Re-plumbing House-Piping Selection

I'm trying to make up my mind on whether to use PVC/CPVC, COPPER or PEX to replumb a lake home, need to advice on what's best choice. The home was built in 1978, copper sleeve plumbing is currently in the slab; Recently we had an elect. hot water heater go out, next the breakers for the heater went out, followed at or around the sametime by a water leak under the slab in one of the copper lines to MB sink. Master Plumber we hired, after 3 days of chasing leaks after repairs were made and having to disassemble the MBath said that the plumbing was damaged he believes by lighting. So, insurance accepted that as cause for loss and we are in the process of gearing up to re-plumb. The plumb we used likes Kitec, but I have read all the information about pending litigation on this product. What would you suggest going back with..... The lake house is located in Central Texas (Austin area), in my home, South of Houston we have all PVC/CPVC for last 21 years--no problems.

I've been using combinations of Wirsbo (Uponor) PEX and copper.
I'm sure the CPVC would be fine too.

Terry said:

I've been using combinations of Wirsbo (Uponor) PEX and copper.
I'm sure the CPVC would be fine too.

Click to expand...

I'm sure you know this is gonna get responses from the plumbers.
There are the old-school traditionalists who won't do anything but copper, then there are the guys who debate the plethera of different types of PEX on the market.
Copper corrodes and pits and is subject to galvanic reaction on hard water or adverse conditions, but it's been around forever.
I'll say this..I don't trust PEX on potable because it's high pressure and the types of connections available are too questionable to me, but if I were to use PEX I'd only use the Wirsbo expansion type with barbed fittings...the crimp style make me nervous, reminds me of the crimp system on PB years ago.

I've done the "unthinkable"...I've tried CPVC, and to be honest...it wasn't bad, I never gonna hear the end of this one on the thread either I'm sure.
(oh...go ahead Rugged...hit me with your thoughts)
The only bad thing I've heard about CPVC is rumor that it can have a plastic aftertaste in the water..I've noticed it at first, but it seems to fade once the system has been fully flushed.

which Kitec product?

david

Following up on Grumpy's concerns about crimp fittings, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Zurn for failures with its brass fittings.

Check out www.zurnclassaction.com

Wirsbo PEX or copper

Cpvc seems to get brittle over time and
seems to start to crack at the transition fittings to
heaters and shut off valves...


Either put it back in with copper or use the WIRSBO PEX
with the compression plastic shrink down fittings....




That class action lawsuit is pretty sweet.....LOL
..
They sell that zurn stuff at LOWES here in town..
I hope that they get named in the suit too....

Everybody wanted to get in on the gold rush to pex now
they have got to pay the price.....

I've installed and worked on more than a few PEX lines and that I've never seen before. I would almost bet that they installed the lines too tight and didn't allow for movement. If you use a home run system like they recommend then there would be little damage, from a failure, not that any failure is good. I have read, even on this forum, about how guys want to strap it all neat like copper and that is not proper. I guess I would ask if the installer had taken zurn's classes or not. They can not be held responsible for improper installation. Where are the pictures of those joints to show how they were installed? I've seen copper t's crack because someone put them in a bind or installed them wrong.

I dislike cpvc because it is hard to fix or repair later. You have to glue it and wait to turn the water back on, unless you use expensive fitting such as the sharkbites. It breaks if it freezes at all every time. You also have to be really careful not to put those fittings in a bind or they will break for sure.

mark

Hey grumpy did you call on the copper man. Here I am.

If you re run all of the piping in the walls then copper would be a bitch. I would run PEX. If you use the addict or run it behind some box molding then copper would be the way to go.

I do like the Wirsbo as far as the PEX goes.

If it was a lightning strike then you need to check your bonding jumper and your grounding (NEC 2005 and below) or you earthing (NEC 2008) cables.