Help identifying plumbing in garage

Users who are viewing this thread

chow2006

New Member
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Tennessee
Hello all,

I’m new here.

I’m planning on installing a whole house water filtration system. I’m in a newer house, and there are two shut off valves beside the tankless gas water heater.

I’ve tested both shut off valves (circled in red in the photo) and they work. I know the pressure regulator is circled in yellow.

but I’m trying to figure out where I need to cut into the existing pex pipes (and add a couple tees) to add in the water filter — so that the water is filtered before it gets to the water heater or goes elsewhere in the house.

And I’m not sure what the three pipes going into the wall are ...

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?
 

Attachments

  • 309C9257-7324-44F8-BF6F-80D5EC7ED1EA.jpeg
    309C9257-7324-44F8-BF6F-80D5EC7ED1EA.jpeg
    39 KB · Views: 145

Terry

The Plumbing Wizard
Staff member
Messages
29,946
Reaction score
3,460
Points
113
Location
Bothell, Washington
Website
terrylove.com
My guess is that the lower ball valve is incoming and the top one is after the PRV ( pressure reducing valve ).

Perhaps the top pipe in the wall is the one to the water heater? The middle one to the rest of the home? The bottom one incoming?
 

chow2006

New Member
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Tennessee
My guess is that the lower ball valve is incoming and the top one is after the PRV ( pressure reducing valve ).

Perhaps the top pipe in the wall is the one to the water heater? The middle one to the rest of the home? The bottom one incoming?

Thanks Terry.

with the water filter I want to install, I would like to install it after the PRV (to prevent damaging the water filter) and before it goes to the water heater (to help prevent scaling in the water heater).

So there’s my conundrum in not knowing what each of the three pipes going into the wall is.
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,600
Reaction score
1,037
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
There is NO WAY to tell what the three pipes are without being there and doing some testing. The arrow on the PRV will tell the flow direction, which would be the first step in the diagnosis. In this area, the bottom one would be the incoming, the middle one would feed the fire sprinkler system and the top one would supply the house, but that might have absolutely to relationship to your area or situation.,
 

chow2006

New Member
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Tennessee
There is NO WAY to tell what the three pipes are without being there and doing some testing. The arrow on the PRV will tell the flow direction, which would be the first step in the diagnosis. In this area, the bottom one would be the incoming, the middle one would feed the fire sprinkler system and the top one would supply the house, but that might have absolutely to relationship to your area or situation.,


Thank you, HJ!

I checked the directional arrow on the PRV — it goes up.

If I turn off the bottom ball valve, no water anywhere (main shut off valve).

If I turn off the top ball valve, no water anywhere inside, only running water then is an exterior faucet (sprinkler system).

So that let’s me know the top pipe is the one supplying water to the inside of the house.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks