Joseph01
New Member
Warning, I go in-depth and need your help in designing a new affordable system, I would like to hear your suggestions and opinions. The goal of the new system is to reduce noise, insulate pipes, decrease water usage, add a few more water lines for different fixtures, and design a system that will work well for the next 40+ years.
Pictures of the current system are at the bottom
Hello, I have been toying with the idea of repiping my house plumbing from the copper pipes installed in 1969 to PEX. I am not a licensed plumber, this would be my first plumbing job, which I intend to have my work up to code. My country follows the IPC book, which I am in the process of reading. I have experience as an apprentice with car repair (finished 13 in-depth restorations in the last year) and was surprised to find out that plumbing wasn't so far off.
The current copper system is supplied with a 3/4 pipe at 90 psi from the meter (out by the front yard) and serves the trunk and branch system. During winter temperatures outside reach 10 degrees Fahrenheit and below. I will include pictures of the current system and a drawn-out diagram below. The one 3/4 pipe comes into the house and immediately supplies the front hose bibb and then goes towards the back of the house, the main supply pipe splits to go to the rear hose bibb and the kitchen sink, the other pipe it splits to is set up to take a water softener (water softener has since been removed) which is by the HVAC system. The water heater and another cold water line are supplied by the water softener and the bypass pipe. All of the fixtures are in very close proximity to the wall that the pipes are on.
The current system also suffers from water hammer and makes a ton of noise when water is being used. The pipes are improperly secured which allows them to move around. There have been a few pinhole leaks and the hose bibbs leak and WILL freeze in the winter. My goal is to reduce the water hammer and improve the efficiency of the potable water supply. There are less than 250 feet of copper pipe including hot and cold lines. ALL valves except the Sharkbite 3/4 main shutoff, will not close, there is buildup where water slowly leaked out of the valve stems.
Currently
2 Hose bibbs (Located on the same horizontal plane)
2 Toilets (one upstairs and another downstairs)
2 Bathroom Sinks (one upstairs and another downstairs)
1 Kitchen Sink (upstairs)
1 Sink in the Utility Room(downstairs)
1 Washing machine (downstairs)
The design changes
Switch all of the current pipe from where it enters the house to PEX, get rid of the Sharkbite fittings installed behind drywall during a 2010 basement finishing, not done by me. I want to relocate the water heater about 6 feet closer to a more central location for reduced hot water wait time and add two fixtures. I want to fix the "repairs" done by the previous owner and add a refrigerator ice maker line, water line for a dishwasher, and possibly water lines for a sprinkler system. Most of my work would be done in the Utility Room which is unfinished and easy to access. The room would be finished after the plumbing was done and the proper permits acquired.
I want to use a trunk and branch system, seeing as using the other two main designs would not be a benefit with everything so close. I would like to add a pressure reducing valve, expansion tank, new (or rebuild the current 20 year old) water heater as well as bracing the water heater for earthquake protection. I would like to use PEX with minimized crimp connections as well as insulate the pipes which would further help with noise and keeping water warmer for a longer length of time.
I plan on drawing up a "rough draft" of what the new system would look like within the next day. Based on the pictures and sketches, as well as all of your experience, what do you think about it, how would you do the work and what should I watch out for? I plan on cutting out sections of drywall to more easily access the pipe hidden in the basement ceiling and downstairs bathroom.
Thank you for your time, patience, and help!!
I plan on posting some more information tomorrow, it's pretty late as I'm typing this
These drawings are the current hot and cold water pipes as well as the utility room basic floor plan
Pictures of the current system are at the bottom
Hello, I have been toying with the idea of repiping my house plumbing from the copper pipes installed in 1969 to PEX. I am not a licensed plumber, this would be my first plumbing job, which I intend to have my work up to code. My country follows the IPC book, which I am in the process of reading. I have experience as an apprentice with car repair (finished 13 in-depth restorations in the last year) and was surprised to find out that plumbing wasn't so far off.
The current copper system is supplied with a 3/4 pipe at 90 psi from the meter (out by the front yard) and serves the trunk and branch system. During winter temperatures outside reach 10 degrees Fahrenheit and below. I will include pictures of the current system and a drawn-out diagram below. The one 3/4 pipe comes into the house and immediately supplies the front hose bibb and then goes towards the back of the house, the main supply pipe splits to go to the rear hose bibb and the kitchen sink, the other pipe it splits to is set up to take a water softener (water softener has since been removed) which is by the HVAC system. The water heater and another cold water line are supplied by the water softener and the bypass pipe. All of the fixtures are in very close proximity to the wall that the pipes are on.
The current system also suffers from water hammer and makes a ton of noise when water is being used. The pipes are improperly secured which allows them to move around. There have been a few pinhole leaks and the hose bibbs leak and WILL freeze in the winter. My goal is to reduce the water hammer and improve the efficiency of the potable water supply. There are less than 250 feet of copper pipe including hot and cold lines. ALL valves except the Sharkbite 3/4 main shutoff, will not close, there is buildup where water slowly leaked out of the valve stems.
Currently
2 Hose bibbs (Located on the same horizontal plane)
2 Toilets (one upstairs and another downstairs)
2 Bathroom Sinks (one upstairs and another downstairs)
1 Kitchen Sink (upstairs)
1 Sink in the Utility Room(downstairs)
1 Washing machine (downstairs)
The design changes
Switch all of the current pipe from where it enters the house to PEX, get rid of the Sharkbite fittings installed behind drywall during a 2010 basement finishing, not done by me. I want to relocate the water heater about 6 feet closer to a more central location for reduced hot water wait time and add two fixtures. I want to fix the "repairs" done by the previous owner and add a refrigerator ice maker line, water line for a dishwasher, and possibly water lines for a sprinkler system. Most of my work would be done in the Utility Room which is unfinished and easy to access. The room would be finished after the plumbing was done and the proper permits acquired.
I want to use a trunk and branch system, seeing as using the other two main designs would not be a benefit with everything so close. I would like to add a pressure reducing valve, expansion tank, new (or rebuild the current 20 year old) water heater as well as bracing the water heater for earthquake protection. I would like to use PEX with minimized crimp connections as well as insulate the pipes which would further help with noise and keeping water warmer for a longer length of time.
I plan on drawing up a "rough draft" of what the new system would look like within the next day. Based on the pictures and sketches, as well as all of your experience, what do you think about it, how would you do the work and what should I watch out for? I plan on cutting out sections of drywall to more easily access the pipe hidden in the basement ceiling and downstairs bathroom.
Thank you for your time, patience, and help!!
I plan on posting some more information tomorrow, it's pretty late as I'm typing this
These drawings are the current hot and cold water pipes as well as the utility room basic floor plan