Jim Juhas wrote:
> But, what is the best suggestion for materials to withstand
> a light freeze? I know there are two grades of copper pipe,
> which I presently use, and for replacements as things needed
> fixing, I've gone with the heavier stuff. What I'm curious
> about is whether the plastic systems are more durable for
> this sort of thing. I interpret from what I read at the
> stores that plastic is now suitable for hot and cold potable
> systems, so I expect it is okay to use.
Just a specific addendum, around here most of the new houses use PEX
pipe, so somebody must trust it.
If you install it commercially, generally you use the $300 crimp tool
which makes all of the joints permanently and cheaply with 25 cent crimp
rings.
If you install it yourself for a small job like a cottage, it's
easier and more cost effective to use the screw-in connectors. They are
about $5 each, but if you can do a whole house with 20 of them it's
cheaper than the crimp tool, and easier than trying to do it all with a
24 hour rental window on the tool.
Also, if the whole place is screw-together, it gives you some measure
of repair and modification. The connectors aren't SUPPOSED to be
reusable, but I've gotten away with it a few times on some connectors.
As well, even if you replace the connector, it's pretty easy to take out
a tee-joint and put in a tap, or a quad-joint, or all sorts of little
changes that would be a little more involved with copper. You don't even
have to drain the pipes.
Before I bought the cottage, the previous owner winterized just by
opening a few of the screw in connectors and letting it drain, then
reconnecting them in the spring.
--
Trevor Boicey, P. Eng.
Ottawa, Canada, tboicey@brit.ca
ICQ #17432933 http://www.brit.ca/~tboicey/
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