We are currently using Royal Mail Parcelforce and DPD as our delivery providers, all small items will be delivered by Royal Mail, these can take up to three working days to reach you. Compression fittings are very reliable and have been proven over many decades, however sometimes things can go wrong and you end up with a joint that leaks. The common causes are:

On the downside, the extra leverage can make it too easy for a untrained gorilla to overdo it! Sometimes the length can also be a problem in confined spaces. Available in three sizes, 16mm – 40mm, 40mm – 75mm and 63mm – 125mm. This compact tool is a necessity for all your compression installations and repairs. The most effective "cure all" sealants are the silicone based "setting" sealants like Fernox LS-X. These will usually seal most problem joints so long as the olive is actually meeting the fitting body when the nut is tightened. PTFE tape can also be used as a sealant - a few turns need to be wound over the olive such that they will end up sat between the mating surface between the olive and the fitting:

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The vice grip spanner is a combination of an adjustable spanner and a set of vice grip pliers (aka "mole grips"). Very handy for working at arms length in awkward spaces, and also for not marking polished chrome fittings like nuts on taps or service valves.

Slide the compression fitting olive (brass ring) over the first length of pipe, and then lay the nut over that These are far better suited, are long enough to get good leverage and are comfortable to use. The design of the end wraps around more of the nut giving better support and greatly reducing the risk of damaging a nut: The partially "open" end allows the spanner to slip over a pipe, and then slid onto the nut.Copper and brass olives both work fine. Olives can't be removed from a pipe and reused. Even hand tightening a fitting with an olive inside before the pipe is inserted, is enough to make the olive unusable.

Use of PTFE tape on both olive and threads can be of course be combined to both lubricate and seal.

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Again, a clean square cut is important, and any burrs removed. Take great care to protect pipe ends when pulling them under floors etc, since its very easy to scratch plastic pipe and this makes it hard to get a good compression (or pushfit for that matter) seal.

The process of soldering copper pipes together is referred to as ‘sweating’. Soldering offers certain advantages: it’s a straightforward process for experienced plumbers and engineers and it creates a lasting join (in theory). However, soldering is not always a practical option - in confined spaces for example. By contrast, fittings are easy to apply even without special training, do not need the application of heat, and in most cases, they can be removed and repositioned if required. How Many PSI Can a Compression Fitting Hold? The pipe needs to be cut square and cleanly, with any burrs removed. Pipes cut with a pipe cutter are much easier to use than those cut with a saw. The pipe needs to be clean and free from contaminants like paint or plaster etc. It does not need to be quite as clean and shiny as required for soldered connections. An olive splitter takes a different approach by tighenting a sharp edge onto the side of the olive while supporting the pipe from the inside. They cut through one side of the olive without damaging the pipe, allowing it to expand a bit in diameter and slide off the pipe.Place a pipe insert into the end of the pipe to be joined. Pipe inserts, typically made from plastic or steel, reinforce pipes and keep them in a fully circular shape, making connection easier. It should be noted that this only applies to plastic pipes and not copper or steel pipes as they are much stronger Also means that you have twice the number of positions that the spanner can engage with the nut. This is very handy when there is very limited turning space for the spanner. The other way is to use a few turns of PTFE tape to the threads. Note that used this way the PTFE will not aid the sealing of the joint, but it will make the nuts easier to torque up.