iron or copper?

Tony_23

On if it's THE worm (from the bottom of the bottle)

rox

iron or copper when piping hydronic system


What are the pros and cons of iron versus copper when piping a new boiler? It would seem copper would be a lot quicker, no threading pipe, no cutting oil, not as heavy. Would appreciate your opinions.

gerry gill

is your system

steam or hot water?

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rox

hot water

hr

Another personal preference choice

I use mostly copper as I bend and use press fittings. For a pro, looking to maximize his labor solder-less, fitting-less makes sense.

With cast iron boilers I like to do the near boiler piping in threaded pipe sometimes.

Copper is easier to cut into later to add or modify stuff

hot rod

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Unknown

I'm with Hot Rod

We always pipe the supply in black steel , to help support all the heavy weight of the circs , expansion tank and airscoop . We transition out of the return of the boiler with a black tee and copper to male adapter and pipe the entire return in copper .

J.C.A._3

I too,

Like to pipe out of the boiler with black pipe. It serves as a good foundation for the rest of the system, and in my opinion looks much nicer than copper. It also leaves a great place to "add on", later in the life of the system if well thought out.(I prefer nipples and caps as opposed to plugs....just makes thing easier later).

The cost differences are but a few dollars and the easy expansion is an added attraction, to me anyway.... Chris

jeff_51

use nothing but copper right from thje boiler

but that of course is personal preferance. I think it looks better. We use Xpando when going from the cast to copper and never have a leak, and a couple of well placed hangers takes care of any weight problem. The guys on the east coast who also do steam use alot more black pipe. Kind of depends where you are, Down south they use alot of steel boilers, but up north is all cast iron. Alot of what you have been taught and what you are used to using. Kind of like circle saws. Guys on the east coast use direct dive, cause thats where they were invented, but guys on the west coast use worm drive cause that was where they were invented

David Sutton_6

wow

now who in there right mind would let a worm drive a saw ??i just dont get it

Gordy

worm drives

Worm drives cut straighter with less effort,unless of course you ate the worm the night before,and they are more durable. Personal choice. The whiners who have to use a worm drive have small arms

thp_8

Not to bash but,

There is several good reasons for steel in the piping mix.
It can be both rigid and flexable at the joints at the same time. One of the most important qualities of the steel is what is most often overlooked. It's effect on water quality. You know those tube jobs with all the brass, copper and pex. You know how some of them look nasty at the joints. That's a system that the water has not met an equilibrium state. Iron deprived, unnatural state for the water. Some manufacturers say don't use any steel. There is a reason for the steel.

jeff_51

gosh, I didn't mean to open that can of worms

ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

ScottMP

But officer

The Worm was driving !

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