Learned something new today. Pex can handle freezing,but shark bites just might fail…..and I still hate plumbing!!
Plumbing…
- Thread starter arjay
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I'm another plumbing hater, but I would only use solder on copper pipes. That push-on fitting stuff is very convenient for emergency repairs but I would have to remove them and use solder when the right time comes. I would trust compression fittings before Pex or Shark bites. Heat trace and insulation is worth its weight in gold. So is a good plumber! Don't know what happened but I feel for you…honest I do!
I hate it as well, but I hate paying a professional's prices even more when I can do it myself.
I have used shark bites where the pipes are exposed and easily accessed. Behind walls, etc. sweating is the way to go.
I have used shark bites where the pipes are exposed and easily accessed. Behind walls, etc. sweating is the way to go.
I feel your pain. I got to work this morning, and this is what met me. Frozen, leaking water main in the prep room. Well, I spent the better part of the morning fixing this mess. Copper pipe, flux and solder is the way to go. Screw those snake bites. I'm not too fond of plumbing myself. Arrrrggghhhhh
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A Mexican contractor I know told me that is how he learned to swear in English—working on American plumbing.
What is this "pex" and "sharkbites" you speak of? 
OP
This is in a tight corner up against the ceiling inside a closet so I ended up using Pex because I can't maneuver a torch in there. Next time I'm buying the tool and using those little clamp ring thingies lol
I don't like that connection between copper and Pex either! That's where it failed.Couldn't see it until I pressurized the line again after tearing out my boxed in area and insulation.I don't like winter much anymore either .Miller time!
I don't like that connection between copper and Pex either! That's where it failed.Couldn't see it until I pressurized the line again after tearing out my boxed in area and insulation.I don't like winter much anymore either .Miller time!
LVSteve
Member
One thing I know is that coming home from TX when we did was a good plan. The water heater let go a few of nights later. 
Oh, and I still have to get somebody in to find the leak on the drain side for most of the master bath facilities. That could be ugly.
Oh, and I still have to get somebody in to find the leak on the drain side for most of the master bath facilities. That could be ugly.
OP
One thing I know is that coming home from TX when we did was a good plan. The water heater let go a few of nights later.
Oh, and I still have to get somebody in to find the leak on the drain side for most of the master bath facilities. That could be ugly.
Expensive
I needed a new fill valve installed in a tiny 1/2 bath last year and they wanted $400. So off to Home Depot I went .45 minutes to get parts,replace the valve,supply line and done. My back whimpered for a day and a half lol
Fires never got going until we were fast asleep and the plumbers/roofers were long gone.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
About 7 years ago I started using Pex. On a copper split I used to just burnish with steel wool and fold the lips together then silver soldier ala A/C repairs. The repair is 5 to 8 times stronger than the pipe! the problem really is: If it Froze there once, It will do it again, and you never get off easy the second time!
Now days, I remove the area in question and soldier in Pex adapters. I use the bronze rings that crimp in.
When the water freezes, it swells up about 15%, but that is just the water already there. additional water comes in and swells up also and will then burst the Copper, CPVC, and even Galvanized Pipe! Pex will swell 3 times the original diameter without bursting and do it at least 5 times!
My crimping tool will do 1/2" 3/4" and 3/8", There is 1", but you seldom encounter it in repairs.
When I use a fitting for a "Tee" or sharp "Ell", I pay the higher price for brass fittings over the plastic fittings. My opinion is that will be your failure point if things go bad!
The most common household frozen line failure I've found is behind the Washer? Dryer on exterior walls! If this is the problem, save yourself a bunch of headaches and place a small fan to circulate room temp air back there. Never had that problem until we stopped venting the dryer through a Nylon stocking! (Our old wintertime routine!) Sometimes it is the old washer supply lines that go, and sometimes it is the copper lines! After the repair You need to change the air flow, either by relocating the machines or with a fan!
Number Two on the frozen leak parade is sinks on an exterior wall (Bath or Kitchen). The best preventive is to leave the cabinet door open! Pets and small children don't always allow this. The standard is leave the water running at more than a fast drip on both sides! (I had one whole complex that had that problem! And that was the main supply for the whole apartment! If it got to -10F We would have 15 to 20 frozen units! We kept 10 "Milk Parlor Heaters" just for these problems!) A few hours of forced warm air thawed them out.
Worst frozen line I ever heard of, was from a friend that grew up in way Northern Minnesota. The well was several hundred feed from the house. IN a 30-35 degree below zero storm that line froze, even buried 4+ feet down. And stayed frozen for a week. The brought in a truck load of coal and made a foot deep pile above the water line. It took a day and a half to thaw and a bunch more coal! Then there was the leak at the frozen spot! Turns out, a steel fence post about 1 foot from the water line wicked the heat out. Fix the leak and relocate the steel post in subzero temperatures!
Ivan
Now days, I remove the area in question and soldier in Pex adapters. I use the bronze rings that crimp in.
When the water freezes, it swells up about 15%, but that is just the water already there. additional water comes in and swells up also and will then burst the Copper, CPVC, and even Galvanized Pipe! Pex will swell 3 times the original diameter without bursting and do it at least 5 times!
My crimping tool will do 1/2" 3/4" and 3/8", There is 1", but you seldom encounter it in repairs.
When I use a fitting for a "Tee" or sharp "Ell", I pay the higher price for brass fittings over the plastic fittings. My opinion is that will be your failure point if things go bad!
The most common household frozen line failure I've found is behind the Washer? Dryer on exterior walls! If this is the problem, save yourself a bunch of headaches and place a small fan to circulate room temp air back there. Never had that problem until we stopped venting the dryer through a Nylon stocking! (Our old wintertime routine!) Sometimes it is the old washer supply lines that go, and sometimes it is the copper lines! After the repair You need to change the air flow, either by relocating the machines or with a fan!
Number Two on the frozen leak parade is sinks on an exterior wall (Bath or Kitchen). The best preventive is to leave the cabinet door open! Pets and small children don't always allow this. The standard is leave the water running at more than a fast drip on both sides! (I had one whole complex that had that problem! And that was the main supply for the whole apartment! If it got to -10F We would have 15 to 20 frozen units! We kept 10 "Milk Parlor Heaters" just for these problems!) A few hours of forced warm air thawed them out.
Worst frozen line I ever heard of, was from a friend that grew up in way Northern Minnesota. The well was several hundred feed from the house. IN a 30-35 degree below zero storm that line froze, even buried 4+ feet down. And stayed frozen for a week. The brought in a truck load of coal and made a foot deep pile above the water line. It took a day and a half to thaw and a bunch more coal! Then there was the leak at the frozen spot! Turns out, a steel fence post about 1 foot from the water line wicked the heat out. Fix the leak and relocate the steel post in subzero temperatures!
Ivan
Faulkner
Member
Electrical work I'm fine with but I hate plumbing. I hate it so bad that I don't mind paying a professional.
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The line to our refrigerator froze. This has negatively impacted happy hour.
I hate plumbing too! I have acidic water and I got sick of coming home to leaky copper pipes. I was replacing the copper for the second time around in the 30 years I have been in my house. I was really tired of sweating in new pipe. 3 years ago I ripped every bit of copper out and completely replumbed the house using pex, plastic connectors, with crimp rings. I did put a copper manifold in so I could turn individual rooms off it need be, other then that all plastic.
So far, so good. I'm glad I went that route.
So far, so good. I'm glad I went that route.
DWalt
Member
In the great freeze of 2021 I had the 1/4" copper tubing to the refrigerator ice maker freeze and burst in the attic. Resulted in about $5K in damage to the kitchen ceiling and floor.
I have done several plumbing repairs by using reinforced vinyl hose that have worked OK. Yes, I know that's against most city plumbing codes for indoor plumbing. But in the locations repaired it was much easier to use than PVC pipe or copper tubing. The hose I used is rated for 150 psi, and is not exposed to sunlight.
I broke down and got the wife an ice maker, with French doors, push the door for water etc etc but I am a ice tray man,
and if this new ice box breaks, it's old style again !!
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Now THAT IS GETTING SERIOUS! Call anybody!!!!
My water heater has a tiny leak. Been putting off replacing it due to the plumbing, plus it's in the garage so it's not hurting anything. I had my house built in 2004, and never seen a water heater piped like this.
Inlet and outlet together? I've replaced a lot of water heaters over the years, and the pipes have always been apart.
Inlet and outlet together? I've replaced a lot of water heaters over the years, and the pipes have always been apart.
PEX will also not scale up or corrode like copper or galvanized. Done correctly it is superior to either
