Plastic vs. copper pipe plumbing (washer, installation, plumber, apartment)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Found a house yesterday that we are interested in. We saw one before the sheet rock went up and it had what looked like PVC water line instead of copper pipe. Do you think that is a builder cutting corners? Is PVC water line going to cause us problems in the future? The only time I lived somewhere with plastic water line was 12 years ago in an apartment. I remember one splice coming apart in the wall behind our washer and flooding the apartment below. Worried this will happen again. Also, what about freezing and rupturing?
I doubt you saw PVC.
The most common plastic water line in use currently is the PEX system. I would guess that is what you saw.
One benefit is that it takes less skill and labor to install than copper does, while being less expensive.
It is no more subject to freeze/rupture than copper.
The plastic in the apartment complex may have been polybutylene plumbing, and polybutylene, or "PB," has had a higher failure rate. It is not really relevant to current new construction, as it is no longer in use. It is still in thousands of homes from the 1980's and 1990's around the country.
There was a class-action lawsuit over PB, and settlement money is still available.
But, again, not relevant to today's new construction.
1.cheaper than copper pipe;
2.easier for installation
3.doesn't corrode or "rust".
PEX is tridimensional polymer,it is not susceptible to corrosion,this is a major advantage not only in removing the danger of oxides leeching into the drinking water as with copper,but also in chilled water applications could the vapor barrier be bridged.Furthermore PEX is not susceptible to bacteriological attack as found in steel pipes.Many bacteria are active within pipe systems.With poor maintenance,PEX provides another distinct advantage.Even if no water treatment is carried out ,the piping system is not damaged in any way.
some of them,hope that there are something useful to you.
Ok here goes I am new at this but, in 1996 of July I was a single, not very smart in the area of mobile home owning, woman. Now that the stage is set toay we are having servere leaking and house damage for the last six months. We have been told by plumbers that we have copper piping that should never have been used on our home exspecially since we have well water. We were also told that there are pending lawsuits in this area. Do any of you know whom we can contact for help. We are on limited funds and this all sounds costly to fix the problem that we did not choose. Thank you for any help.
Ok here goes I am new at this but, in 1996 of July I was a single, not very smart in the area of mobile home owning, woman. Now that the stage is set toay we are having servere leaking and house damage for the last six months. We have been told by plumbers that we have copper piping that should never have been used on our home exspecially since we have well water. We were also told that there are pending lawsuits in this area. Do any of you know whom we can contact for help. We are on limited funds and this all sounds costly to fix the problem that we did not choose. Thank you for any help.
As far as I am concerned I do not know what your plumber is talking about,never heard of mobile home with copper plumbing,my home on well is 20 years old with well.No problems.Sounds more than likely you have poly tubing,our new home to be a 1998 fleetwood is plumbed with cpvc thru out,hot and cold.A repossession 28 by 60 has never leaked.
Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
1,501 posts, read 11,750,593 times
Reputation: 1135
A coworker of mine has well water, and something about his well water corrodes copper. Its not true of every well, we have well water and 40-year-old copper with no problems. But like I said, his copper developed pinhole leaks, and he replaced it was CPVC. So, I don't think you can say well water will never be a problem with copper, nor can you say its always a problem.
A coworker of mine has well water, and something about his well water corrodes copper. Its not true of every well, we have well water and 40-year-old copper with no problems. But like I said, his copper developed pinhole leaks, and he replaced it was CPVC. So, I don't think you can say well water will never be a problem with copper, nor can you say its always a problem.
Agreed, I have had water quality change in 50 foot.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
copper piping
