Please help the clueless

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hotrocks68

Hi everyone.....looking for advice please,

Currently over in Poland.Need some work done to a flat and had some quotes/advice.Anyway,had to wait until the heating was switched off in the city because the hot water to heat the whole block of flats runs from the city.Therefore all the residents are connected to the main pipes running through the flats.Anyway we are having new rads and the old pipes are being changed and refitted in the walls(plastered over),instead of being on the outside.The existing pipes are steel.We have been advised to use some type of aluminium and plastic pipe,some system which is apparently better than copper.The original pipes are welded but these new pipes will be connected with what i assume to be compression fittings.My question is,are these safe to be buried in the walls,are they stronger than solder.Any advice appreciated.
 
I have heard people say never bury a compression fitting as you will have trouble with it in the future maybe someone will clarify,

If you are really worried about it why dont you get whoever is doing the work to put gate valves where you heating pipes come in then if you ever need any work done you can shut it off your self easy as pie.
 
mrlennie said:
I have heard people say never bury a compression fitting as you will have trouble with it in the future maybe someone will clarify,

If you are really worried about it why dont you get whoever is doing the work to put gate valves where you heating pipes come in then if you ever need any work done you can shut it off your self easy as pie.
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Hi Lennie,

There are 6 rooms each with a radiator.The pipes come through the floor from the resident below and go through the ceiling to the resident above.There are 6 floors.So if we put gate valves in it would mean the residents above would get no hot water should we shut it off.That would cause problems,which was why here the administration in charge of the flats has to drain the water out the whole heating system which only happens during the summer when the heating is actually off.I know it seems odd,but thats what happens here and therefore residents change the old rads during the summer.
Thanks for the advice on the compression valves,i did wonder if they would ever need to be tightened although the pipes that the plumbers here which to use(aluminium and plastic)cant be welded so they would need to use copper pipes.They are for some reason reluctant to use copper pipes and welding.I can understnad different places use different materials and systems but i just want to be sure its a safe system.
Thanks anyway.
 
although there are main pipes running from the floor below and up to the floor above, there must be a point where your radiators tee off of those main runs, it seems stupid to me not to have some sort of isolation for each flat, in case of emergency 😎
 
emerald said:
although there are main pipes running from the floor below and up to the floor above, there must be a point where your radiators tee off of those main runs, it seems stupid to me not to have some sort of isolation for each flat, in case of emergency 😎
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Hi Emerald,

yes but its the main pipes also that are going to be changed just above floor level and just under the ceilings,thus the new pipes being 'plastered' over.Each pipe running to a rad could have a valve but its the 'floor' and 'ceiling' joints which will have compression joints and run from below and to above.A leak from the main pipe would be a disaster as the water comes from the city during the winter.Despite what the Polish plumbers are saying,i just 'feel' that welded copper pipes would be safer.
 
The aluminium / plastic pipe will be a multilayer composite similar to unipipe, google it. The fittings will be press. It's good stuff.
 
If your really worried about getting a leak, plumbers can freeze the pipes now which eliminates the need for draining off. All systems have problems so don't worry about it.
 
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