As one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of flexible gas hose products, including Flexigas CSST and Flexigas DS, we may be biased when it comes to extolling the virtues of using CSST instead of copper for gas installations. But there are genuine reasons as to why it is the best option for both you and your installers when installing gas piping to new builds.

If you’re responsible for buying the materials used on new builds, then you know that you have two options when it comes to safely transport gas from the mains supply to each area of the building the gas is required. You can either order in copper piping, or alternatively, you can order lengths of flexible gas hose, or CSST as it is known in the industry. You may have heard CSST referred to as Tracpipe, as Tracpipe are the market leaders in the UK. In the same way, people may refer to their vacuum cleaner as a “hoover” (which is the brand, not the product), CSST is often referred to as “Tracpipe”.

By whatever name you know the product, there may be situations where a combination of both CSST and copper is preferable, but by and large, most buyers will opt for one or the other when buying materials for the next job.

So why do we believe that Flexigas’s flexible gas hose, or CSST, is a better option for your gas installers than using copper? Well, there isn’t just one reason, here are 3 great reasons why you should choose CSST over copper on your next install.

When using copper your installers will likely have to add a new joint every 3 metres or so (depending on the lengths of copper piping), meaning hot works and soldering, which in itself is very time-consuming. Factor in any additional joints needed for bends, plus the awkwardness of trying to complete these joints in difficult-to-reach areas, then the additional time required to safely install copper piping really starts to add up.

Flexigas CSST comes in one continuous length and is delivered on an easy-to-transport spool, meaning you can cut this flexible gas hose product to your exact length requirement. Flexigas CSST is extremely flexible, allowing 90-degree bends to be made by hand. So you can install a continuous length of CSST from the mains all the way to a property without the need for any joints, which drastically reduces the time required for installation.

As mentioned above, depending on the project copper piping often requires joints to be made every 2 -3 metres. This means should a leak occur then there could be multiple areas where the leak has happened. Each joint has to be checked until the leak has been found, and even then every other joint should be checked to see if there are further leaks.

As Flexigas CSST comes in one continuous length of 316 stainless steel piping, there are only two places where a leak could occur, which will be at either end of the pipe. Flexigas CSST has also been designed to withstand stress that could compromise rigid copper pipework. These stresses could occur during construction, a subsidence or even a major weather event.

So if Flexigas CSST is both quicker and safer to install, why isn’t everyone using it for every job? The answer has been price. There was a time when copper was a drastically cheaper material than a flexible gas hose made from stainless steel. So for large projects, it was a more cost-effective option to use copper over CSST.

But with the price of copper recently rising there is now not a huge difference in costs between using copper piping or a flexible gas hose system like Flexigas CSST. And when you factor in the time saved on installation, in nearly all cases it works out a more cost-effective option for you to use Flexigas CSST instead of copper.

After reading the above it should be obvious that by switching to Flexigas CSST you will have a quicker, safer and more cost-effective alternative to the traditional copper piping method. The Flexigas range now also includes the Flexigas DS, a pre-sleeved CSST solution that allows for installation through solid walls, through unvented voids, and even under screed or soil. We would love to discuss your project requirements in greater detail, so contact our team today to begin your Flexigas journey!