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Plumbers and builders are increasingly seeing more and more plastic appearing on plumbing outlet shelves and in building sites. Why are many installers adopting plastic push-fit plumbing systems over traditional brass, steel and copper alternatives?

The catalyst for this trend began with the advent of highly engineered plastics. These high specification materials made the manufacturing process far more efficient and precise, and the installation that much simpler. Plastic fittings can now be made to meet exact operating parameters, tube sizes and common space restrictions. Large, highly detailed multiple-impression mold tools enable high production volumes while ensuring zero defect process control meaning leak proof connections when installed properly.

Steel, copper and brass are today still used for water purification and fluid handling systems. However, there are some significant drawbacks to their use. Stainless steel meets most requirements but is expensive, heavy to handle and limited to threaded or barbed connections. Copper is less expensive, except when raw material prices jump, but it requires soldering which isn’t always ideal in terms of safety concerns. It is also vulnerable to harsh or aggressive water. With the implementation of lead-free laws in California and Vermont, use of brass for wetted surfaces in plumbing has become problematic, and new lead-free or low-lead products are needed as replacements.

Plastic systems offer real alternatives to some of the above issues. They of course do not have lead issues and considering other states are likely to pass similar lead laws in the years ahead, it should prove an important feature. The discussed evolution of plastics has allowed significant changes in the methods used to connect tubing, pipe or hose to a fitting. Many household water purification systems are now manufactured largely with molded plastic systems which includes the interconnecting tubing. Plastic fittings, valves and tubing are also commonly used today to connect hot and cold water sources to faucets and fixtures in many homes across the States.

Push-fit fittings, which John Guest helped pioneer and still today lead in their development, have rendered realignment issues a thing of the past. At first, installers were sceptical that something so simple in design and application would work reliably. However, installers quickly discovered how easy they are to work with and how consistently reliable they prove to be.

While JG Speedfit push-in fittings require complex engineering design, they are simple to understand and certainly to use. The fittings depend upon a collet, with stainless steel teeth to grip the pipe, and an ‘O’ Ring, EPDM grade, which forms a firm seal on the tube OD. Multiplicities of different fitting configurations are available for a wide variety of plumbing needs. The JG Speedfit system requires no tools other than a pipe cutter which makes installation simple and far quicker than traditional connection types. Should disconnection of the pipe be required after the joint has been made, simply unlock the nut (if using twist and lock fittings) and push the collet towards the body of the fitting to release.

We are very excited about the increasing acceptance of the JG Speedfit plastic plumbing system. 2010 marks 25 years of John Guest selling push-fit fittings into the United States, we are positive the next 25 years will prove very interesting indeed for the plastics market!

For another take on this story - take a look at the below article:

"Engineered plastic fittings making connection across US"