Plumbers struggle with valve access
21 posts in the last 30 days, all from r/Plumbing.
“You might have better luck in a different subreddit rather than plumbing. Better yet, try heatinghelp.com. I'm not a steam expert by any stretch, but here goes an attempt: The bump up at the connection to the boiler is part of the Hartford Loop. This connects the supply from the…”
“There may be one for all hose bibs in the Mech Room. Typically near where the main water shut off is. Older homes often have a shut off just inside at each hose bib. They can be up high between floor joists and hard to find. Often a ceiling has been added and you can't see them…”
“Picture #2 is the semi-immediate issue. Propping the floor joist back into position is not a big deal for the two of you to handle. Measure floor to ceiling, buy two 4x4x8 straight posts and a floor jack (automotive type pump handle) or bottle jack (lessor expensive). Pick up a…”
Several users are frustrated by the difficulty in accessing valves for plumbing repairs, particularly when fittings are installed under slabs. Some express concern about future maintenance and lack of professional guidance.
SOURCES (41)
“You might have better luck in a different subreddit rather than plumbing. Better yet, try heatinghelp.com. I'm not a steam expert by any stretch, but here goes an attempt: The bump up at the connection to the boiler is part of the Hartford Loop. This…”
“That’s easily avoidable, just cut the TY lower. No need for all the Home Depot fittings [re: Please go easy on me! Advice appreciated]”
“Push to connect right above disconnect for my well pump. Just wondering if I shoulda extend the pex a foot or so. Update: I moved it submitted by /u/OrangeNo2861 [link] [comments]”
“The sewer depth is probably the first thing i'd figure out. If you have enough fall, trenching to the garage and coming up through a small slab cut should be fairly straightforward.”
“There may be one for all hose bibs in the Mech Room. Typically near where the main water shut off is. Older homes often have a shut off just inside at each hose bib. They can be up high between floor joists and hard to find. Often a ceiling has been added and you can't see them anymore. At least in Alberta this is typical. If you really don't have any shut offs, now is a good time to add them.”
“Also, do not use Teflon Tape or Pipe dope as the other poster suggested. You do not use either of those on compression fittings. Its actually a hinderance on those fittings. The threads do not make the seal on compression fittings. Its either the ferrule on traditional risers compressing around the water line as the comp nut is run down, or the washer inside for newer style braided or flex lines.. teflon and dope will only make it more difficult or just prevent those things from happening altoge”
“As a master plumber, this pipe is much more resilient underground than PVC, and it’s used under slabs on ever slab house built in the last 15 years unless something else was requested.”
“You will also need to cut the tile. The tile is supposed to go up close to the flange, not the pipe. There is one room for a flange.”
“You have pex connected directly to the tankless heater, thats not code. You need a section of copper/metal connected directly to the heaters first because the water comes out so hot. Personally with how hot that water is I wouldnt want the first thing it touches to be plastic. For safety but also who knows what leeches out of those plastics.”
“It wouldn't hurt to put a small expansion tank on the cold inlet. They are small stainless tanks... the size of a softball. I would have put ball valves on the hot and cold. Maybe on the vertical lines to the right of the heater. You need a drip leg on the gas line. Nevermind... I see it... a bit untraditional spot. Like others have said... get your fresh air from outside. The vent should be solid core (Type 1) due to the heat. Curious... whats up with the hot to cold bypass for the washer h”
“I think the logic is the hot water coming out of the hot water heater (regardless of on demand or conventional) can exceed PEX's temp threshold and in practice continuous exposure can degrade it. Of course with Pex A, it would be a really simple job to replace the bad section since its all exposed and easily accessed.”
“In Germany, we install a so-called cap valve (sealed shut-off valve with a drain). It lets you isolate the expansion vessel individually and easily swap it out later, without having to drain the whole system. https://preview.redd.it/y6vjn5h05tsh1.jpeg?width=1071&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e28db33f678d6f6eeba48a121354f655f19d492”
“If this a an exterior wall below you might be pushed out that much to begin with because of the foundation Edit: also against code to put drain in a cold wall.”
Install shut off valves on the two pipes sticking out of the wall.
“Nice, I am a fan of mixing valves. I work in MN, code requires the T and P to be ran into an indirect drain under specific circumstances, if the water heater is on an upper floor or in a condo. If the water heater is in the basement and the discharge from the T and P will not cause structural damage, then it is permitted. Most water heaters in the metro are piped exactly like yours and put in the basement. Looks like a good install and a good quality heater from what I can see, the gas looks nic”
“Most code does not allow fittings to be under slab, under the building, this is probably written in the local code. It must be one continuous pipe until above slab”
“It's not uncommon to have a two handle tub filler. It's no different than a deck mount roman tub valve. It's just on the wall. No biggie”
“https://preview.redd.it/40rlks9u6jrh1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11184223db252f3393dcff80aa6c1dd654de8486”
“These lines also run under the floor in my garage. I know that the boiler heating the water in the in the pex pipes, I’m just confused on the setup of them. Haha”
“If they are not just domestic water lines then yes. A typical joist radiant floor install would see the lines looping back and forth about 2” from the plywood inside the joist area. Can you show what source of heat you have ? Boiler/ hwt etc.”
“I had a plumber install a filter due to some sediment issues with the water. I've noticed the pex supporting the filter has moved a bit downward with the weight of the water in the system. Most other examples of this filter show it anchored on the wall with a bracket. Is this an ok set up or will the weight of the water cause a failure at one of the connections? submitted by /u/CrowReal7086 [link] [comments]”
“I am replacing my bath tub in my bathroom and this is the plumbing under the tub in my basement. Is this set up okay, or should I update any of this? submitted by /u/Klyedescope [link] [comments]”
“So I would suggest you get a plumber, and I say that not out of any amount of disrespect for you, but with it being pex and these being compression fittings, I would strongly recommend you have your entire system evaluated so someone can point out any other alarming areas that they would recommend fixing. Compression joints are fine for 3/8” or maybe 1/2” lines, or for something temporary, but for a permanent install and it being a larger line, to me it’s dangerous and I would never do it that w”
“I have to have this room refinished with a new vanity. The guy doing the finish work suggested to ask my plumber to run the copper supply pipes under the concrete and into the wall where they should be. The first plumber suggested the same. The second plumber warned me against digging up the floor to reroute the pipes - he said that there would be risk of a slab leak and it is safer to leave them alone. I have a few inches of clearance, so they can be routed above ground into the wall. Should I”
“Picture #2 is the semi-immediate issue. Propping the floor joist back into position is not a big deal for the two of you to handle. Measure floor to ceiling, buy two 4x4x8 straight posts and a floor jack (automotive type pump handle) or bottle jack (lessor expensive). Pick up a package of wooden shims while you are there - you may need them to tighten that temporary post. Home Depot, Lowe's and other box store have a design department that can help with the design and line up contractors. Pr”
“No problem. Given that it’s PVC and PEX you have a lot of options with rerouting it. Just make sure you turn the water off before working on the PEX.”
“Does anyone know of a video that thoroughly explains how I’m supposed to properly run waterlines in a slab rough in that applies with the IPC submitted by /u/NoCryptographer3609 [link] [comments]”
“I always take my main feeds to the tub/shower wall and then loop from there. So on a two bath house I'd take one 3/4" line to the hall bath and then loop back other fixtures and another to the master and do the same. Just depends, but typically it's the tub or shower walls.”
“I'm sorry, I don't know all of the terminology, but I'll do my best. I've got a hot water leak beneath my slab foundation. Plumber says they can "sleeve" the existing pipe with a smaller pipe to fix the leak. To do this, they need to find both ends of the leaking pipe. They told me not to get a leak detection done because it's expensive and they thought they could find it themselves. They came out to the house, cut multiple holes in my drywall, and identified a pipe”
“There’s no way that expansion tank will do anything to those brass fittings/nipples.”
“Yeah go back in time and put locktite. Why would someone make shut offs not accessible”
I wouldn’t do it but it is constantly done like for centwr islands
“You are suposed to loop the pex u above the slab and make the connections to the fixtures for future access Weilhammer”
“Run independent lines for each termination. Pex is cheap but a leak under the slab won’t be cheap”
“Pex is cheaper. I like pex. I wouldn't run it under a slab. If one of those crimped plastic joints fail under a concrete slab.. well then you're busting up that concrete slap. No problem running it for other crap. Crap that you can get to behind sheetrock. Wouldn't run it to a shower. Youll be doing a tile job.”
“At some point stop trying to hack this in and get a plumber. Reddit isn't exactly professionals trying to help you... These are apprentices/laborers”