The K1 Multilayer Press-fit Plumbing System for potable, sanitary and heating applications has been installed throughout the site of a Monastery situated in the heart of Crossgar, County Down.
K1 from Certus, Wavin’s approach to above-ground drainage and plumbing for industrial, public, commercial and multi-occupancy buildings, now forms the integral plumbing for a new heating system installed during the complete restoration of Tobar Mhuire, a 1950’s Passionist Order institution.
As a large and active multi-residential building, the project demanded a high-specification piping system that could offer an effective plumbing solution, but would also minimise the need for ongoing maintenance, offering peace of mind for the Monastery’s residents.
K1 provided a high-performance application of robust yet flexible piping, which together with a secure jointing system was both simple to install and easy to ‘fit and forget.
Contractor Dermot Hinds explains: “The Monastery is a constant hive of activity, due to high visitor levels and a live-in religious order, so the assembly of the pipework needed to be quick and practical to reduce installation time and minimise any disruption to the day-to-day running of the facility.“
“Having used many different press-fit plumbing systems in the past, I am always interested in new innovations that can make installation easier, or maximise a system’s functionality, and K1 did just that. As a press-fit system, the fittings required no soldering, welding or thread cutting. The K1 pipe also bends with ease, whilst still being able to retain its shape, which reduces the number of connections required. It’s quick to install and once in, requires very little maintenance – all attributes which save time and money."
I had already specified a number of other Wavin products for this project and was advised that the products would deliver optimum performance when working together with the K1 system, and this was definitely the case.Dermot Hinds , Contractor
K1 fittings are made from high-performance PPSU with a fixed stainless steel sleeve, designed to be ultra-reliable. With a 95°C Maximum Operating Temperature without affecting service life, the fittings offer excellent thermal expansion properties in comparison to copper and can withstand higher pressure and temperature levels than some other competitor products.
Made from flexible, corrosion-resistant Alu-Pex metal-plastic pipe, the system is WRAS approved and designed to provide certainty for projects with challenging performance requirements.
Tony Livingston from Wavin, concluded: “While there may be a variety of press-fit systems in the market, K1 is both lightweight and resilient, and as it ensures that there is no contact between metal and water, it resists scaling and is corrosion-free.
“It is this optimum level of certainty, that when coupled with the speed of installation, enabled the contractor to meet its client's requirements and offer a heating system which will deliver no-fuss results for many years to come.”
