Product Spotlight

How to simplify the pipe mesh under the sink

Modern day consumers and housing developers want more and more out of their kitchens, which means extra strain on plumbing installers. But there are ways to simplify these installations in tight spaces under the sink and behind cabinets and appliances, as pigel Sanger from RWC explains.

It’s no secret that plumbing and heating installers have been hit hard by Covid-19. While many are now back to working full time on housing developments and domestic projects, there are numerous challenges that still need to be tackled.

Time is money. While this phrase is hardly new, the current economic climate means plumbers need to complete more jobs in less time to realise greater profi ts.

And kitchen plumbing is one such area that can add to the job complexity as so much pipework gets routed from here to connect various appliances and fi xtures. 'ishwashers. Washing machines. American fridge freezers with water coolers. Boiling instant hot water taps. Water fi ltration systems. Sinks, taps and boilers. That’s just to name a few.

That sinking feeling This means the space under the sink can quickly become a mesh of pipework, with no room to manoeuvre. Soldered and compression fi ttings are particularly hard to install in these confi ned spaces, given that plumbers need to use

Nigel Sanger

Divisional director technical support at 6;'

RłŭŶÖķķāũŭƒŋũĴĢłė ĢłŭĿÖķķ̇óŋłƩłāù spaces need to adopt smarter, timeŭÖƑĢłėÖłùũāķĢÖðķā products to complete the job faster

X The Speedfit 1˞”¦2ƑÖķƑā ÖķķŋƒŭĕŋũŶĞā isolation of appliances - simply push ŶĞāƑÖķƑāĕŽķķƘ on to the pipe, and thread the appliance hose ŋłŶŋŶĞāƑÖķƑā

W JG Speedfit’s 1˞mm push-fit appliance tap ƑÖķƑā̇ƒĞĢóĞÖķķŋƒŭ the isolation of appliances such as ƒÖŭĞĢłėĿÖóĞĢłāŭ ŋũùĢŭЃÖŭĞāũŭ additional tools for installation, and visibility can be low in these areas.

Using copper pipes and soldering to connect appliances and fi xtures can even increase the risk of fi re due to the proximity of naked fl ames to wooden kitchen cabinets. Any approach that allows for pipework to be assembled without a blowtorch off ers a real advantage in terms of safety and in this regard, push-fi t fi ttings and fl exible pipework are worth their weight in gold.

ÂŋũĴĢłėƪ ÖŶŋŽŶ Push-fi t fi ttings and fl exible dayfl at pipe from our `F Speedfi t brand are the ideal fi t for kitchen installations. Pipe connections can be completed by simply pushing the pipe into the fi tting, without the need for tools. And our dayfl at pipe, available in long length coils, can bend and fl ex behind the cabinets to enable a fast and easy connection to appliances.

From check valves and elbows, to tees and fl exi hoses and more, we off er a range of push-fi t products to help simplify installations under the kitchen sink.

fi x plumbing. 1very appliance and fi xture needs an individual water connection and service valve for future repair and maintenance jobs.

Installers often fi nd themselves struggling in tight spaces while installing all the various components. This is where push-fi t combination valves can off er a helping hand. Our market leading `F Speedfi t brand off ers a range of 2-in-1 appliance taps and valves with push-fi t connections that makes

CUT TO THE CHASE

 Use of a variety of kitchen appliances and fi \tures oJten leads to a mesh of pipework in confi ned spaces  4ush-fi t fi ttings and ƽ e\ible pipe[ork are real probleQsolvers under the kitchen sink  -in- valves [ith push-fi t connections can make second fi \ pluQbing Uuicker and easier  (ouble check valves should be installed [ith outlets that pose a greater risk oJ backsiphonage  ;orking in confi ned spaces forces the need to work smarter

these jobs fast and easy.

These 2-in-1 appliance taps and valves are specially designed to simplify the second fi x kitchen installations. They feature a built-in water isolation function and remove the need to install a separate isolation valve and connector for appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. These fi ttings can directly connect to appliances from one end and the feeding pipework from the push-fi t end. ÖóĴƪ ŋƒťũāƑāłŶĢŋł To comply with water regulations, appropriate backfl ow prevention valves need to be fi tted to the mains water supply in the kitchen. This is because several appliances and fi xtures can cause backfl ow – these range from external hosepipes, washing machines and dishwashers, to kitchen sink taps. Waste water from these areas can carry anything, from stagnant water from garden pools to cleaning chemicals, all of which can present a serious health hazard if they enter the mains water supply.

To ensure adequate protection from backfl ow, a double check valve should be installed with outlets that pose a greater risk of backsiphonage. This type of valve allows the water to fl ow in only one direction and features two internal valves to provide additional safety. If one fails, the other can still prevent backfl ow and contamination of the mains water supply.

To enable faster installation of backfl ow prevention valves, we off er brass and plastic pushfi t double check valves from our `F Speedfi t and SharkBite brands. These compact and lightweight valves are quick and easy to install, as no tools are required. We also off er a push-fi t double check service valve that features a builtin water isolation function, making it a 2-in-1 valve that brings additional benefi ts while carrying out repair and maintenance work.

œĢĿťķĢƩ óÖŶĢŋł Installers working in small, confi ned spaces need to adopt smarter, time-saving and reliable products to complete jobs faster. Moving away from techniques such as soldering, and opting for smarter methods like push-fi t fi ttings and valves, and fl exible pipes can enable quicker and easier installations.

At RWC, we can help you select a range of time saving and reliable plastic and metal push-fi t products from our `F Speedfi t and SharkBite brands. So, get in touch with our team of experts who can simplify your next kitchen plumbing project. ◼ťĞÖĿłāƒŭ̍óŋ̍ŽĴ/820/˞8