Any Plumbers in the house?

disneyjoe7

Some background first.

I own a 10 year old house which as (good or bad I don't know at this point) PB piping Polybutylene Plumbing which I know it was pulled from market / also recalled. But my house was built in-between these periods.

Ok so I have some things I wish to change in the house kitchen sink / faucet, dishwasher, master bath faucets. How do I do this? What tool am I looking for? I can solder / or whatever is needed or if you're in the neighborhood looking for some side work I'm all ears.

Steve / Orlando Fl

BTW really close to all parks.

dkg999

On the one and only remodel I have been involved in that had this plumbing it was all pulled and replaced. Not sure if that was a requirement or a homeowner request. You might check at the Journal of Light Construction (jlconline) and Fine Homebuilding (taunton press) forums to see if there is more info.

RSTERN

You should still have shut off valve under the sinks with screw on fitting. I changed my kithchen faucet and it came with hoses that screwed right on the shut of valve.
My house is plumbed with pex, class action lawsuit against mfg, but only if you have a failure.
Rob

disneyjoe7

A picture is a 1000 words so here we go......



In short no shut off vavle below sinks.

nadams

i didn't know there was any lawsuit against pex... our new house is plumbed with pex, and my uncle who has been a plumber for years, now only plumbs with pex...

disneyjoe7

Ok so with the under the sink picture, does anyone know what I do with that.

Thinking cut PEX, resolding end?, re-crimping PEX?

Anyone what tools I need? Other then the solding tools stuff.

bpadget

PEX and PB aren't the same. I can't tell from the pic which yours is but as long as the connections aren't leaking, I wouldn't mess with the plastic pipe. Cut the copper about 2" from the plastic and solder in new valves. Then you can turn the house water back on and take your time with the new faucet.

disneyjoe7

Don't you feel that the heat to solder would be harmful to the plastic pipe (I not sure what it is can you tell me how to tell?).

hoosier21

I have never seen a water distribution "panel" -Good luck Steve.

I would agree, replacing from the cut off value up to the new faucet would be best (can't see onw in the picture, but I assume there is one there.

My Sister had that crap on a hot water heater, the worst plumbing fix I ever went through, replaced teh hot water heater. 4-5 trips getting splices, couplers and whatever. the "cheap" hand tightening type compression coupler ended up working the best.

nadams

Sorry for the crappy pic... this is our water distro block before they finished hooking it up...

disneyjoe7

Russ,

There's no shut off valves at the sinks or toilets for that matter, which is fun when someone over flows a toilet you naturally go to the bathroom only to run to the garage to shut off at the distribution panel.

Luckily for me that the hot water tank as copper at the tank for like 2ft then crimped to the plastic grey pipe.

Emlyn

http://www.pbpipe.com/index1.htm

Best to get rid of the PB pipe altogether. After about 10-15 years, the fittings often start to leak slowly. Timing depends on chlorination levels and water temperatures usually. If the install was before Aug 1, 1995, you may be covered by a settlement if you've had a leak, but the pipe may not have been in long enough to have leaked yet.

I'm not a plumber, but I know a little about this stuff having got it out of my house and gotten the service line to the house replaced at no cost. I got very lucky with mine. From what I've gathered from plumbers, they don't like to mess with the stuff, not because it's difficult to work with (only special crimping tools and fittings are needed), but because parts are hard to find and they don't want complaints/liability after working on a project involving the pipe system.

As a temporary measure, I agree with installing valves in the copper that's there now. Doesn't look like there's much room to work with it though.

Good luck with it.

masanz1

shut your main off then start replacing. there is a tool for the pex piping under the sink, google it. hopes this helps and good luck. If you do rent/buy the tool, why not fit some shut off valves in line while you're at it

Emlyn

Doesn't look like Steve has a PEX plumbing system. PEX or copper replacement for polybutylene (grey pipe) were my options. I went with copper, although I understand PEX lasts longer than copper in theory and is easier and quicker to install. They also made PB systems with distribution manifolds, like the PEX one above.

bpadget

I can't tell for sure from the picture but the grey color makes me think it's PB. (edit- PEX will be labeled at least every 5') If you solder in a threaded adapter you shouldn't have to keep heat on the pipe long enough to hurt but you might try a couple of prctice runs and maybe pre-tin the fitting.

disneyjoe7

Guys / Gals,

When I looked at buying this house 2 years ago, I almost walk away do to this plumbing system. But my home inspector a deal breaker by all means, realtors HATE this guy he's makes I say 65% of house a no deal. I know this guy as he did my old house also did a co-workers house, he knew the builder of this house and this neighborhood. He if nothing else Sold this house on me, he was pleased with the piping job all fittings are home ran all crimps are at figure, no spices no T's anywhere. So unless I hear others around me having problems it's staying, I'm just iffy on working with it.

disneyjoe7

Emlyn wrote:

Doesn't look like Steve has a PEX plumbing system. PEX or copper replacement for polybutylene (grey pipe) were my options. I went with copper, although I understand PEX lasts longer than copper in theory and is easier and quicker to install. They also made PB systems with distribution manifolds, like the PEX one above.

I pulled the paper work that was below the distribution maniford, that polybutylene grey pipe in the house. The distribution maniford is made by Vanguard Manabloc. So this is a PEX system?

amulford

Steve, I am a Union Pipefitter/Plumber.

I'll send you a PM

RSTERN

Sorry, qest has the class action lawsuit.
When I did the new bathroom I used pex. I bought the tool for 3/4 and ran everything 3/4 in pex and then made copper adapter over to the sizes I needed for the shower, tub and sink. That way if something were to happen I have the tool.
Rob

venomclan

Hi Disney,
I just went through that with my house 3 months ago. We bought a house in June that had PB pipe. I am in S. FL. We did not know at the time that we had it before we bought. Inspections miss it a lot because the fittings are Copper. Our house was built in 88. During a bathroom remodel, the plumber told us we had PB. Our house was too old for the lawsuit, so we decided to replace the whole house plumbing with CPVC. Most plumbers we contacted did not want to work with PB. We found a company down here that specializes in PB replacement and had the whole house done by 1 guy in 1 day. We had to plumb through the attic and seal the pipe in the foundation.
I would recommend a total replacement if you have PB. It is a pain, but a leak will be worse and you will have to change the whole house then. The total job for us including a permit was $3600. Check in to the PB lawsuit.
Venom

amulford

He has a polybutylene (PB) system. The WORST thing he can do is try to solder in valves. He may have to replace it, but he doesn't have to right now.

The sink fixtures are easy. Cut the copper as far past the transition as you can and go with a 3/8" compression shut off.

Since it is pretty flexible, secure the cut end with some copper clad straps to a piece of wood screwed to the wall (making sure the end will stick out above the support at least an inch). You need to make sure you use two wrenches when you install them, as you do not want to disturb that joint if possible. (one on the nut and one to the body of the valve)

He has another issue w/ the dishwasher, I'm waitng for picures.

disneyjoe7

Anthony Thank you,

Here some more pictures, after looking at the Dishwasher that will be Sweet no problem. Kitchen sink should be sweet also, the Master Bath Faucet should be a litte hard.


Ok some pictures

The dishwasher is like the faucet a little anyway. The Kitchen sink is like the toilets / Sweet.

1. Dishwasher
2. Close Dishwasher plumbing it's like the bathroom sinks.
3. Kitchen sink
4. Kitchen sink wall 90 elbow
5. Toilets

Thats all, I will sell this house first before I replace this piping also hell Copper pipes suck here in Central Florida also.

disneyjoe7

Just got off the phone talking to Anthony / AmulFord after talking to him I thank I got do very thing clean. He makes me fee like SuperMan, dud you're welcome here anytime.

Thank you.