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Cuda68Scott

Cuda68Scott

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My father's cabin in the high country had a copper hot water pipe that supplies the kitchen sink burst over the winter. It was not apparently blown out correctly during winterizing last fall. Anyway my son had a plumber come out and repair it and he ended up routing a new pipe from behind the dryer and through the back of the cupboards. See picture.

The plumber used some sort of plastic pipe for the repair as I hope you can see in the pic. I have not seen it personally yet but plan to go up soon and check it out, and make better repairs if necessary, including changing it out for copper pipe if necessary. My son said the plumber said they use this plastic pipe all the time and it is good stuff. Any opinions out on this plastic pipe?
 

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I have lots of it in my house on my water treatment system. Works just fine and it's way easier than soldering. Perhaps that is why he used it.
 
yup. they use plastic "Pex" for hot and cold water domestic. Used in most all new construction nowadays. Usually they manifold all the hot and cold by the supply, so you can isolate any "circuit" at any time.

Better?....cheaper for sure. Easier? way easier, plus no fire risk on "in wall" repairs.

Is that a pretty fix? eh....it works!

Good luck.
 
Im not a plumber, but did a little stint in a plumber gig while pipe fitting an welding jobs where slow an yeah they use it. They where having training classes on some of it in the short time I was there, but looked like they where leaning towards it in future use.
 
Hey, thanks guys. I actually helped my dad build the little cabin many moons ago, but have not kept up on new pipe technology. I was a little concerned since I remember back in the early 80's they were using some sort of plastic pipe here in Phoenix in many new homes and apparently they had some major recall/class action suits on the stuff where they had to go back and replace with copper.

It is a pretty ugly fix I agree swing99, I do want to see if I can do something to conceal it better - maybe see if I can exit it inside the cupboards.
 
Nothing wrong with PEX plumbing, but the way he routed the pipe is a little dorky; no real way to patch the wall nicely with the pipe coming out at an angle like that.
 
bighammer said:
Nothing wrong with PEX plumbing, but the way he routed the pipe is a little dorky; no real way to patch the wall nicely with the pipe coming out at an angle like that.
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X2 should have ran it behind the wall and just added a 90 to make it come straight out. This would be a very very easy fix and make it look much better.
 
bighammer said:
Nothing wrong with PEX plumbing, but the way he routed the pipe is a little dorky; no real way to patch the wall nicely with the pipe coming out at an angle like that.
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doogievlg said:
X2 should have ran it behind the wall and just added a 90 to make it come straight out. This would be a very very easy fix and make it look much better.
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Yep agree on the dorky! I am going to have to go look at the fittings at Home Depot and educate myself. From what I am hearing from you guys it sounds pretty easy to work with.

73 Swinger 8 said:
Pex works well and the shark bites make for quick repairs.
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.

Will check those sharkbites out, is it akin to a compression coupling?
 
Cuda68Scott said:
Hey, thanks guys. I actually helped my dad build the little cabin many moons ago, but have not kept up on new pipe technology. I was a little concerned since I remember back in the early 80's they were using some sort of plastic pipe here in Phoenix in many new homes and apparently they had some major recall/class action suits on the stuff where they had to go back and replace with copper.

It is a pretty ugly fix I agree swing99, I do want to see if I can do something to conceal it better - maybe see if I can exit it inside the cupboards.
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You are talking about Polybutylene the grey plastic pipe, not the same as pex, and the problem they had with that was mostly the fittings.

The only issue with pex is don't connect it directly to your water heater.

I like pex and have Re-Plumbed part of my house with it. It is best if it is installed with a limited number of fittings, it is flexible enough that you should not need too many.
 
I've been told that it is not likely to burst, if it freezes. I'm planning on re doing the plumbing under my house with it.
 
PEX, for some reason, is not legal to use in California homes. I don't know why. MT
 
If I was going to clean that up I would keep it behind the wall then put a 90 on it and run it straight out of the back of the cabinet with a 90. The reason he didn't do that great of a job is because he didn't want to work behind the cabinet and I don't blame him because it sucks and it's more work but it will look much better.
 
I've been a plumbing apprentice for three years. Pex is a great product! If it does freeze, the pipe has the potential to expand when frozen and take normal shape once it thaws. If your able to get some insulation around the pipe, that will help. My home and all the homes we build, we build with pex. Not a very professional install:( good luck:)
 
doogievlg said:
The reason he didn't do that great of a job is because he didn't want to work behind the cabinet and I don't blame him because it sucks and it's more work but it will look much better.
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Uh...........isn't that what "we" were paying "him" for?
 
Sharbites are not for use on potable water systems, they contain a carcinogen.
 
doogievlg said:
If I was going to clean that up I would keep it behind the wall then put a 90 on it and run it straight out of the back of the cabinet with a 90. The reason he didn't do that great of a job is because he didn't want to work behind the cabinet and I don't blame him because it sucks and it's more work but it will look much better.
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I think that is the route I will take hopefully....

67Dart273 said:
Uh...........isn't that what "we" were paying "him" for?
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I wished i had been up there when the plumber was there doing the original repair. My son handled it and signed off on the repair, so I think it will be easier for me just to try fix it myself.

Alaskan_TA said:
Sharbites are not for use on potable water systems, they contain a carcinogen.
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Good to know. I was over at Home Depot this morning and looking at those, but the plumbing guy there was pretty clueless. Imagine that!

tarvin890 said:
I think that whats standard these days... high pressure plastic and crimp fittings....
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. I looked on you tube last night and it looks like there is about a half dozen different fittings for those. Some require a pricey crimp tool. Might have to see if I can rent one.
 
I wouldn't be afraid to use sharkbites. I prefer not to use them and only use them if I am in a serious rush or if the repair is in a bad place but I am not real sure about the carcinogen thing. I know that's why CA and one other state claim they are illegal but if that was the case why wouldn't every other state ban them.
 
Yup, that ABS (I think) plumbing 20+ years ago was awful - and I was nervous when they used Pex in our shower remodel - but it's going strong, and seems to be the future (until they figure out it causes some sort of cancer or some such - but hey, lead pipes were the thing for a LONG time before copper and galvanized displaced it!)
 
Shark bites only cause Cancer in California :)

OK, but seriously, I don't like them and don't use them.

So I have spent the extra couple of hundred dollars to buy the special crimping tools.

Actually I got a good deal on ebay from a seller who didn't list them correctly. ;)
 
trapster said:
Shark bites only cause Cancer in California :)

OK, but seriously, I don't like them and don't use them.

So I have spent the extra couple of hundred dollars to buy the special crimping tools.

Actually I got a good deal on ebay from a seller who didn't list them correctly. ;)
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Hey, the weather is great in where the cabin is right now. If you leave Florida right now you can make it by the weekend! Don't forget your tools!:D
 
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