Do I use copper or cast iron for soil pipe running down kitchen wall?

I have gutted my kitchen area downstairs and plan to expand it 10 feet over into what used to be closets, bathroom etc.

In doing so, we needed to move the 3" main soil pipe coming from the 2nd floor. In doing so, I had asked the contractor to use cast iron instead of PVC for NOISE REASONS. I didn't want to hear gushing water at the kitchen table coming from the 2nd floor bath.

They started work yesterday and the contractor said the plumber was going to use copper (that's actually what was there before).

I am reading on the internet that copper isn't much better than PVC when it comes to noise and that cast iron is king.

DO I DEMAND THEY USE CAST IRON or should I just have them use copper and wrap it with a noise deadening product I have already purchased from http://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/ I have heard great things about this extremely dense material when it comes to sound deadening.

What do you think I should do? They plan to come in tomorrow (Monday July 31st to do the work) so any quick reply would be appreciated!

Thanks,
RG

use foam coar PVC

why would this fellow use copper, I wonder??

Probably because the cast iron might nearly be impossible for some

newer plumbers to even work with especially if their are

going to be trying to do turns and no-hub joints in the ceiling....

If does not know how to work with ---no-hub ----cast iron pipe its probably

best to either get another plumber or let it slide.......and do the pvc...


I have copper going over one downstairs bedroom and it
sounds like a freight train when the toilet gets flushed..
--------------------------------------------------------------------

I would rather just use the ---FOAM CORE PVC-- its quieter than

normal PVC pipe and forget about all the fuss....

wrap the foam core if you must....


if you had copper in the first place, I doubt you are going to notice any
difference anyway.....PVC is quieter than copper.....



or call another plumber and get quotes on installing some cast iron no hub pipe...

cast iron no hub pipe is usually used in more commercial applications...

so you probably wont find many takers..

MPM is right. Copper won't be any quieter. Use foam core PVC, save some $$$ and wrap it.

Sounds to me like this "plumber" wants to increase the bill by useing some copper he has on hand instead of PVC unless he was going to use the old copper. I would guess that size copper is out the roof in price.

I would question any "plumber"who was going to do such a thing. I have yet to be in a situation where I couldn't replace cast with PVC and had to use copper.

The whole thing sounds fishy.

I believe what may have happened was this.. I told the GC that I didn't want PVC and that I wanted to use cast iron. He may have relayed it incorrectly just that I didn't want PVC. So the plumber planned to use copper. I am going to verify when the plumber comes tomorrow. I've already paid the GC (friend of mine) for the plumbers work so there's no padding of the bill in this case.

The area being worked is a tight tight area that does need to turn (from toilet flange area to the main soil pipe. I don't know what would be easier to work with in that area...

So we are definitely saying that PVC is quieter than copper right? And with the barrier decoupler I ordered I am thinking it's not a concern anyway. The decoupler material is supposed to really dampen any sounds. For what I'm paying for the material, it better!!

Can you give me a price estimate for 8 feet of PVC vs. 8 of copper vs. 8 of cast iron?



Thanks,

Can you give me a price estimate for 8 feet of PVC vs. 8 of copper vs. 8 of cast iron?

Click to expand...

I can't give you an exact answer, but I just happened to be walking thru a big box store and noticed the price of 2inch x 10 ft copper was $99. Around here the price for 3 inch 10 ft. PVC would be about $11. Don't know about cast. Maybe one of the pros will chime in.

with the price of copper nowadays you might use gold as an alternative. Using copper is rediculous, better to use pvc and insulate.

do the PVC

Just do the pvc, I dont have a clue how expensive

3 inch copper is..... and the guy would have to be nuts to

want to " go back in time " and use it anyway....



the Foam Coar PVC will work great and if you simply take some

pink insualtion and stuff it around the pipe it will be good enough....




as far as NO-hub cast.......

thats a pain in the ass and I have not done any in years

wouldnet know how to price it either...

As much as I love the use of copper I certainly would not use it for any application regarding DWV systems.

Not only the expense but the piping slowly deteriorates when exposed to urine and acidic food waste.

The only place I would use copper these days in where it would be exposed. Polished and lacquered, it's really gorgeous.

That said, we're building a new lab addition at work, and it looks like they're using copper everywhere up to 3" or so. Probably a government spec of some kind. Makes me proud to be a taxpayer. They keep all their materials in a lockbox storage container...

Mikey said:

The only place I would use copper these days in where it would be exposed. Polished and lacquered, it's really gorgeous.

Click to expand...

I like your thinking Mikey!!

Here's an example of the above, just in another fashion. Not my affordability but I got enough copper fittings to melt down and make one if I only knew how.



The Liberty Bike created and donated by Orange County Choppers

Man, is that pretty; I'd be scared to ride it.

I walked by the lab jobsite at break time and one of the plumbing guys said that a 20' stick of 3" copper was $1100. Even at state prices, I found that hard to believe, but I'm sure not throwing any copper away these days -- even small cutoffs of #14 wire. When I wander around new construction in the area, after the electricians leave the jobsite is clean as a whistle. I'm told the pro jobsite cleaners have raised their base prices because there's no more scrap copper on them.

I just talked to my supply house and a 20' stick of 3" DWV copper is $290.00 3" pressure rated copper might be $1,100.00

Pressure rated, huh? You learn something new every day. I sneaked a look at one piece, all it said on it was Type L NSF 61 or something like that. The laser-marked print was kind of hard to read. There was some other in the rack that had each end sealed, so it may have been fancier stuff. Still, $290... wow.