Well that's not true. Lead free does work, its just a bitch to work with.
I have sweated a few that have not had a problem in 12 years.
I did try to use the lead free for a 000 welding wire to connector. That didn't work well. Wound up crimping it. But for pipe I have been successful. Just don't heat the joint too much.
FWIW, I'm using the solid copper rings, not the steel clamps.
Do you have the push-fit systems with the PEX stuff over there?
I've seen something similar looking to those in the stores. Expensive.
Yeah, but I wonder if a professional plumber could speed up his job as a result to absorb that cost?
I have never trusted the push fit connectors, Father in law redid an old house using them and when the house was left to freeze over the winter with antifreeze in the pipes the piping pulls out of the fittings and flooded his house when he warmed it up again! Why would I pay that huge expense when the pinch rings are so cheap and the tool so cheap. Several ties I have crimped the PEX to a NPT adapter and then had to screw the MPT into the FPT....no problem.
Yeah, but I wonder if a professional plumber could speed up his job as a result to absorb that cost?
Just out of interest, why did he fill the pipes with anti-freeze rather than just draining down the system and leaving it empty?
I was thinking the same thing. You'd have to drain the antifreeze, anyway, right?
Why even put anti freeze in the lines, turn the water off at the main, and just drain the lines, especially easy if there is a basement sink.
I would at least hope he used the stuff for RV's and not automotive type.
Oddly, it is common practice to fill the lines with antifreeze on motor homes in the winter. I suspect that it is impossible to get "all" of the water out and you flush with fresh water to get the antifreeze out.
Lines don't always drain and anti-freeze is the only way to insure they don't freeze in low spots. This is the same for lawn watering systems.
------------- "FrozenNorth" wrote in message news:jhrdc4$d3p$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me... Why even put anti freeze in the lines, turn the water off at the main, and just drain the lines, especially easy if there is a basement sink.
I've heard of putting antifreeze in the traps to stop sewer gases but never filling the water lines with it.
Lines don't always drain and anti-freeze is the only way to insure they don't freeze in low spots. This is the same for lawn watering systems.
One advantage I may have missed someone mention is how much more quickly the hot water arrives at the intended faucet. I had our small, rural San Antonio-area home-away-from home re-plumbed with PEX last year and the time from water heater to kitchen is about a fourth of the minute plus it used to take to travel the 35 or 40 feet. And, I do mean HOT.
Dave in Houston
I've never used this as I store my 5th wheel in AZ.
And to be clear, antifreeze and coolant are two different products often sold for automobile cooling systems in the same container. You do not want to put coolant/antifreeze in your drinking water lines.
Yeah, it must have much worse thermal conductivity than copper (but then, most things do!) - I can happily touch the hot water pipes here in the bathroom, but the central heating pipes (copper) are too hot to touch.
Draining the lines and leaving taps open leaves plenty of room for expansion for whatever little water remains.
That is directly attributable to the inexpensive ease with which you can use PEX to effect a "manifold system" with "home run" plumbing, either at the source, or in areas or zones.
That's not done in the -known- universe, is it?
-- The ultimate result of shielding men from folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer
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