upper and lower unit condo re-plumb

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chris k

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I need to re-plumb my condo because of polybutylene piping. I live in a building with only one unit below me and my neighbor and I have decided to do the re-plumb at the same time. The plumber that we have been talking with wants to run both our pipes through the down stairs unit and drop her pipes down and have mine going up into my unit rather than re-pipe mine through the ceiling as they are now. Are there any potential problems with this re-plumb (I'm re-plumbing in copper). It worries me that my pipes would be in her ceiling and I'd have to go into her unit if a problem occurred, but maybe I'm over thinking this
 

Terry

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It worries me that my pipes would be in her ceiling

That's how we do it here. It would add considereable time to run both in her ceiling and "your" ceiling, when it can all be done in one place. Copper isn't going to leak, and if a pipe does leak, then having it over your ceiling is even worse. The lower you can run the pipes in a building, the less damage they can cause. I like how your plumber thinks.:)
 

Jadnashua

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I would want him to provide separate shutoffs for your unit so maintenance could be done without shutting off the lower unit, too. It would be nice if each had separate shutoffs, but that would depend on where things were branched off to go to each unit. You'd want your shutoffs accessible from your unit. SOme things like tub/shower valves, don't come with their own shutoffs like typically a sink/vanity does. But then, sometimes, you may need to change those shutoffs, too, so being able to shut all of the water off can be an issue. Something starts to leak, you need to be able to shut it off.
 

Terry

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Have a way to turn off your own water is always good. It sounds like your plumber is planing it that way.
Sometimes a convient place for that is near the water heater, which will have it's own too.
 
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