Pipes, Fittings & Valves Why it’s a good time to make the switch to multilayer pipework

Multilayer composite pipe offers an alternative to copper and plastic pipework, consisting of an aluminium core and a flexible polyethylene outer case – available in both straight lengths and coils. Matt Denham from Frankische explains why it represents an ideal solution for many heating and plumbing installations.

Installers have been enjoying the benefits of multi-layer composite pipes (MLCP) for decades. However, despite their numerous disadvantages, copper pipes and plastic pipes are still the most commonly installed pipe in the UK by far.

Many installers have often thought about making the switch to MLCP, but for one reason or another have continued to put off making the decision. However, due to the astronomical increase in copper prices over the past few years, this decision is now higher up the priority list.

Best of both

MLC pipe combines the advantages of both plastic and metal pipes, while also eliminating the disadvantages of both.

One major disadvantage of metal pipes at the moment is their wild price fluctuations.

Manufacturers and merchants seem to be increasing their prices on an almost weekly basis, often mirroring the equally dramatic increases in the price of

Matt Denham Sales director at Frankische UK

copper (which has risen almost 100% since 2020).

While making you even less competitive than someone who is pricing the job based on using MLCP, the real issue is that you cannot confidently tender for a job knowing that the material price could realistically be 20% higher next month. This will either destroy your margin or make your pricing uncompetitive, or possibly both!

In comparison, a typical MLCP install costs approximately 50% that of an equivalent copper install. And that’s not taking into account any time and labour savings by pressing if you are still soldering. Prices are also far more stable in comparison.

Composite solution

Multi-layer composite pipes are made of a 100% oxygen tight aluminium core that is sandwiched between two layers of plastic. By combining these two materials you create a composite pipe that is perfect for the vast majority of plumbing and heating applications, including secondary hot water return circuits.

The smooth hygienic inner plastic layer ensures that incrustation build-up and limescale are a thing of the past, even in hard water areas. The plastic layer also makes the pipes worthless at the scrap yard, meaning installers can confidently complete installations on unsecured building sites without risk of metal thieves, a problem that will only worsen as the price of metals continues to skyrocket. The aluminium core serves to ensure the pipe remains 100% oxygen tight, even at continuous temperatures of 95°C at a pressure of 10 bar. Thermal expansion is significantly lowered too, almost the same as copper pipe, which cannot be said of plastic pipes. Thermal expansion can be a real issue when unsecure push-fittings are used (as is the case with the vast majority of plastic pipe installations in the UK).

Neat and tidy

While MLCP can be easily bent, all dimensions from 16 - 75mm are available in rigid straight lengths. This results in plant room installations looking very neat and tidy, something that again cannot be said about plastic pipes. This might seem like a trivial point, but I think that most installers like to take pride in their work.

Admittedly, I must concede that a freshly installed polished copper installation can look like a work of art, especially with a nice Instagram fi lter! However, in the real world, these installations will all be lagged with insulation and hidden from view.

This is probably a good time to mention that coils of MLCP (16 - 32mm) can be supplied pre-insulated with varying thicknesses of insulation, even more important now that the Part L requires all heating pipework to be lagged within a property.

So, can your business afford to postpone the switch to MLCP any longer?

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