Plumbing

[Ted in NE-OH]

If you were replacing the plumbing in an old building in a cold climate what would you use plastic, copper, pex or whatever.

Will Pex stand being froze once?

 

[dr sportster]

Copper , but any pipe that freezes will split .

 

[DRussell]

CPVC. It's quick and easy.

 

[Jaden]

Supposedly PEX has some tolerance to freezing, but I would not deliberately design a system to encounter freezing conditions.

 

[Dusty MI]

Do not allow PEX to exposed to sun light, even through a window.

I like CPVC but easy to get sloppy with running it straight. And with hot water lines, 1/2" needs hangers every few inches, 3/4" is much better.

 

[Part Time Pete]

It took me a long time to finally start using PEX, but now that I have, I really like it. It will take a freeze better than copper, but I would try to avoid putting fittings in side the walls. It's cheap enough that you can generally take a home run from each of the fixtures, to a manifold in the basement.
Pete

 

[Ken Combs]

Pex. Easy to install, freezing does harm it, cheap. But, avoid sunlight, fittings can be expensive. More pipe runs, fewer fittings is often cheaper.
Copper would be my second choice due to cost, slower to install and in some situations subject to erosion from water chemicals. Also avoid contact with concrete. I still remember having a cement block basement wall weep water when filled with water from a leaky copper water service.

 

[Russ from MN]

CPVC! Copper will oxidize with some water and then you have black specks in the water. CPVC is somewhat self insulating but I still insulate the hot, and cold doesn't sweat nearly as bad as copper. I blow out the lines when we leave in the fall so I don't worry about them freezing.

 

[buickanddeere]

Install a compressed air quick connector on the water line . Keep an old air compressor there to blowdown the lines when ever the building is left vacant and unheated .

 

[grizz02]

pex never had a problem.----cpvc has split on me in my shop I blow it out but if there is the slightest amount of water in it will split 😢

 

[Aaron SEIA]

PEX. I have a water line ran too close to the foundation. Freezes any time the temps get below 10. Has never split, but it has never frozen solid between 2 shutoffs either. When it warms up this weekend it will thaw and I'll have cold water to my bathroom sink again.
AaronSEIA

 

[David G]

PEX

 

[Gambles]

Pex, hands down.

 

[504]

I built a summertime, sandwich and ice cream shop for the wife,she told me it would never be open in the winter. She lied. Pipes were all cpvc laid on the walls and not insulated at all,and they froze every night. CPVC will split and break and break and break. Pex hold up but the connectors will freeze and break. When we lived in a trailer the water would freeze under the bath tub,after about 5 years the lines started leaking. The water lines had swollen from 3/8 to over 1/2. I am not sure you can buy copper that can take that anymore.

 

[Hoenes]

With pex pipe, "sharkbite" fittings are usually involved. I needed a sharkbite fitting in an area subjected to freezing. I even called the company, and couldn't get a straight answer on yea or nay. So far,so good.

 

[Gambles]

I don't like using Sharkbites, and when you say "Sharkbites", I mean the fittings where you just push the pex into it and you're done. Nothing really against them, except they are expensive. Instead, I use the copper "rings" that go over the pex connectors and are squeezed with a pex pliers. The latest showing from Home Depot shows these copper rings at about $13 for a pack of 100. All you need to install them is the crimp pliers. Whatever you prefer, I guess.

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 01:08:57 01/05/18) With pex pipe, "sharkbite" fittings are usually involved. I needed a sharkbite fitting in an area subjected to freezing. I even called the company, and couldn't get a straight answer on yea or nay. So far,so good.

The various "Sharkbite" fittings are fine for repair work of someplace you can't get to with your crimp tool, but the vast, vast majority of my PEX unions (like 99%) are done with crimps. I don't know anyone that uses "Sharkbites" exclusively.

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 14:25:24 01/04/18) If you were replacing the plumbing in an old building in a cold climate what would you use plastic, copper, pex or whatever.

Will Pex stand being froze once?

I would use PEX and put it in foam insulation anywhere you thought it might have a freeze issue. Ran new hot and cold water lines under a trailer and enclosed the whole mess in foam with the pipes run side by side. A slight drip kept these lines open that used to freeze unless there was a good flow running.

 

[Hoenes]

I suppose crimp fittings are fine. When the "brass" push and lock fittings first
came out, the guy at the hardware store said they have been tested to 200 psi.I
don't know if a crimp fitting could take that or not.

 

[Ted in NE-OH]

Thanks Guys

 

[joe 55 joe]

Pex can be frozen multiple times. We have installed it in places that freeze. We have had problems with the plastic crimp fittings. We use the brass fittings with the crimp tool also have used the viega fittings they are both good. We make sure all the fittings stay in a warm area or they will freeze and split or push apart.

 

[WGM]

Pipe insulation will not stop a pipe from freezing unless there is some source of heat such as tracing. Copper by the way is my choice of
material.

 

[Bret4207]

(quoted from post at 17:02:16 01/06/18) Pipe insulation will not stop a pipe from freezing unless there is some source of heat such as tracing. Copper by the way is my choice of
material.

If you'll note my post stated a slight drip at the faucet. IN cold weather that's often all it takes. My barn water works all winter that way in temps of 40 below. And the insulation keeps it from freezing with the water dripping, otherwise it would have to be left running at a good clip. You don't need a heat tape as long as the water is flowing enough for the specific situation.

 

[MarkB_MI]

I like to plumb with copper, for no particular reason other than that's what I'm familiar with. In Pontiac, most remodelers (aka "flippers") will only use PEX. Copper is too attractive to scrappers. Scrappers will do thousands of dollars in damages just to steal ten bucks worth of copper.

If plumbing is in a crawlspace that's likely to freeze, I'll use PEX. I haven't had any trouble with PEX freezing.