JG Speedfit’s Nigel Sanger asks are you cooped up with copper, or freed up with flexi?
It’s a place we’ve all been. Usually behind a solid appliance or in a dark and cramped under-sink cupboard with no room to swing a spanner, let alone a cat. The pipework’s like a metal spaghetti tangle, and everything’s just out of reach.
You see it and your heart sinks. A job that should take minutes ends up taking exponentially longer – taking our hopes of an early finish with it. A survey by WaterSafe shows that over half of the UK’s plumbers work over 48 hours a week. When I read this, I wondered how much of that extra time was down to these complicated second-fix installations? More to the point, how much was spent cooped up with copper pipework?
Working with copper
It might be the industry standard, but let’s face it, copper can be difficult to work with, especially in those all too common confided spaces. Everything has to be so precise – the measurements, the cutting and bending, the soldering and the seal. Then there’s the risk of fumes, and even of fire (not to mention the hassle of gaining a hot works permit).
There are all the other hazards too, like banging your head and elbows and dropping tools into places your fingers can’t get. And at the end of it, what? We cover everything up to make sure it’s all out of sight and go on our way – late, and with bruised elbows and knuckles as thanks.
The fact is, copper is very inflexible. It’s ironic then, that to work with it we have to acquire the flexibility of a yoga practitioner. Luckily, there’s another answer with flexibility at its core. But this time, it’s the pipework that does all the bending.
Time-saving and flexible
With JG Speedfit’s push-fit flexi hose, the clue’s all in the name. They’re flexible and can be quickly and easily bent into shape without compromising the quality of the fit. And they create a reliable seal with one easy push. On average, using a flexi hose can save up to 40 per cent time on installation and save installers from all the misery.
While a flexi hose performs perfectly in all applications, it comes into its own when things get a little cramped for space. There’s no need for taking precise measurements – the hose does the work. There’s no soldering either, of course. In fact, there’s hardly any need for specialist tools at all.
As for performance, flexible connections have other key benefits, including helping minimise vibration and water hammer issues that are common with rigid pipework. They also eliminate noises made by expanding copper pipes when taps switch from off to full flow and back, so everyone wins.
Finally, they are a lot easier to hide under fixtures such as sinks, basins and baths, and behind appliances. With quick and easy push-fit connections installers tends to be a lot happier and the pipes a lot quieter.
With nearly 50 different combinations of size, end connections and lengths, JG Speedfit offers an unrivalled range of flexi hose, giving you literally the flexibility you need, whatever the job – hot water or cold.
For added ease, the range even includes flexi-hoses with built in service valves for water isolation. They’re available in both braided metal and white PVC, which is especially easy to clean.
So, they’re neat, clean and easy to install, and help you achieve a professional finish. Just as importantly, they help you save precious time for all those other things you could be doing with your life. When push comes to shove, flexi hose equates to flexi-time. What’s not to like?