<p>^^ I did not know fire department takes care of water pipe breakdowns! If you have a water meter wrench, some one could turn the water off by themselves. I always leave instructions to my tenants where the main shutoff valves are and how to make emergency shutoffs.</p>
<p>BTW, PEX or not PEX if the plumber made a mistake, the results are not good.</p>
<p>Well, when the 2nd floor tenant couldn’t reach is in the middle of the night as water was flooding into her apartment from the third floor, she called 911, and the fire department came out and helpfully shut the water off. It must have been a slow night… they will help pump out flooded basements, too.</p>
<p>She didn’t really have the presence of mind (or desire) to go into the basement and shut it off herself, assuming she could even figure out how. She’s a lawyer… :rolleyes: :D</p>
<p>There’s actually a simple lever-type shutoff on the main line… a quarter turn and it is off.</p>
<p>Tenants are crazy… I once had a water heater let go in a finished area that poured water into the house for an hour until I could get there, because the tenant was afraid he’d ruin his shoes if he walked over the the water heater and turned the valve to shut the water off. So he refused to do it. I said, “well why didn’t you just take your shoes off?” Blank stare… not the brightest bulb. :)</p>
<p>I was <em>not</em> happy…</p>
<p>Haven’t tried Pex yet because my plumber is so old fashioned he won’t even use Copper Shark Bite, which saves labor also. But I did spend some time looking at it in Home Depot this morning. Looks like a great product. Don’t know if it can be connected to the copper main line we just installed under the house. Trying to figure out if we can tee off to it to run in walls, etc.</p>
<p>Yup, I just came back with two re-piping companies inspection and estimates. You can connect PEX to copper, in fact, they will put a copper end piece on PEX to connect your angle stops and the PEX will connect to your shower valves.</p>
<p>Using PEX is allowed in my town and the guy had explained to me that for political reasons, some towns in CA still are not allow PEX. One of the quote from a company does 1000 homes per year all over CA is $5,000, that included all in wall materials. They also have a crew to patch all the holes after the rough in has passed the inspection. The best of the company reps told me is that the actual rough in takes only ONE DAY plus few hours work on the second day to fix mistakes or testing. Better yet, they DO NOT require to demolish a bathroom to get to the pipes.</p>
<p>We have inspected the main connect to the meter and it is PVC, they told me it is ok to have that and nothing shall be changed.</p>
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</p>
<p>Here goes the joke… How many lawyers to unscrew a light bulb… :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Whereas the party of the first part, also known as “Lawyer”, and the party of the second part, also known as “Light Bulb”, do hereby and forthwith agree to a transaction wherein the party of the second part (Light Bulb) shall be removed from the current position as a result of failure to perform previously agreed upon duties, i. e., the lighting, elucidation, and otherwise illumination of the area ranging from the front (north) door, through the entryway, terminating at an area just inside the primary living area, demarcated by the beginning of the carpet, any spillover illumination being at the option of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) and not required by the aforementioned agreement between the parties. The aforementioned removal transaction shall include, but not be limited to, the following steps:</p>
<p>1) The party of the first part (Lawyer) shall, with or without elevation at his option, by means of a chair, stepstool, ladder or any other means of elevation, grasp the party of the second part (Light Bulb) and rotate the party of the second part (Light Bulb) in a counter-clockwise direction, this point being nonnegotiable.</p>
<p>2) Upon reaching a point where the party of the second part (Light Bulb) becomes separated from the party of the third part (“Receptacle”), the party of the first part (Lawyer) shall have the option of disposing of the party of the second part (Light Bulb) in a manner consistent with all applicable state, local and federal statutes.</p>
<p>3) Once separation and disposal have been achieved, the party of the first part (Lawyer) shall have the option of beginning installation of the party of the fourth part (“New Light Bulb”). This installation shall occur in a manner consistent with the reverse of the procedures described in step one of this selfsame document, being careful to note that the rotation should occur in a clockwise direction, this point also being nonnegotiable.
NOTE: The above described steps may be performed, at the option of the party of the first part (Lawyer), by any or all persons authorized by him, the objective being to produce the most possible revenue for the party of the fifth part, also known as “Partnership.”</p>
<p>Where can I find the pix?</p>
<p>Gouf</p>
<p>Do you mean PEX?</p>
<p>First of all you have to check with building department to see if it is allowed.
Secondly goto Youtube and find those videos talk about different kind of pex and the costs.
Thirdly different type of pex requires different tools and some tools costs 400$. So it is not for the home owners to fiddle with.</p>
<p>You cane get the most common type of pex at home depot or lowes.</p>
<p>
PM coralbrook, she will send you a link.</p>
<p>Regarding out door on demand or tankless water heaters. I was told the code requires 4 feet clearance from windows or doors. Very few places in my house can have that and you need a dedicated 1" gas line to support a two and half bath home.</p>
<p>^I got caught up by that in one house, even though the manufacture says you only need one foot clearance.</p>
<p>Why do you need 4’ of clearance from windows and doors? I understand a gas meter where there might be a leak, but a gas appliance? What makes a stove so special that it won’t have a leak inside your kitchen? Or a water heater inside your house? </p>
<p>Uggh, I might need to move our connections to another location further away from the bathroom window. I kind of feel OK next to a bathroom window because it is not like someone is sleeping in the bathroom, I would be worried if it was a bedroom window.</p>
<p>Have given up on the PEX for this project, but am definitely going to do it on the next project. Mostly because it requires tools that we don’t have. </p>
<p>While researching the PEX product, I found that there is a cool gas line product that is similar. Flexible conduit that can wrap around the floor joists and up into the walls without any 90 degree connectors - which is an excellent way to be safe from leaks since they all happen in the joints. Loving that product too - but requires some tools also.</p>
<p>The tankless I purchased requires a 3/4" gas line connection - maybe the really big ones for a big house require 1".</p>
<p>I’m guessing the requirement for some expensive tools to clamp the connectors (or whatever) is the reason that a lot of plumbers won’t use the PEX or Alpha Gas line products.</p>
<p>This week we are trying to get the following done (although it is 100-107 degrees at the project and it is just miserable):</p>
<p>Scrape off all weeds in yard and get into dumpster
Stucco screed, lath and restucco of entire house (Have chosen La Habra Charleston premium color if anyone wants to look at it)
Gas line plumbing
Tear out and frame in of new windows in back area of house (hopefully before the stucco guy gets there!!)
Double check all framing and wiring to make sure we are ready for dry wall
Finish drain line plumbing
Install dryer vent line to outside (for stucco)
Install laundry hook up line box with plumbing
Install refrigerator ice maker box with plumbing
Close up sub floor so drywallers can get in and start (open now to work on plumbing)
Install special slope ceiling recessed cans in kitchen vaulted ceiling (waiting for them to arrive by shipment)</p>
<p>I will give an update at the end of the week on how we did and how we are doing against budget</p>
<p>Is there any attic space? Can you put the water heater up there?</p>
<p>regarding the code about the 4’ requirements for outside tankless. Some times it is political, someone want to keep the old tank alive so put some restrictions on installing tankless. So far I am not convinced the tankless inside vent cost way more than the unit itself (based on what I paid, $400). </p>
<p>In a conversation with the estimator of the re-piping contractor, he was in the swimming pool business and the code for commercial pools(not residential) calls for copper instead of PVC. That is built in obsolescence for the pool and it will corrode in 10 to 15 years. </p>
<p>In the town where I live, PEX is outlawed and the code for the town rolled back to type M copper, it is political as well. Some one is paying some one to keep the copper alive.</p>
<p>Copper pipe is also a bonus for the meth heads…gives them something to steal to finance their habits. Winners all the way around!</p>
<p>Also, PEX require special training. That scares a lot of old timers out of the new products. Besides there are three types of PEX (A,B and C) and there is 4-5 different manufacturers, it is NOT standard installation, so you just cannot learn one and work on the other. The consequences of wrong installation is sever and old timers just did not want to be bothered. The standard copper has been around from 1900’s whereas PEX is only 30 years old and CA did not allow it until 10 years or so ago. PPL scared of new products.</p>
<p>
That’s funny, my plumber, who uses it all the time, is in his 80’s.</p>
<p>You can teach old dogs new tricks. ;)</p>
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<p>^^ I was the biggest loser. Had to pay 1000’s because some one kick the door in on the day I bought the house and start take those copper pipes and Romax wires, open big holes in the wall all over…</p>
<p>This whole stealing copper thing just baffles me. We saved a bunch of old copper pipes and fittings torn out of a house. I gave them to my lead to take to the salvage yard to get money ( believe me he went to best place because I told him he could keep the money). I was all excited when he got back thinking hundreds of dollars or something. $55.17!! Honestly, they waste their time doing all that damage for $55???
Why don’t they just knock down old ladies in the street?? They probably have at least $60 in their purse. Maybe its some kind of thrill of crawling through dark houses or something. Also, their minds probably think its a victimless crime.</p>
<p>Here in San Diego they’ve put a little bit of stop to the copper theft. Any place buying back metal requires photo ID and they take the info and you have to come back in 3 days to collect your money. No quick drug fix available.</p>