Halton Housing, a housing association with over 7,000 properties across the North West, has adopted Conex Bänninger’s >B< Press fittings in place of traditional soldered joints for its gas and water system installations. The decision followed a health and safety initiative aimed at removing the fire risks associated with on-site brazing. The >B< Press system uses a hydraulic tool to form secure, flame-free joints and is now used in most of Halton Housing’s boiler replacement work.
The association’s gas engineering team, responsible for installation, servicing and breakdowns, now uses press-fit methods for around 95% of relevant work. The number of jaws that are available for use in conjunction with the press machines include mini jaws and adjustable jaws, which offers flexibility and time saving.
Initial trials involved 15 and 22mm >B< Press fittings for gas applications. Engineers found that once pipe preparation was complete, each joint could be completed in a matter of seconds. In addition to labour savings, the move has reduced the need for consumables such as solder, flux and gas canisters. Although press tools represent a higher initial investment, Halton Housing reports that the cost was recovered quickly.
