risers from water line -- is 90 degrees OK?

[LouRocco]

First, I wouldn't be asking this if copper weren't so expensive. But it is...

I have to tie in several risers to hot and cold horizontal water lines (these are already in place). So, I have to go up and over and up again. I have more than enough 90 degree elbows laying around, and no 45s. I know that it's better to take off from horizontal pipes at a 45 degree angle. My question is, is it absolutely necessary? Is it code? Or is it just good form? Seems to me that pressurized water will find its way, regardless of the bend. But maybe I'm missing some other important point.

Thanks.
Lou

 

[Leejosepho]

Seems to me that pressurized water will find its way, regardless of the bend. But maybe I'm missing some other important point.

Every fitting adds a little overall friction and/or disruption (turbulence) of flow, so "fewer and smoother" is usually best. However, all of that is somewhat relative and negotiable when supplying water to fixtures with valve openings far smaller than the diameter of the piping. As a DIYer, I do the best I can under whatever conditions and with whatever components are available, and I still get plenty of water at all of my fixtures even after some of it has to pass through a series of elbows near the end of a run along the way.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

elbows

Believe me, it will be a lot easier to put the tees on their backs and use elbows, (I would probably use street elbows to eliminate one joint), to make the connections. That way you have the ability to swing the lateral if the tee does not come out in exactly the right place.