PEX retrofit of house

[KRStone]

Good morning, I didn't sleep last night.



Had a leak detection company come by yesterday because I could hear water somewhere but couldn't find it.



I have a slab leak under the kitchen cabinets.



This area is plagued with slab leaks (something about IONs).



Need to think about DIY pex repipe of the house.



Plumber told me to use Rehau everloc, and he'd even loan me his tool for free.



Thoughts? Ideas? Experiences?



KRS

 

[GHarman]

I'm not sure that I understand all of your issues. However, you will obviously need to dig up and repair the leak(copper pipe?). You could throw a sacrificial anode onto the existing piping system that will take care of the electrolisis issue for a while. However, you may have other weak spots that need replacement.

So your idea may be the best option. Are you going to abandon the existing system and repipe above the slab? Is your water line from a well or city water?

Make sure you know how to use those crimp fittings! No Leaks!

I was considering repiping my old house with PEX. That is a framed house, above grade. If you have a plan and can isolate each system(kitchen, bathroom('s), laundry room, etc) with a shut-off valve for fixture repairs, in the future? A good plan makes the whole thing worth while!

Keep us in the loop! GregH

 

[tkerrigan]

Did mine about three years ago, do it. At same time had a hot water circulation pump put on water heater running a hot water circuit, no waiting for hot water at end of house. Be sure to insulate it well.

 

[JFought]

its fairly common here to retro fit a slab house to pex thorough the attic.
1 story make it much easier.
i worked with it some an i like it. i retrofitted a trailer that's in the family, it froze, and aboue 3 hrs latter it dethawed and works till this day with no leaks. (thats with no insulation. )

if your handy, and its one story you could do it your self.
usually here a plumber get a minum of about $1200 to but slab out and start looking.

 

[Rockranch]

I started using PEX for everything I could, a few years ago. The stuff is great and easy to use. I have used it in the house, for my water furnace and even underground. Do it.

 

[mwilson]

Make sure you know how to use those crimp fittings! No Leaks!

I was considering repiping my old house with PEX. That is a framed house, above grade. If you have a plan and can isolate each system(kitchen, bathroom('s), laundry room, etc) with a shut-off valve for fixture repairs, in the future? A good plan makes the whole thing worth while!

Keep us in the loop! GregH

Wife is an interior painting contractor so I get to peek at the latest and greatest stuff in a new construction.



We have full basements here so it is real easy to have a "Mechanical Room" which contains all waterworks, furnace, domestic hot water source, etc. in one spot.



I'm sure on a slab you could still use the same concept in your garage, utility room or whatever you have and run the new PEX in the attic as mentioned above.



The plumbers all use the PEX now, they build separate HOT and COLD water manifolds, then plumb out off of the manifolds with individual shut offs for each destination. You could do the same and then work with it as you have time so as not to get all depressed because you can't do it all in one weekend for example.



Build the manifolds, get the kitchen onto it. Leave the rest of the house until you have time to change the other circuits over even if you do them one at a time.



Just a thought... .



Mike.

 

[JFought]

mw that's a good idea in theory. but he would have to find the splice/ or T that feeds to the leak.

as much time as that takes (usually in side the walls not marked) it probably faster to just do the entire house.

 

[KRStone]

Are you going to abandon the existing system and repipe above the slab? Is your water line from a well or city water?

Make sure you know how to use those crimp fittings! No Leaks!

The plan is to abandon everything copper in the ground. Bring the supply into the house on a fresh line, add a shutoff, and then go PEX from there. Copper must be 12-18" on top of the water heater, and at each stub-out under the sinks, and everything else PEX.



A local water company supplies water to our neighborhood.



Not using crimp fittings, going to use their compression fitting. Now before you think of a copper compression fitting, this one doesn't have a twist collar.



Below is a video on youtube published by the North American Home Builder's Association; it's a video of a Rehau employee demonstrating the compression method on their product:



PEX Pipe - Compression Sleeve Fitting - YouTube



KRS

 

[KRStone]

Did mine about three years ago, do it. At same time had a hot water circulation pump put on water heater running a hot water circuit, no waiting for hot water at end of house. Be sure to insulate it well.

Thank you for the encouragement. Did you do it yourself? I am researching the recirc pumps as well, why not? It's just one more line back to the water heater with an electric pump attached to the drain valve. Makes sense.

 

[KRStone]

i worked with it some an i like it. if your handy, and its one story you could do it your self.

I'm hoping I can look back and like it too

I started using PEX for everything I could, a few years ago. The stuff is great and easy to use. I have used it in the house, for my water furnace and even underground. Do it.

I'm looking forward to... looking back.

The plumbers all use the PEX now, they build separate HOT and COLD water manifolds, then plumb out off of the manifolds with individual shut offs for each destination.

I'm going to build the PEX system, knock out all of the drywall needed, have the new stubouts built; and THEN shutoff the water and make all of the connections. Water should only be off for a day or so. I don't want to piecemeal it.

mw that's a good idea in theory. but he would have to find the splice/ or T that feeds to the leak.



as much time as that takes (usually in side the walls not marked) it probably faster to just do the entire house.

Go big or go home... . ?

 

[mwilson]

This is what I have seen in new construction up here...



Several that I have admired were far more artistic than this one... .



Mike.

 

[KRStone]

What about a single 3/4" loop with 1/2" drops for my 2 bathroom single-story house?



KRS