PEX in the house. - Wanting to redo a few things.

[tedo2007]

I have an older houe built in 1908, the plumbing is much more recent than that, but it looks to be all half inch stuff.

Can anyone point me to a good place to purchase pex fittings?

I am wanting to go from the 5/8 meter to 3/4 pex, and run 3/4 to everything that I can dropping in size for fixtures and such as they require, but staying 3/4 throughout the process as much as I can.

For instance, the current washer fittings look to be 3/8 or 1/2 - i would like to plumb these with 3/4 right to the hookups.

I can include some photos of what I have currently if that would help!

 

[Richard Cranium]

Any non box store Plumbing supply company

 

[bzinsky]

fyi, the bigger the supply line the longer it takes to get hot water to the fixture

The perfect setup is a manifold near the water heater, and 1/2" home runs to each fixture. It's not really a lot more work then what you're already planning. For bath sinks I would probably even go 3/8th's, depending on your pressure.

 

[tedo2007]

fyi, the bigger the supply line the longer it takes to get hot water to the fixture

The perfect setup is a manifold near the water heater, and 1/2" home runs to each fixture. It's not really a lot more work then what you're already planning. For bath sinks I would probably even go 3/8th's, depending on your pressure.

Understood, with that said my layout is as follows

water enters house in north east corner, goes 24 feet to its first connect which is the washer, from there it goes another 20 feet where the water heater is, from the water heater its 10 feet of run to the bathroom, and 10 feet from bathroom to kitchen. Thats the house in a nutshell.


basically want to change the old fitting on the main water meter in the basement to connect to 3/4 pex, run from that about 3 feet to our new water softner.


What should I do differently?

 

[Whitworth]

I replaced 3/4" poly-butyl with PEX, changing to 1/2" pipe for about 30 feet run to the kitchen sink. It took FOREVER to get hot water out of the kitchen sink.

After the change over there really wasn't any dramatic difference in either how fast to get hot water, or how much volume of water. At least as an unscientific observation.

I also wouldn't use the copper manifolds they sell for PEX. They're very thin and one pin hole leak is gonna be a ton of work to replace with all those lines. Build your own manifold out of L gage copper.

 

[Alchymist]

Wouldn't use the manifold either. When I did the new plumbing in our OLD old house, I made the manifold out of copper T's and each port got a ball valve, as well as the manifold inlet. Used reducing Ts - 3/4" run, 1/2" side port, with 1/2" ball valves. Amazing how convenient it is to shut off one run without shutting off the whole system.

 

[chinboys]

I brought mot of my PEX and heating stuff from Supply House here in NY. They now have same day delivery from their NJ warehouse but most items ship with 2-5 days from their OH warehouse.

Their www site is really easy to navigate.

 

[yeldogt]

Wouldn't use the manifold either. When I did the new plumbing in our OLD old house, I made the manifold out of copper T's and each port got a ball valve, as well as the manifold inlet. Used reducing Ts - 3/4" run, 1/2" side port, with 1/2" ball valves. Amazing how convenient it is to shut off one run without shutting off the whole system.

From what I understand the new manifolds are the way to go -- they make hooking up home runs very easy. They use a polymer plastic and brass.

 

[Alchymist]

From what I understand the new manifolds are the way to go -- they make hooking up home runs very easy. They use a polymer plastic and brass.

What happens if one gets cracked or broken?

 

[yeldogt]

What happens if one gets cracked or broken?

They must have a low failure rate -- when you think of it almost everything is plastic today. They make putting it all together very easy -- home running is nice .. but, a mess in the mechanical room

 

[highflier]

There are several methods to make up connections with pex.
Pros use a Wirsbo pex expansion tool and fittings.
Kinda pricy to buy the tool for a smaller project.
You can go the crimp route, but that requires more parts and pieces that can be annoying.
For a one time project I would go with Sharkbite push connect pex fittings.
Readily available, even at HD off the shelf, a little pricey but very simple.

I never got the reason to make up a complex manifolds with specific runs cutoffs.
No need to have multiple cutoffs, waste of materials imho ( they do look neat)
I prefer poly pex manifolds, 3/4 flow thru with 1/2 distribution ports.
Never had one fail.

From the supply valve, run 3/4 pex cold supply to the water heater.
Somewhere between the supply valve and water heater put in the manifold and distribute your cold water via 1/2 pex to your sinks, showers, etc. maintain 3/4 to the water heater.
Out of the hot water heater run 3/4 pex to a manifold then distributes hot water via 1/2 pex.

Pex's id is sufficient for fixtures.
Most connections for pex are not restrictive, as in choking down thru a connection.

 

[koditten]

Our big box store that carries PEX is called Menards. they have everything. the crimp collar fittings work awesome and is very fast.

 

[yeldogt]

I'm going with the the Viega Pex manifolds and pipe on my new build -- My plumber has been using the product for years and it gets great reviews. We used the barrier Pex product for the radiant slabs.

The manifolds keep everything neat and compact -- and controllable with individual vales for each home run. I only have two bathroom in this conversion and it would be a mess w/o the manifold.

This is my first project using Pex for the domestic water -- I have plastic manifolds in one of my older radiant projects -- almost 25 years ... so I not really worried.

 

[finn]

I replumbed a project house using 3/4" pex for the hot water.

Big mistake, as it takes forever to get hot water to the bathroom faucet.

Use 1/2", like god intended.

 

[tedo2007]

Our big box store that carries PEX is called Menards. they have everything. the crimp collar fittings work awesome and is very fast.

That is more than likely my best option, i can borrow the crimp tool (not sure how to explain the difference but this ones crimps the entire collar rather than a small section of the crimp.

Menards is where most items will be purchased as I am usually there once a week or so.


So looks like from what I read here:

Swap out 1/2 copper after water meter to 3/4 pex

run 3/4 pex through water softener

somewhere after the softener install manifold (plastic type not copper) and split off cold water points from here - this will be 3/4 in 1/2 out to each drop

run into water heater (i think code is 18 inches from water heater? ours is gas, I wish it was one of the newer gas ones that could be forced out pvc similar to our furnace, so i could knock out the chimney) after water heater do another "hot" manifold, 3/4 to 1/2 running to each.



Questions:

Can / Should I run 3/4 to the washer?
Should I run 3/4 to the outside faucet?
Anyone done a soft exterior faucet also for washing cars?

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Just go to Lowes or Home Depot. Their selections are good and the return policy is friendly. When I do a job sometimes I bring a bucket full of fittings back.

 

[tedo2007]

I know, its measured by the inside diameter, but I do not know plumbing very well so I took these and showed a friend

not sure what size fitting or type I need to screw directly on to MY SIDE of this and go into 3/4 pex crimp style

Here is the unit as a whole coming into the house

The two copper lines going to the right go to the water heater

this is the "drop" to the washer

This is the size after the meter

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[tedo2007]

Our big box store that carries PEX is called Menards. they have everything. the crimp collar fittings work awesome and is very fast.

That is more than likely my best option, i can borrow the crimp tool (not sure how to explain the difference but this ones crimps the entire collar rather than a small section of the crimp.

Menards is where most items will be purchased as I am usually there once a week or so.


So looks like from what I read here:

Swap out 1/2 copper after water meter to 3/4 pex

run 3/4 pex through water softener

somewhere after the softener install manifold (plastic type not copper) and split off cold water points from here - this will be 3/4 in 1/2 out to each drop

run into water heater (i think code is 18 inches from water heater? ours is gas, I wish it was one of the newer gas ones that could be forced out pvc similar to our furnace, so i could knock out the chimney) after water heater do another "hot" manifold, 3/4 to 1/2 running to each.



Questions:

Can / Should I run 3/4 to the washer?
Should I run 3/4 to the outside faucet?
Anyone done a soft exterior faucet also for washing cars?

 

[Highbeam]

Don't run 3/4" to the washer. The valves and internal piping are way way smaller than what a half inch line can provide.

 

[highflier]

Stick with 1/2" to the washer, sinks, showers, etc
You will actually get better pressure and flow than 3/4.
And as mentioned above, almost everything you will be connecting to will have a much smaller diameter in its entry point or supply line.

 

[tedo2007]

Gotcha! Just figured 1/2 pex was smaller than 1/2 copper


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[6768rogues]

If things are grounded to your existing water pipes, don't forget to deal with them to maintain grounding. And don't EVER ground to a gas pipe.

 

[2level]

Yes, on a 3/4" PEX supply to outside faucet if you install a full bore one and have plenty of pressure and volume feeding it. We've got 90psi with high volume and it comes in handy when washing cars/cleaning siding/hosing down neighbors, ect.!

 

[tedo2007]

Yes, on a 3/4" PEX supply to outside faucet if you install a full bore one and have plenty of pressure and volume feeding it. We've got 90psi with high volume and it comes in handy when washing cars/cleaning siding/hosing down neighbors, ect.!

Perfect


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