Water pressure in France and Plumbing fittings from IKEA

[Matelot]

Hi there!

Can anyone give me some advice regarding some French plumbing and purchasing some plumbing fittings from Ikea, France.

 

I have just ordered a new kitchen from Ikea in the UK (Milton Keynes) to take to our house in France. My better half wanted a double bowl, ceramic ‘Belfast’ type sink (the DOMSJÖ range) with mixer tap.

 

When we put the order in, the assistant said that we would have to purchase the waste trap assembly (ATLANT) that normally matches the sink and the mixer tap (EDSVIK), from Ikea in France as the water pressure differs in France.

 

I have gone online and seen that the nearest Ikea to us in France is south west Paris. We are near Vendôme in Dept. 41 and this would involve a 200 mile round trip for two items! 

 

I am taking the flat packed kitchen and a load of furniture over to our house in early March. However, I am not fitting the kitchen until Easter, (with the help of a French plumber friend) so I could order from Ikea in France and have the trap and tap assembly delivered to his house. Would this be feasible? Has anyone ordered items from Ikea France from here in the UK? Is it straightforward to order from them?

 

In addition, would I have to use Ikea fittings with an Ikea sink?  Has anybody used French fittings from Bricomarché, Brico Depot, etc.

 

Also, how different is the water pressure in France? Why would our fittings not cope?

 

I would really appreciate any help on this.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Matelot   

 

(This was also posted in the 'Post Bag' section)   

[powerdesal]

I cannot see why the waste trap fitting is related to water pressure, it takes the water from the sink to the drain, the only pressure involved is from how much water is in the sink [8-)].

I think you will find that most waste trap fittings are, to a large extent, compatible across the civilised world. My waste traps were shipped from the Middle East and were not a problem in France. The sink tap fittings were also from here but, I believe, Italian in origin, again no problem.

As a matter of interest I also shipped and fitted without problem a Chinese  made shower fitting.

Its my opinion that you are worrying needlessly, that is however only my personal view.

[BIG MAC]

Hi French water pressure can be fairly high ours manages to reach 7 Bar at times!

That said if you wanted you could simply install pressure reduction valves inline.

I dont think to be honest that there would be too much of a problem with your IKEA kit as in all likelyhood it was made for the EU rather than just the UK and it seems inconceivable that they would especially downgrade a tap for the UK market.

If in doubt why not e-mail IKEA and ask them to compare part numbers?

 

Regards,

 

[Jc]

Until recently UK mixer taps were different to the rest of the EU because of UK water supply regs;you can now fit EU type mixer taps in the UK but both cold and hot supplies must have one-way valves fitted.The UK tap did not mix in the spout-there were two seperate pipes right upto the end of the spout.

[tracteurtom]

So long as the tap fittings end in a 3/8 or 1/2 BSP you will be able to connect them to French plumbing.  BSP - British Standard Pipe - great init!

For the drains, you need to find out the OD of the pipe required.  The French waste plumbing is all glue together stuff and for a sink it is normal to present a 40mm OD pipe.  So the drain connector needs to be able to connect to this.  Other sizes are available - 32 and 25 mm (if my memory is correct) may be fitted.

I recommend you get the Ikea fittings as Ikea tend to do their own thing and it may be that the holes in the sink are non standard.