HELP! Is this normal practice for plumbing in a shower?

[Sarah Rose]

Hi just wanted some advice as to what to do. I'm sure there are some excellent plumbers out there and I just wanted to ask if the plumbing for my power shower looks ok? I think it needs to be supported better not just by random bricks found in my loft! Should the corner joints be lagged too?advice please i have put the photos below

 

[Aire]

Would like to see the tank to see if there is enough water inside to cope with the shower demand.

Good point, those showers come with a 5 year guarantee and if the tank isn't big enough, aqualisa will void it.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Good point, those showers come with a 5 year guarantee and if the tank isn't big enough, aqualisa will void it.

Didn’t realise it was an Aqualisa. Yep need all that sorting. I would say £300.00 is cheap but not for that standard and definitely need to see the tank.

 

[Ben-gee]

Where has he taken the hot feed from? This should’ve a dedicated feed too, from cylinder either via flange or first tee off at a point well below top of cylinder. If he has done all of this correctly then the pump will be ok and the guarantee honoured. However all the pipework needs to be clipped for this installation.
Price seems about right, can’t really comment as depends on distances/access. I usually spend £60/£70 on materials and it takes 1/2 to 1 day depending on site. I use copper throughout usually, but in thatched would use plastic too.(but ditch plastic would not use as many elbows, just use pipe from coil- that’s the point of it, one piece no joints....

 

[Sarah Rose]

Good point, those showers come with a 5 year guarantee and if the tank isn't big enough, aqualisa will void it.

How big does the tank have to be?

 

[Ben-gee]

50 gal (227 litres)

 

[Harvest Fields]

50 gal (227 litres)

Normally that is the minimum.

 

[Ben-gee]

Those aqualisa only got small pump (1.5 bar at most I think) . Used to be 16l/m but I think the new ones are 12.
Personally I always put them on the “eco “ mode, which I seem to remember is 10l/m; no one has ever commented that it’s not a good enough shower and I can feel do-goody.
Obviously it depends on replenishment rate, but I usually work on 50 gal per pumped shower (if likely to be used at same time).

 

[S.P.S.]

As has been said, job is rough/note done correctly, despite this, it will work fine, which unfortunatly is what us proper, work proud, by the book, plumbers are up against

As mentioned above,

£300 all being told, is probably about right, if a little cheap for the job as a whole (done to a high standard!!) just be aware of the guarantee compliance....

It just needs clipping and lagging.
Nothing inherently wrong with the speedfit elbows being used, just makes for difficult lagging and a rough looking job. They are fit for purpose by definition. Pulled bends/tectite sprint would have been a better off the shelf option if your “plumber” couldn’t bend/pressfit.

On a separate note, Get some loft insulation?!

Stu

 

[Burger]

That’s why they have press fit

And pipe benders

 

[Welder]

To be honest, the £300 you paid the plumber is the least of your worries. You are currently setting fire to £50 notes every single day of your life in that house with no insulation. The fact the elbows are not lagged is utterly irrelevant as the heat escaping into the loft will keep it frost free for eternity.

It looks to me like someone has done the best job they can for the price that won the job. I'd not bash the plumber till I'd heard their side of the tale.

 

[Aire]

Wouldn't the thatched roof be sufficient insulation?

 

[Welder]

Wouldn't the thatched roof be sufficient insulation?

I wouldn't have thought so. The roof needs to breath so that would let huge amounts of heat out. As the roof deteriorates, its insulative performance degrades too.

 

[Harvest Fields]

To be honest, the £300 you paid the plumber is the least of your worries. You are currently setting fire to £50 notes every single day of your life in that house with no insulation. The fact the elbows are not lagged is utterly irrelevant as the heat escaping into the loft will keep it frost free for eternity.

It looks to me like someone has done the best job they can for the price that won the job. I'd not bash the plumber till I'd heard their side of the tale.

Bit OTT isn’t it Dave. The £50 notes every day comment I mean

 

[Welder]

Bit OTT isn’t it Dave. The £50 notes every day comment I mean

It's a similie Wayne The point is to encourage OP to prioritise ...

 

[Harvest Fields]

It's a similie Wayne The point is to encourage OP to prioritise .

A similie? Oh yeah, my 9 year old is teaching me about them at the minute. Like, as strong as an Ox.

 

[Welder]

A similie? Oh yeah, my 9 year old is teaching me about them at the minute. Like, as strong as an Ox.

Or as untidy as a Sparks

 

[Harvest Fields]

Or as untidy as a Sparks

I like that one.

 

[Stu-B]

Is the lagging fire resistant/retardant (or whatever) ? Looks to me as though the wiring is that old school orange pyro stuff and it’s red modern equivalent due to the thatched roof.

 

[Welder]

You're right there's some pyro but most is PVC TW&E so someone has worked on it on the cheap for sure.

The lagging is std polyethelene so about as fire retardant as a can of 4star petrol!

 

[richard978]

Thatched roof?
I would do any hot works up there

Yes my thoughts, nothing wrong with plastic at all and in those circumstances it's one of two options. Crimped or plastic.

You would be a fool to do hot working up there. Do not solder up there you will void your insurance


It needs clips because of the vibrations from the pump could make excessive noise. Remember these are oak joists and you can't screw into them, oak eats metal and hard as concrete when it's old. Better to fix ply below and fix pipe etc to the ply.

Insulation required but I doubt that loft gets cold because of the thatched roof

 

[Ben Slade]

Or stainless steel screws resist the acid given off by oak. Marine quality ones are the best being an ex Marine myself you gotta go with what you know