CPVC installation concerns

[bud6]

Howdy,

I’ve been doing my fair share of forum reading and researching and have a few questions/concerns about our houses CPVC plumbing.

We recently bought our first house (built in 1961) which had some work done on it. The original copper for 2 bathrooms still remains; however, the basement was newly finished and the upstairs was altered right before we bought it which required updated plumbing. They opted for CPVC for the following items:

1) kitchen sink/dishwasher
2) laundry room sink/washer
3) basement full bath
4) main water line both before/after shutoff

My concerns began after our inspection when the inspector pointed out the plumber used CPVC directly into the hot water heater for both the supply and hot water line as well as not installing an expansion tank. We had those changed to copper for first 18” before moving in and I had no further concerns as I know very little about plumbing. Since moving in I’ve noticed a few other things that are a little concerning.

Although there are fans of the material I have become personally concerned with the fact CPVC vs PEX was selected as I’ve read a lot of horror stories. Specific questions/concerns I have include:

1) In a few places the CPVC hot water line is bent to accommodate the location of the t-joints/copper transition. I know they can be bent up to a certain amount over a given length, but am unsure if I need to be concerned with them as installed. One of the few visible pipes is about 4.5’ long and when it comes off t-joint it’s .5” from support beam and about 3’ down from that it is pushed flush against the support beam by a plastic bracket and then proceeds to push away from the support beam again to meet a t-joint on the other side. There also appears to be a bend in a different pipe coming directly out of the hot water heater in order to meet the existing copper pipe location.

(.5” offset)

(Pipe coming off hot water line from hot water heater)

2) There are certain areas room for expansion were not accommodated for on the hot water line. In one area it turns up at an elbow and is sandwiched between a support beam and the cold water line and on the other side of the pipe where it meets a t-joint it is pushed flush against a support beam. The length of pipe where this occurs is roughly 10’ so perhaps there is not a concern given it’s such a short length, but I do regularly hear the distinct sound it makes as it expands while in use around these areas.

(Down the pipe from t-joint pictured above where hot water ends and is redirected)

3) CPVC pipe was utilized before the main shutoff and given the stories of the material becoming brittle after years is a little unsettling that the pipe feeding our main shutoff isn’t metal or a more sturdy (reliable?) material. At a minimum should we have the piping feeding the shutoff replaced? It’d be a heavily lift as we’d have to remove vanity and other items from the bathroom.

Sorry for the length or if these questions are elementary, but I know very little about plumbing. Thanks in advance for any advice/opinions you’re able to provide us!

 

[Terry]

It's hard to keep CPVC straight anyway. It doesn't look to be a problem.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WorthFlorida]

Here is a picture from my own home built in 2006. The CPVC is glued to a proper fitting that is threaded to the electric water heater.

 

[bud6]

Here is a picture from my own home built in 2006. The CPVC is glued to a proper fitting that is threaded to the electric water heater.

Thanks for sharing. As I mentioned I honestly don’t know much about plumbing and our inspector was the one that made the comment “it has to be copper”. Is all of your plumbing CPVC/original or have you had to repair any sections?

 

[Kubstix]

Thanks for sharing. As I mentioned I honestly don’t know much about plumbing and our inspector was the one that made the comment “it has to be copper”. Is all of your plumbing CPVC/original or have you had to repair any sections?

For what it's worth most of my house for now is CPVC. I've been here for 6-7 years and if I remember correctly he went CPVC in the early 90's is what he told me. Mine is bent all types of ways and exposed to some colder temperatures in the garage. I've had zero issues with anything related to the CPVC. I am switching over everything though to PEX-A but this is only because I am remodeling the areas where my water lines are running otherwise my CPVC has been good to go with no issues.

 

[jmetrail]

As others have said, CPVC is hard to install exactly straight - in my experience, because it's installed pieces at a time.

Unlike copper, you can't put all CPVC pieces together, ensure a precise/straight fit, and then solder all joints.

As a perfectionist it annoys me, but CPVC has a good ability to bend and if you use proper cement the joints are practically welded together.

Nothing I see here would concern me.

 

[bud6]

As others have said, CPVC is hard to install exactly straight - in my experience, because it's installed pieces at a time.

Unlike copper, you can't put all CPVC pieces together, ensure a precise/straight fit, and then solder all joints.

As a perfectionist it annoys me, but CPVC has a good ability to bend and if you use proper cement the joints are practically welded together.

Nothing I see here would concern me.

Thank you glad to hear and I really appreciate the feedback.

 

[Jadnashua]

According to at least one manufacturer's CPVC installation handbook https://www.ppfahome.org/pdf/ppfa_cpvc_installation_handbook_2015.pdf
on an electric WH, you can connect directly with an appropriate connector. On a gas fired WH, you need to keep the CPVC a minimum of 6" from the flue. CPVC cannot be used if the water can exceed 180-degrees, which, keep in mind, could exist on either gas or electric WH. It's probably better to have that 18" of metal supply pipe closest to the WH to act as a radiator to help keep the temperature down on the plastic piping. In excess of 180-degrees is not typically used, but might exist in a commercial application or if there's a fault.