Best way to Re-plumb a line due to Leak in Slab?
#1
04-23-20, 09:21 AM
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Best way to Re-plumb a line due to Leak in Slab?
Hi looking for advice please. I've got a single story on-slab house, in south-central Texas, where it rarely gets below freezing for any length of time. I had a copper pipe between a shower and sink develop a leak in the slab. So rather than rip up a tile floor and jackhammer the slab, I plan to run a bypass line through the attic. But I don't know if it would be best to stick with copper, or use CPVC or PEX instead. I don't really have the proper tools to work with any of those choices. So I'll have to buy them as well. But whichever I choose, I don't think it's going to cost anywhere near the $1200 quote (not including drywall work) I got from a local plumbing company. Would greatly appreciate some advice for somebody with more plumbing experience than me.
THANKS
THANKS
#2
04-23-20, 09:59 AM
Group Moderator
I would recommend using PEX. The crimp tool is now affordable to own.
Keep the crimps at the ends so that you can get back to them if they leak.
Keep the crimps at the ends so that you can get back to them if they leak.
#3
04-23-20, 10:18 AM
Group Moderator
Definitely use PEX. In your situation I would try to run a continuous piece of PEX through the walls and ceiling without any fittings or joints. PEX tubing is highly resistant to damage from freezing but the fittings can be damaged by freezing. So, if you don't have any fittings in the walls or ceilings, should the water line freeze, there is little chance of it hurting anything. This also insures that you don't have any potential leaky joints hidden inside the wall.
#4
04-23-20, 11:41 AM
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Thanks. That's exactly what I was thinking. I'm just worried about having to do the transition to copper inside the walls.
#5
04-23-20, 12:10 PM
The best way to transition between PEX and Copper is a sweat (soldered) adapter. I wouldn't mind using a SharkBite coupler to go from PEX to copper though. Not everyone here agrees... but it's a real quick and easy solution.
#7
04-23-20, 02:59 PM
Group Moderator
Sorry, old school here, PEX is not better, it's just cheaper!
it makes sense.
I'm a die hard copper man too but PEX does have its places.
CasualJoe
voted this post useful.
#8
04-24-20, 09:24 AM
Member
Agree 100% on copper over pex, but pex does have it's place. I have a project right now replacing 95 year old galvanized pipe from a basement to 2nd floor bath. In trying to minimize opening of walls, pex is the only way to go when fishing pipe through old walls. But, forget the push-on (aka SharkBite) couplings/connectors inside a wall that is sealed forever, they will inevitably sooner or later leak.
