Home plumbing: Copper VS plastic-type pipes

When I put the addition on our house in the late 80's I used the white

Stick to copper.

And hopefully your house doesn't get cold enough for the pipes to freeze.

Brian

They may be referring to PEX. It looks like stiff rubber hose and it cuts labor time substantially from what I see. No threading, soldering or gluing. The PEX is cut to size with a plier type cutter and clamped with a squeeze type clamping tool. Looks very easy for do-it-yourselfers but the clamping tool is very expensive.

PEX is great. water stays warmer in pex, its flexible, easier to install, ONE LINE to each fixture will all valves on a manifold, no buried connections in walls. its been used in europe for a long time. when we redo our bath PEX will replace the copper, with a dedicated line to each fixture. no more scalds if someone flushes the toilet.

I some cases plastic or the garden hose type PEX is superior due to soil conditions copper will deteriorate. Butt 99% of the time copper is best plus rodents can not chew threw it, witch has happened . Copper prices arte extremely high, the plastic type pipeing system are all about saving Money & time for you and the contractor. PRICE , QUALITY, TIME any two not all three.

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@y5g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...

rodents can not chew threw it, witch has happened . Copper prices arte extremely high, the plastic type pipeing system are all about saving Money & time for you and the contractor. PRICE , QUALITY, TIME any two not all three.

Naww..Never use CPVC for a "real" house..maybe for mobile home replacement..

The "new" plastic is called PEX. I'd use it over copper any day as long as the plumber knows how to install it. I do. Do a Google search for Aquapex or Wirsbo. Its great stuff. Had it put in our last two custom homes. Easy to work with..No soldered joints. No air hammers or pipe noise.

It rents for $ 10/day at Home Depot

Or buy it for $130, use it as long as you need it, and surplus it on eBay for almost what you paid for it.

Again, Rudy, what happens if somehow you had a rodent chewed through the PEX? And how long does PEX last? ANd what of water pressure? Is there any chance it could rupture under too much pressure? And what of attic installation? If it gets 105 in the desert, the attic of a house could really bake. Could it not exceed the 200 degrees?

What if an asteroid crashed thru the roof and hit the pipe ?

And how long does PEX last?

The Wirsbo PEX is cross-linked polyethylene with an oxygen infusion barrier. It has been used in Europe for 30 years, with more than 4 billion feet of installed tubing performing without a single incidence of product failure.

And what of water pressure? Is there any chance it could rupture under too much pressure?

Wirsbo PEX tubing currently holds the unofficial world record for long-term testing at elevated temperature and pressure -- 26 years at 203° F at 151 psi, and still going. When the test is completed, the record will be official.

No..our house was in the Sonoran desert where the OAT EXCEEDED 105 oF. The PEX was plumbed thru the attic spaces. No problems after 8 1/2 years and BTW, see above, Home plumbing is NEVER anywhere near 150 PSI..more like 70 # or less.

Thanks for the info, it's much appreciated. So you think if I ever need to get my 1966 home re-plumed, I should NOT insist on copper???

PVC is superior t metallic pipes in all respects- no corrosion and should last longer than the house.

Interesting. While checking eBay to see what those tools are going for, I noticed this "buy it now" listing, for a tool that handles all three sizes, and is only $40 new.

I wonder if it is any good?

Brian-

The inside diameters of

flow through the CPVC should easily be equal or better than 1/2" copper

Even in nominal 3/4 size, the inside diameters are about equal between CPVC & copper

Unless you've got a really long run to that shower, 1/2 CPVC should supply it just fine.

I wondering if there might be another cause?

cheers Bob

SB-

I assume your 1966 home was plumbed with copper?

If so, unless you've got water chemistry (usually well water) that eats copper, that copper piping in your home will a very, very long time.

My parents house (1959, SoCal) was plumbed with copper & no problems so far. I just re-piped with PEX removing the original 1930 galv steel. The water in my area must be particularly easy on pipes. :)

If your home ever needs re-pipe (& I doubt it will) Type L copper or PEX would both be good choices

cheers Bob

Thanks for the info, it's much appreciated. So you think if I ever need to get my 1966 home re-plumed, I should NOT insist on copper???

Copper is fine too. I just prefer the ease, savings and other 'plusses' of PEX

IIRC, PVC is NOT code for inside homes

Depends on who's code. It's legal most places, except that (I think) you're supposed to use CPVC for hot water, and most people therefore use it for everything, because they can't be bothered to keep track.