Why I hate working on "old" plumbing

[Scuba Steve]

Old plumbing doesn't really bug me, but all the old plumbing I've worked with has been copper. I haven't started using PEX yet and only use PVC for drains, and haven't had any issues so far.

Of course I say this without trying to jinx myself because I'm buying a rental house that was built around 1920 next month, and it has three known plumbing issues... one new wax ring needed, one hose bib on the water supply for the washing machine and one mystery leak under the kitchen faucet.

[plumber]

inspection BEFORE insulation!

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Fuse boxes are ok unless they are open so every mouse, spider, and other assorted critter can access them.... I would change out any such box fuse or breaker. Trust me, the garage and barn were fires waiting to happen. From the second we cut off the old lines the electric usage has dropped in half. This includes connecting the new lines and additional outlets. Phantom current going somewhere from bare copper electric lines, very scary!


Don,

I can get you better than that! But my "work" does not look so neat... However there is a gentleman in Maryland who makes house calls and one from Toronto willing to come over for the small price of a SWB ;-)

It never ceases to amaze me how things can be misunderstood. Did yall give a specification as to clearance and types of unit to install? We have to specify everything down to the smallest detail. Too many ways to interpret and too many of the interpretations provide the fiasco you show above. Rather sad, really.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by iplagolf

Don't bash a "fuse box" I'd take a fuse over a breaker any day. Fuses don't fail, I've known a breaker to fail. Any old electricians on the site who want to chime in?

The issue I have with fuses (the screw in kind with a base like a light bulb) is that the screw that the center post screws down against gets loose from heat cycling. I don't know how many range/dryer problems I've solved by tightening the screw and putting in a new fuse. If it gets too bad, of course, you have to replace the fuse box.

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by Scuba Steve

Old plumbing doesn't really bug me, but all the old plumbing I've worked with has been copper. I haven't started using PEX yet and only use PVC for drains, and haven't had any issues so far.

We bought an old lake cabin last spring that needed all of the pipes replaced. First time I ever used PEX and I will never go back to copper. Cheap, very easy to install and not one leak! I used the manifold system so you only have a connector at the manifold and one at the end of the line for each faucet. Almost instant hot water and no change in water pressure or temperature if you are in the shower and someone flushes the toilet.

[plumb4u2]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

Here's an example of "new" plumbing by a licensed and bonded plumber.




Explain how the filter will be changed. No, wait, it gets better. The filter was NOT INSTALLED either. And yes, they caulked the housing to the line passing below.

It's a simple request, yet we continue to get the same half assed work. This is not a house, it's a hospital. Different plumber, different facilities.

We ask "please make a bypass so we can change the filter and NOT interrupt fluid flow". Does that sound difficult to accomplish?

Being licensed and bonded doesn't mean you have common sense

whatever Plumber did that job has no integrity and probably could care less about the work he performs

I guarantee that he did all the piping work without allowing space for insulation then he realized what he did and said fuch it.

[red-beard]

Don,

The "bypass" is not correct. A critical system should be dual filter. There are a prebuilt switchover types. Or you could build a second filter into the "bypass". The extra cost would be peanuts and you will always have clean water at all times.

[red-beard]

Oh, and what is the insulation for? If the line is hot, and that is water, I doubt that the filter is rated for hot water. If it is to prevent freezing, the bypass line will freeze, not to mention the filter.

[plumb4u2]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Oh, and what is the insulation for? If the line is hot, and that is water, I doubt that the filter is rated for hot water. If it is to prevent freezing, the bypass line will freeze, not to mention the filter.

I only do residential service work but im pretty sure that buildings like hospitals and other industrial plants are required to have all water lines hot and cold insulated

that is a POS filter you can buy at HD....Plumber taken cheap route

[plumb4u2]

insulation would cut down on condensation from high volume of cold water running through copper pipes

[DonDavis]

True, this is hospital chilled water feeding a helium compressor on an MRI scanner. They ( facilities personnel ) usually say it's already filtered but we change the filter semi-annually and it's dirty. Really helped the compressor's up time.

[Scuba Steve]

Originally Posted by Rot 911

We bought an old lake cabin last spring that needed all of the pipes replaced. First time I ever used PEX and I will never go back to copper. Cheap, very easy to install and not one leak! I used the manifold system so you only have a connector at the manifold and one at the end of the line for each faucet. Almost instant hot water and no change in water pressure or temperature if you are in the shower and someone flushes the toilet.

I'm sure I'll have to adapt - our residence is a mix of galvanized, copper and PEX, with the later being found mostly in the 2003 addition that I'm going to do loads of work on. For now though, the crimp connections do kind of worry me. I've seen a lot of rusty and corroded ones and don't know how long that'd take for one to let go.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Hey! Guess what! The pressure relief valve on the new to us unit decided to stop working last night! Yeah!!!!!!

[plumb4u2]

Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane

Hey! Guess what! The pressure relief valve on the new to us unit decided to stop working last night! Yeah!!!!!!

what do you mean by this?

The temperature and pressure relief valve is only supposed to blow if there is a problem(i.e. too much pressure or too high temperature)

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Justin,

Thanks for the input! The relief valve started blowing by last night. The temperature on top was set low, the bottom temperature (electric unit) was set a bit high. We'll see if this corrects.

I have a pressure limiter at the street as we are off a line at the bottom of the valley and all the water is pushing downhill to our house and then uphill to several houses west of us over the course of another mile. The limiter went bad last year and was replaced. Wonder if the new one could be going bad as well?

Anyway, the old unit did not have the relief valve blowing.

[plumb4u2]

Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane

Justin,

Thanks for the input! The relief valve started blowing by last night. The temperature on top was set low, the bottom temperature (electric unit) was set a bit high. We'll see if this corrects.

I have a pressure limiter at the street as we are off a line at the bottom of the valley and all the water is pushing downhill to our house and then uphill to several houses west of us over the course of another mile. The limiter went bad last year and was replaced. Wonder if the new one could be going bad as well?

Anyway, the old unit did not have the relief valve blowing.

the T&P valve will not blow due to temperature being a little high...the temp would have to go extreme before it blows

Go to HD they sell a pressure gauge that you simply screw on to a hose faucet and it will show your pressure...residential house should be no higher then 75PSI

[plumb4u2]

Also thermal expansion may also be your problem..did you install thermal expansion tank or expansion relief valve?

If this is your problem the T&P relief valve will blow almost everyytime the heater heats the water

[plumber]

The easy way to avoid plumbing installations that you aren't happy with, is to pay the plumber after the job has been inspected.
I've been in buiness for 18yrs and never taken a deposit for any project, or sent the invoice untill I made sure the customer was happy.
Just remember you only get what you pay for, the low price isn't always the best price.

"The bitter taste of poor quality remains much longer than the sweet taste of a low price". Omar Khayyam. (1048-1123) ...

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Justin,

The valve is a pressure relief valve as I remember it. Wife installed it yesterday while I cleaned up after the horses and took care of their needs. I'll double check tonight.

Anyway, the new valve was sitting pretty still this morning with no water running out of the tank, down the utility room floor, and out the drain! Yeay, dry cat feet!!!! (Utility room has litter pan in it...)


Plumber,

Very good advice! Omar Khayyam was dead on!

Unfortunately, this was a DIY job without a plumber involved. The work I did leaked. The work Wife did was good.



Ah well, another leak in a different area last night. Did I mention that I LOVE old plumbing, especially in cold weather??????

[plumb4u2]

David, If you need any over the phone help PM me Ill give you my number