I bought the doublewide next door to rent out. I want to move the water heater to the basement so I'll have more closet space upstairs. The piping is all flexible plastic, with steel bands keeping the connections together. These are crimped with a special too. I've never dealt with this kind of plumbing. I'd realy appreciate any help.
John
A doublewide with a basement and an upstairs? that's high cotton . Those crimp on connections are famous for leaking- use a screw type hose clamp instead. Also locate a mobile home supply house.
lee h
Sounds like PEX tubing. You need a special tool for that. Do a Google search for lots of information.
I've never seen a mobile home with PEX in it (unless they re using it in the NEW ones) I have seen polybutylene (PB) grey and CPVC cream colored. Since its crimped, I'm guessing PB.
If I was 'adding' to a PB system, I'd go with PEX ( red, blue or cloudy 'milk jug' colored plastic) Cut in a "T" to the existing line and away you go. You can rent the crimping tool and get all the PEX and fittings at Home Depot.
I don't believe hose clamps are approved for PEX. You need to use the bands or the special connections made for PEX. PEX is becoming more and more popular and I believe that some of the earlier leakage problems with plastic plumbing were with specific connectors that have been discontinued.
I never used PEX but I can not see why a hose clamp wont work. Whatever compresses the pipe to the fitting should not matter. Personally I would not use the stuff, but if I did, I'd probably want hose clamps or else none of the fittings can ever be taken apart if needed.
I'd just run copper pipe to the new hot water tank and solder a crimp on the end to fasten the plastic with the hose clamp.
All my leaks in the Gray PB started went we switched to city water from a well. A plumber friend said the PB would eventually leak from the chlorine. There have been class action law suits against the mfg's. of PB for that reason.
Since the beginning of time, or at least ever since running water was introduced into homes we have used metallic pipes which lasted many many years without problems. In the beginning of the 21st century (when technology should be superior), crooks wanting to make a fortune selling "snake oil" plastics have decided that plastic is to be used for water pipes. Now we can all experience yearly flooding and home damage and let the insurance companies raise our rates. My educated opinion tells me to use metallic pipe, or do not have indoor plumbing. Plastics should be left to the garden hose that lays on the lawn and springs a leak on a yearly basis, which will make the lawn happy and not raise insurance rates for anyone.
Mark
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That is all the home depots in areas where PEX is allowed by code. You won't find any in most northern CA stores (not sure about outside SF bay area) though you will find fittings for standard tubing sizes.
Thanks for all the advice. What does PB stand for anyway?
John
Peanut Butter...
Unless you were talking about something other than sandwiches - I have no way of knowing.
Possibly Pb, the symbol for lead. Used extensively in plumbing in years past.
Boden
John Lynch wrote:
look here:
Polybutylene (P -oly B -utylene)
Don't confuse this with PEX which is a very good material.
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