Speedfit joints buried under concrete

[Bob77]

Can I ask for opinions from those in the know? Is it considered a bad idea to have plastic pipe joints under concrete? I’m no plumber but it seems like a very bad idea to me especially as I have spent the last couple of weeks dealing with several leaks in speedfit joints elsewhere in the house as a result of switching over from gravity-fed to mains-pressure hot water!

 

As part of an extension project we have had UFH laid throughout the house. The builders also routed the feed pipes from the ASHP to the manifold below floor level for the last few feet. I queried this at the time (before screed was poured) and they assured me it was quite normal and nothing to worry about. 
 

Sure enough when the heat pump was commissioned it wouldn’t hold pressure and there’s a leak from that pipework. Fortunately it is only a short run and right against a wall, so should be able to be exposed without affecting the UFH pipework, but should I follow my gut and ask them to reroute this pipework above floor level inside a box skirting or something similar so it can be accessed when the inevitable leaks occur?

 

Edit: they may not be Speedfit, the builders said they were a different type of fitting but they look very similar, plastic push fittings with a screw collar?
 

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Bob77

[Andehh]

Afraid it is poor form, though we had two that worked fine for several years.. Not sure I'd risk it. At least have a mini access hatch over to inspect them... 

[Carrerahill]

1 hour ago, Bob77 said:

Can I ask for opinions from those in the know? Is it considered a bad idea to have plastic pipe joints under concrete? I’m no plumber but it seems like a very bad idea to me especially as I have spent the last couple of weeks dealing with several leaks in speedfit joints elsewhere in the house as a result of switching over from gravity-fed to mains-pressure hot water!

 

As part of an extension project we have had UFH laid throughout the house. The builders also routed the feed pipes from the ASHP to the manifold below floor level for the last few feet. I queried this at the time (before screed was poured) and they assured me it was quite normal and nothing to worry about. 
 

Sure enough when the heat pump was commissioned it wouldn’t hold pressure and there’s a leak from that pipework. Fortunately it is only a short run and right against a wall, so should be able to be exposed without affecting the UFH pipework, but should I follow my gut and ask them to reroute this pipework above floor level inside a box skirting or something similar so it can be accessed when the inevitable leaks occur?

 

Edit: they may not be Speedfit, the builders said they were a different type of fitting but they look very similar, plastic push fittings with a screw collar?
 

 

Unacceptable to bury any joint in my opinion although if there was one that was acceptable, I may agree a pressure tested solder joint would be OK.

 

I can only assume they didn't bother their backsides to pressure test the pipework they intended to bury, had they done this, and it had held, you may have let it slide, their laziness has got them twice, first for burying it and not running it in a duct that could permit the pipe to be pulled back and fixed or via another route and secondly for not testing it first!

 

 

[Bob77]

The pipes come down from upstairs then have an elbow to run under the floor at each end of a roughly two metre run. So that’s four potential leak points (two per elbow) times two pipes. 
 

I will be asking them to reroute in an accessible location I think! I don’t even really understand why the ran them under the floor anyway, when they have to pop up again to enter the manifold and the are in an unobtrusive location under a window. 

[gc100]

Definitely a no no. There should never be joints encased in concrete