[AT] Air lines, now Water Lines

[Indiana Robinson]

On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 7:16 AM, Herbert Metz <metz-h.b at mindspring.com> wrote:
> Roy, Charlie, & Others
> What timing!  Had finally decided to extend our water piping  to gardens &
> tree areass on three sides of the house.  Will be using continuous runs of
> PEX with the final ends coming out of ground and faucets secured to treated
> posts approx one foot above ground.  Will add a shutoff valve at the house
> and a valved drain so hose can be partially drained (for freeze
> protection).  Will place a piece of flexible tubing over the PEX to protect
> from the sun and careless lawn mowing, etc.
> Suggestions? Herb
>
===============================================


Hi Herb:
I have dealt with a lot of rentals over the years and had switched
from copper to rigid plastic (PVC family) and was pleased with it.
Copper became like gold and I always worried about fire after repair
or installation in tight locations. A lot of new houses have burned
over the years around here from smoldering fires caused by plumbers
hot spots.
I used the PVC stuff for a total re-plumb about 20 years ago of a
rental house I still own and it never had a single leak ever from day
one or over the years. It was sitting empty 2 years ago and someone
unknown opened the outside basement door in mid winter. That cost me
for a bladder tank, a water heater, two water filters and a lot of
piping. The plastic pipe was easy to saw sections out and replace.
Then I fell in love with PEX and I am using it to slowing re-plumb
everything in the house I live in (the house my mother was living in
when you were here).
Here I usually use the more common type of transition fittings because
they are cheap but if I am working away from home I grab those new
"shark bite" fittings. They are kind of expensive but you don't
suddenly find that you have to drive 30 miles because you forgot small
component of a regular transition.
About the only downside for PEX was what held me back to start with.
It was the crimping tool cost. When I bought mine I paid about $100
for the tool which will do both 1/2" and 3/4" fittings. You get a
gauge to check that the fittings are crimped right but the tool just
works 100%.
Son Scott about doubled the size of his house and plumbed it all with
PEX all color coded and all done with his almost fanatic level of
neatness.
My father last plumbed this house and he was old school. Everything
was either iron pipe or a little flare fitting flexible copper tubing.
All with about 10,000 fittings, every one a potential leak. :-)
My only recommendation for what you want to do is to make those post
taller and mount something decorative on top of them. One foot up is
too far to keep bending over... :-)


-- 
Have you hugged your horses today?

Francis Robinson
aka "farmer"
Central Indiana USA
robinson46176 at gmail.com