
Can't use plastic for gas, except in the road (that's standard now for the gas company).
There is a new thing called TracPipe which is some sort of light corrugated steel inside a plastic tube which can be hand bend minimising the number of joints needed.
For water, most people use plastic. For what it is, it's actually very good. Works at 10 bar (less for hot), push fit demountable fittings that are compatible with copper and it's incredibly fast to install so all the plumbers default to it. I've used it for temporary lash ups. Mice can eat it though. So for proper work, I still prefer soldered or compression fittings on copper. Little longer to do, should last decades. Again, no one uses iron any more except industrial, though there's plenty still in use, as well as lead.