Water supply layout design

[arod0422]

Hello all,

Planning the layout for the water supply lines for my master bathroom remodel. I will be switching from copper to PEX.

I'm pretty much using the same configuration that was already there except the builder used a bunch of tees right at the main pipes coming in and branching from there, where i have tees at different points along the way. The cold main gets reduced to 1/2. Everything is 1/2 from there.

For context, we had a double sink vanity before, i will be having a single vanity on opposite sides of the room now. I don't recall having a pressure issue when running both faucets at the same time, but honestly my wife always kept a bunch of makeup and crap on "her side" and just used mine. I am concerned about the 2 showers running at the same time though. Before if the shower was running and the sink was running you could feel the pressure drop in the shower, especially on the hot side. Both showers will have their own control valves. i think the most likely scenario will be 1 shower and the tub running at the same time than both showers running at the same time. But id like to avoid the pressure issue in any scenario where multple fixture are open at the same time.

My questions are, does anyone see any potential issues with this design? And would i be better off leaving the cold main at 3/4?

I have not bought the actual fixtures, so I don't know if they come with 3/4 inlets or not? And probably less likely to have just the cold inlet in 3/4?


Any feedback is appreciated!!

 

[Breplum]

You need 3/4" on both hot and cold supply for that bathroom. And, pipe it back to the water heater with a recirculation loop and add a pump system. Insulate all hot piping

 

[Sponsor]

 

[arod0422]

Thank you. I will have to look into recirculation and the pump. Im not sure how realistic piping back to the water heater is going to be though. This is an upstairs bathroom at the furthest point from the water heater down stairs in the garage.

The only thing I'm adding to this bathroom that wasn't already there is the second shower.

 

[arod0422]

My main hot line coming off the WH is 1/2. I dont see any way I could re pipe all the way there without cutting a whole bunch of holes through out the house.
Any other options available?

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

My main hot line coming off the WH is 1/2. I dont see any way I could re pipe all the way there without cutting a whole bunch of holes through out the house.
Any other options available?

You will be ok.... remember that its just a bathroom and not a gang shower....
Odds are only one person is going to be filling up the tub, or showering at one time
maybe flushing the toilet ,,, and its not going to matter all that much....

Unless you are planning on having some kind of swingers party in the bathroom with
both the toilet, shower and tub going all at the same time I dont think no one is
going to complain

 

[Jeff H Young]

My main hot line coming off the WH is 1/2. I dont see any way I could re pipe all the way there without cutting a whole bunch of holes through out the house.
Any other options available?

up the size to 3/4 on part of the hot and keep the cold 3 /4 for part of the runs . Personally I wouldnt run all that in 1/2 inch but agree with Mark it might be unnoticeable . at least running part in 3/4 you mighgt help it some withoutv a lot of work or expence

 

[arod0422]

Thanks guys. lol no swinger parties, but the point of having the 2 showers is to be able to use them comfortably if wanted.
My concern is the pressure; it wasn't great before (on the hot side) and adding another shower has me worried. How much do the fixture valve play a part in pressure. In my other bathroom, i built the shower with fixtures off amazon. the cold water comes out with vengeance, hot is 1/4 of the pressure. What's the consensus on the best brand to use?

So if i did something like this, would it be an improvement? Basically 3/4 all the way around with the branches that go to the fixtures in 1/2? or the other way around?

 

[Reach4]

I suggest you add the supply lines from the water heater and the cold water to your drawing. Teeing in on the left part of your diagram would be best.

 

[arod0422]

Hey reach, the mains coming into the bathroom were showing in the center. just added some pointers to them

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

you should get better faucets Like Delta or Moen and not fool with the off brand
dog shit from China you see on Amazon

 

[arod0422]

Got it. Pretty sure the original ones in this bathroom were moen from 04. Pressure wasn't great.

Any specific parameters,#'s etc I should be looking for when choosing for improved pressure

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

All good Delta faucets usually reduce down through the valve to about a 3/8 diameter
so just in my opinion a half inch hot line off the heater should suffice

 

[arod0422]

Thanks mark, I appreciate it. So final drawing where the main runs are all 3/4 with the branch offs to the faucets are 1/2 works?

 

[Jeff H Young]

I think you are worlds better now . i dont think any one mentioned but if copper wasent performing pex is going to be worse the id is smaller plus you have smaller id on the fittings i think you can end the 3/4 after the tub (only a shower and lav on the 1/2 should be fine ).

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Thanks mark, I appreciate it. So final drawing where the main runs are all 3/4 with the branch offs to the faucets are 1/2 works?

If you are going with Delta faucets , which would be my choice, I suggest you go with the Delta 1700 series because
it allows you to gauge the amount of pressure and volume control coming through the faucet... The cheaper models made by delta
are basically full force when you turn the handle on....

 

[arod0422]

I think you are worlds better now . i dont think any one mentioned but if copper wasent performing pex is going to be worse the id is smaller plus you have smaller id on the fittings i think you can end the 3/4 after the tub (only a shower and lav on the 1/2 should be fine ).

Thank you

 

[arod0422]

If you are going with Delta faucets , which would be my choice, I suggest you go with the Delta 1700 series because
it allows you to gauge the amount of pressure and volume control coming through the faucet... The cheaper models made by delta
are basically full force when you turn the handle on....

Yes looking to go Delta, would these be the ones with the screwdriver stops? Is that how to control them?

 

[arod0422]

I think you are worlds better now . i dont think any one mentioned but if copper wasent performing pex is going to be worse the id is smaller plus you have smaller id on the fittings i think you can end the 3/4 after the tub (only a shower and lav on the 1/2 should be fine ).

what's the consensus on fittings? go brass or plastic?

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

what's the consensus on fittings? go brass or plastic?

The hard black plastic fittings are more reliable I dont trust what kind of zinc or other shit they are
throwing into the brass fittings... the plastic will last long enough for sure.....

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Yes looking to go Delta, would these be the ones with the screwdriver stops? Is that how to control them?

the scrwdriver stops are common on the delta brass bodies...

they really throtle down the water flow but are not an issue