Plastic pipe for plumbing

levittownnick

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How many different types are there and is there one type that may be used for both Hot & Cold water?

What is your opinion on plastic vs copper pipe?

Thank you,
Nick
 

Boomyal

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Today there are really only two choices for 'plastic' pipe used inside a home. The oldest one is the yellowish, rigid CPVC. I would personally go with the newer and increasingly more common PEX. There are two sub-types of this kind of pipe. One is the type that you put a reinforcing band on it, use a very expensive tool to expand the end of the pipe, then drop a fitting into the expanded end. The pipe than contracts around the fitting. It works very well and is very durable but as stated the tool is expensive and the operation of it is a bit of a pain. The other variant uses brass or plastic fittings that are held on by a crimped stainless steel band. That tool is not near as expensive and I know that a my local plumbing shop will lend it to you. This type of pipe is also durable and semi-flexible so it allows you to avoid many joints that you would need with rigid plastic or copper.

This pipe also comes in many colors. They are simply intended to identify what they are carrying. The color has no actual bearing on hot vs cold, etc. Copper, IMHO, is out. It has become very expensive and is messy to solder the fittings.
 

MTboatguy

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PEX is the only way to go these days, as I have upgraded the plumbing in my home it has been with PEX due to durability and flexibility, besides crimp connections, it can also be used with shark bite fittings, which are expensive, but make for a real quick install. Easy to work with resists bursting if froze up, good up to about 205 degrees. Just good pipe to work with.
 

bigdee

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IMO I would stay away from rigid pipe (CPVC). PEX is the way to go today. The days of copper pipe are quickly fading away. PEX is very easy for the DIY. The crimp ring tool is expensive and you need a separate die for each size pipe. A cheaper altenative is to use ratcheting crimp rings...the tool is much cheaper and will work with all sizes. I have never had a leak with PEX installions that I have been involved with. We used it extensively in the industry for compressed air lines as well as fluid lines. My house is plumbed in PEX and it has not had the issue of corrosion and pinhole leaks that plagues copper in some areas.
 

muskyfins

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There are lots of types of plastic pipe and several that are suitable for hot and cold. Mostly it will depend on local codes. Some places do not allow PEX. Some places don't allow any plastic at all. PVC is not suitable for supply lines as it is not NSF compliant. (chlorine leaches out and into the water.
 

JASinIL2006

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PEX is da bomb! Super easy to work with, but you do have to get/borrow a crimper. Very nice stuff...
 

levittownnick

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I went with PEX using the push-on fittings. Easiest piping that I have ever done, and not a drip anywhere. I don't know what my trepidition was all about. I knew that this was the right place to seek advice. Go IBoats!:D:joyous::):laugh::dance:
Thanks for the inputs.
Nick
 

Boomyal

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I went with PEX using the push-on fittings. Easiest piping that I have ever done, and not a drip anywhere. I don't know what my trepidition was all about. I knew that this was the right place to seek advice. Go IBoats!:D:joyous::):laugh::dance:
Thanks for the inputs.
Nick

Where did you get the expansion tool, levittownnick? A few years back I paid about $450 for the tool that would do 1/2, 3/4, and 1". It was a real PITA, especially when it was cold out. I sold the tool on Ebay and switched to the banded clamp type.
 

Boomyal

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Push on fitting would indicate the shark bite system, one of the easiest ways to do piping I have ever found.

http://www.sharkbite.com/

I didn't think of those when he said "push on fittings". I thought he might have been talking about the Wirsbo Pex. And yes, the sharkbites are super quick and easy but VERY expensive. Some day the price might come down on them. The other consideration is that I would not use sharkbites anywhere that there might be movement or flex in the pipe OR if the pipe is in a bend. Those orings will age dry out and shrink over time and any movement or tension will cause them to leak.
 
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MTboatguy

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Boom, there is a whole bunch of states that have approved them per their codes for all kinds of installations, including in wall, I know they are expensive, but I paid the price for the ease of use in a lot of my replacement plumbing.
 

Boomyal

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Boom, there is a whole bunch of states that have approved them per their codes for all kinds of installations, including in wall, I know they are expensive, but I paid the price for the ease of use in a lot of my replacement plumbing.

Yeah, they approved the old Qest Piping, too. I have a neighbor who just had a failure of a Qest Manifold System, in the basement. The plumbing was about 20 years old. Massive flood damage. It happened while they were away.

http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/ove...e-class-action
 

MTboatguy

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Quest was crappy piping from day one, I know of several failures on base that we had with mobile homes that were used for military families housing, it also failed in my old RV that I had at the time. There were tens of thousands of lawsuits filed over that stuff. It was just bad stuff. I am surprised his lasted 20 years!
 
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bigdee

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The push connectors are ok for quick repairs in accessible spaces and are mainly intended for DIY's. IMO I don't get it though,for the price of a few sharkbite connectors you can buy a crimp tool that uses the ratcheting crimp bands that is very easy to use and almost as fast.
 

MTboatguy

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I didn't want to buy the tool and I like the shark bites, I don't have to cut anything up if I have to replace a section of pipe. I still have some area of copper pipe in my place and if one bursts due to freezing, I can take it out and be back and running real quick without cutting. Also the shark bite system worked out great in areas that I had to go from galvanized to copper or pex as they make screw in adapters to go from galvanized to copper or pex. Just happened to turn out these worked great for me.
 

Boomyal

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The push connectors are ok for quick repairs in accessible spaces and are mainly intended for DIY's. IMO I don't get it though,for the price of a few sharkbite connectors you can buy a crimp tool that uses the ratcheting crimp bands that is very easy to use and almost as fast.

Yeah, bigdee, you tell 'em!
 

MTboatguy

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Yeah, bigdee, you tell 'em!

As you well know Boom, we all make choices for our own reasons, heck you still run an XP computer that continues to give you more and more problems!

:lol:
 
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levittownnick

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Where did you get the expansion tool, levittownnick? A few years back I paid about $450 for the tool that would do 1/2, 3/4, and 1". It was a real PITA, especially when it was cold out. I sold the tool on Ebay and switched to the banded clamp type.


I used the push-on fittings, no tools were required with the exception of a cutting tool and a release collar if you want to undo a connection.
From reading some of the above comments, may be I should have used the crimp-on type fittings. Fortunately, all my work is accessable if there are any issues down the road but for now I'm good. (Both type of fittings are made by Sharkbite.)
 
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