Al B's House rework

[gemini5362]

Well, I sat today and looked intently at the PEX (Zurn brand) at Lowes, which I believe is the same that Home Depot carries.

I was all set to go that way, but someone along the way had said that 1/2" Pex is much smaller then 1/2" copper, I already have problems with not enough pressure / flow where I am at the end of the city water supply. So did you know that a 3/4" Zurn Pex fitting will slide into a 1/2" copper pipe?

Couple that with I would have to buy 2 manifiolds at $68 each, then the caps for those manifolds are cheap for the 1/2" and then $10 each for the 1" ones.

Think I will bench make some repair peices and just get in and get it done in copper. Will regret it about mid way through when it is not going my way And I have a burn or two on my fingers, but in the end, I think I will be ahead.

So tomorrow's project is too work on clearing off some of the Landscaping property, and get it moved to the John Haley property, and work some plumbing / bathroom issues, maybe see if I can get the toilet up and running.

Also will try and put a little work time in fixing the attic stairs (going to have to start working up there some and getting some wiring details finished off, the get the vent fan installed in the attic for the bathroom and get the vent pipipe run out. I think I will drop it down and vent it under the eave, I like that better then punching a hole in my roof. The less I can disturb those 16 year old shingles, the better off I will be.

I will also try and spread some moth balls around my shed too see if they can not act as snake repellent, and will also pick up some wasp spray to attack the mud daubers a bit with. Need to lay some down the chimney and get the chimney cap on.

Might also schedule to get the chimney sweep out to inspect and evaluate what I have for a chimney and offer advice on maintenance and repair.

Need to weld the tounge up on the welder trailer.

Somehow, I think I will find enough to keep me busy.

Need to pick up the windows for the basement while Lowes has a contractor sale going on too, makes them cheaper then HD. $8 a window, X 4 windows is not much, but I will take all I can

I went with the 4wd 555C against some sound advice from folks I respect. Willing to put the sweat equity back in it if needed to have the 4wd for the wetness of our property. Might be making a huge mistake, but it will not be the first, nor the last.

Try spreading tick crystals crystals around your shed. I have heard that they wont cross them because the chemical burns their undersides.

 

[AlanB]

What are tick crystals? Maybe more importantly where do I buy them and is that what they will be called?

Off to the world of Google.

 

[WhyNot]

Alan, I know your plate is full all ready but since you mentioned it I suggest that you go ahead and change the copper over to plastic now. It will be easier to do it now when there is no one living there plus around here copper is hoovering around $3 a lb. at the scrap yard so if you have a lot of copper it may just put a big dent in the bill for the change over. But before doing any of that I suggest you sit back, relax and enjoy a pint in celebration

 

[mudcat]

If you value your time Pex is the way to go. From what I have read you have a big to do list. Saving time in one area might help.

 

[AlanB]

The time would help, but I think the flow through the pex would kill me in use.

Why is that stuff so small?

And it is definetely the time to do it if I go that way.

 

[AlanB]

So, as usual, I did not get everything I wanted done, but we definetely made some headway on clearing off the Landscaping land and getting stuff moved to the new house. Will have to take a picture of what we moved today when I am at the house tomorrow.

So here are the pictures of today.

Makes me SICK to be taking down the carport that I just had put up. I should have known better then to do it on rented land.

Oh, and for those of you that have not seen me, I am not exactly what you would call "slight" of build, and crawling around on that roof pulling off the sheetmetal sheets was not exactly a chore I have been looking forward too.

Oh, and I have to cut off the heads of my ground pins..... No fun at all. I think I made the anchors like 80" long, I was wrestling trying too pull them up and the DW looks at me and say's "diddn't you say you were making those so they would not come back up out of the ground?" Dont you hate it when they are right

Wrecker is coming next Friday I think to move the storage box.

Should have it all wrapped at that point. That is $200 a month back in pocket at least.

 

[KAB]

The time would help, but I think the flow through the pex would kill me in use.

Why is that stuff so small?

And it is definetely the time to do it if I go that way.

Alan,

A couple of years ago (I don't remember all of the details) I had read an installation guide for PEX and it indicated that pressure and flow loss was not as great as copper. It had something to do with a lower resistance and there would be few 90degree bends to cause a restriction. It basically recommended 1/2" over 3/4" for the application that I would have used it for.

The only problem was is that I read this after installing 3/4 so I can't say how accurate that information was.

Maybe somebody else can chime in.

Kurt

 

[hankus]

I'm a little confused when you say PEX is too small. I'm looking at a web site that seems to indicate that you can get basically any size you wish starting from 1/4" ID to 1" ID. It also has a chart giving the relation of ID to OD. Here's the link for what it's worth that lists out pretty much all that you would need.

PEX waterline tubing, Qest fittings, crimp fittings*

 

[AlanB]

I have to go stare at the aisles again, yes, everything / size is available, but what is common is to use the one manifold that they have that is not special order and to run the 1/2" lines homerun too the end use item.

I do NOT want to get to where I have to SO items, kind of defeats my purpose, and that is ease, if I forget something, I want to be able to pick it up on my way home, and god knows, I am forgetting something on every project I do.

I need to look at the manifold outputs, but I believe they were sized for the 1/2" Pex. At some point, I know there are formulaes for length of run etc, but if you put a small port in somewhere, you effectively have a snubber or limiter built in.

Also, as I jump from the 1/2" pex to the 3/4" pex, the price pretty much doubles.... Which is supposed to be one of the advantages. And even the 3/4" pex fittings (in the Zurn) have a smaller ID then the 1/2" copper pipe.

Then again, the wife said she wants radiant heat, and that I believe is about the sole domain and certainly the bailywick of PEX, so maybe it makes sense to jump in now?

Crap, this is another thing that I can argue myself in circles on and not accomplish anything. At least I have plenty of other things to keep me busy

OK Hi points for me.

Will be doing PEX in the future, makes sense to tool up for it now.
Pex is quicker.
Home runs provide for good water flow.
Probably will have least corrosion problems then with Copper or certainly steel pipe.

Copper is more readilly available, with a wide variety of pieces already made.
Cu is larger diameter, and my house is already at the end of the water line, with barely acceptable pressures (booster pump will probably have to go in)
Cu has occasional corrosion problems, pinholes, and requires more joints and elbows then PEX

Have to go look again.

Hankus, maybe the more direct answer to your question is,

I am looking at what Lowes and HD stocks and carries and this is playing a large part in my decision. It looks to me like they are geared around going into a manifold, then making homeruns with 1/2" lines.

Kab, I was guessing that, and think that is playing a big role, especially as I start adding 90's to Cu. I also wonder if the PEX is not "slicker" adding to the flow? I am hoping someone here will know.

The other websites I have found have all seemed to have an obvious bias towards one system or another so I discount their advice. I feel like folks on here have no vested interest nor concern for what I choose, they just freely offer the benefits of their experiences and knowledge and for that I cannot tell all of you reading and adding in how much I appreciate it.

Time to study at my two favorite stores as of late...

 

[gemini5362]

Alan around here Tick crystals are sold in home depot, walmart, lowes etc.


I believe technically they are Diazinon Crystals but everyone around here just calls them tick crystals. You spread them around the yard to kill off ticks. I have seen a snake crawling down a driveway at my brother in laws house. The snake went into the grass and immediately came right back out.
When I asked my brother in law why the snake had done that he told me that since he had started spreading the crystals they had quit going out in the grass area.

I am not going to swear this works I am just going on what he tells me. I dont use them on my place I use a spray insecticide and just shoot snakes. When I see about a 2 to 2. 1/2 foot copper head I dont want to just drive him away I want to make sure he is dead and not going to bother me ever again.