Redoing plumbing in 60 year old house

[fred davenport]

I want more consistent plumbing in my house. Previous owners have intermixed galvanized with copper pipe. They also seemed to use whatever pipe size available. I want to make a main straight run from the meter in the basement with the correct size pipe, and branch two external faucets off of the run (one north 15’ and one south 15’). After the two external faucets a branch to the water softener, and a valve for hard or soft water at the laundry room sink. This should be the first twenty five feet of the main straight run. The main run will continue another 20’-25’ to two more external faucets (one north and one south). What is the correct pipe size for the main run, and what is the correct pipe size for the branches?

 

[Reach4]

If repiping, run the water to the outside faucets in a way where the outside faucets would not be fed with softened water. You would probably want a whole house cartridge water after the branch-off of the outside faucets. And then the water softener comes next.

3/4 used to be common even coming in from the street, but 1 inch would be the better choice today usually for 2 or 3 bathrooms. Then after the hot and cold separate, you could drop to 3/4 for combined loads. Alternatively, you could use 3/4 to the softener and beyond. 1/2 inch is big enough to supply hot or cold to a bathroom or kitchen usually. I am not a plumber.

Running copper, or pex?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[fred davenport]

If repiping, run the water to the outside faucets in a way where the outside faucets would not be fed with softened water. You would probably want a whole house cartridge water after the branch-off of the outside faucets. And then the water softener comes next.



3/4 used to be common even coming in from the street, but 1 inch would be the better choice today usually for 2 or 3 bathrooms. Then after the hot and cold separate, you could drop to 3/4 for combined loads. Alternatively, you could use 3/4 to the softener and beyond. 1/2 inch is big enough to supply hot or cold to a bathroom or kitchen usually. I am not a plumber.

Running copper, or pex?

Copper
Shark bite fittings for visible connections. Soldered fitting where connections are hidden by walls or bulkheads.

The water softener is a branch off of the main run. It will feed bathrooms, water heater, laundry room, and kitchen. I will not run soft water outside. I have a rain barrel system. When full it has about 350 gallons. Best free soft water.