Crossing the Hot and Cold Water PEX Lines for Water Heater

[Tintin]

I'm installing a water heater and using PEX. Due the confinement of the closet and the layout of the studs, it's going in adjacently and attached to the right wall. I'm not able to run the PEX lines straight up because the T&P valve and electrical will be in the way of the shut off valve--so I have to run the PEX up the back wall towards the left side of the closet to give me room--all of this should be fine, but the cold water is coming in lower than the hot and so it will need to cross under or over the hot to get to the right side. Is cool to cross the lines like that even though it's not pretty? I'm trying to not use any more connections than I need. The only thing I can think to do differently is to have the cold run in front of the T&P valve on top and then continue to the back left corner--this would mean there are is no crossing over, but the cold will be on the left side? Thank you!

 

[MACPLUMB]

That is good but you want something between the hot & cold water lines otherwise you get bleed over the cold will be warm
or your hot will be lukewarm

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

You can cross them. There should be a shutoff on the cold supply line.

 

[Tintin]

And so I should put some insulation around the hot PEX pipe so they don't touch and there's no bleed, correct? I also could just not cross them and have the cold with the shut off come around the front of the T&P and go to the left corner. Then they wouldn't touch and not cross, but the cold would end up on the left side (which wouldn't matter in this case)...but I would need another connection since they only make the shut off connectors in 18" lengths and I'll need a bit more than that to reach. Which way makes more sense?

 

[Reach4]

Don't be afraid of the drop of a few elbows.

I think you should support that pipe somewhere other than at the ends, but I am not sure that is required.

 

[Dj2]

Don't be afraid of the drop of a few elbows.

I think you should support that pipe somewhere other than at the ends, but I am not sure that is required.

Very good point, to avoid knocking pipes.

Another important point: the straps. The straps in the top picture, which are just hanging pipe straps, are not acceptable in CA and probably all over the west coast as WH straps. Get the approved type of straps and make sure you bolt them into studs. Since this water heater is in a corner, I would loop the straps around the heater for added security.

 

[Tintin]

The pipes will supported on the ledger at the back wall, and I spoke with the senior plumbing inspector in Oregon here to get the approved strapping requirements. The strapping needs to have a tensile strength of 100lbs and you need to use screws that are #12 gauge. He said most plumbers tape has that strength and the one I got is 22 gauge, so it's robust, and I'm using #12 screws--the readily available strapping was overkill for my space and size of hot water heater.

Is it better to have the cold pipe go around front of the T&P (as shown in the last photo) and just have the cold come up on the left side--so the pipes don't touch, but I will have to add another connection to get more length for the cold shut off line?

 

[Serkan]

Totally off topic but this is so weird. I wanted to share it.
Earlier i was searching about “bundling PEX pipes together” on google. This page came up. I read it and looked at your pics.

Later in the day i was searching “how to sound deadening drain pipes” and a YouTube video came up. At the 57 second mark of the video I saw the picture of the PEX pipes from this page.
What are the chances eh? Internet is small .

Here is the YouTube link: