Well, after reading more on the PEX piping, I am having serious doubts about using it. If it is true that it makes the water taste bad and even smell using it for bathing, I am becoming very skeptical. I also read that chlorine in city water reacts to damage the PEX as well. I also worry about a plastic product being joined to a brass fitting. So now I need to make sure I learn what type of copper (husband thinks L but what does that mean?)is best to avoid pinhole leaks if we change and go with copper to repipe. It also seemed strange that two contractors were bidding the job cost to do PEX about the same as copper for repiping. It seems to me that PEX job should be cheaper than copper as PEX is much cheaper a linear foot that copper. So now I have more questions than answers once again. I would just like to get a good repiping job done here. I definitely know we need a new pressure regulator valve and ball valve, but that is about all I understand well at this time. Also the estimates we have so far are not detailed enough for my liking. Everything needs to be clearly written up without comments like, "if needed". Obviously I want to know what is needed and the charges to get what I need done needed! Would it be appropriate to write up what I believe is a description of the work needed in detailed form but be open for comments? Sometimes I just wish we had a new house so this wouldn't be happening. Thanks for listening and any comments are welcome.

1) i use pex in my own house "AS NEEDED"...
2) plumbing is not the medical profession. if i go to my doctor with a serious problem she has me take test after test after test to find out what is "NEEDED". if you want a 100% iron clad job description and exactly what will be done, pay someone to run test after test after test....

IMO:


test the water's pH

acidic - use pex

neutral - your choice (mine would be copper)

alkaline - use "L" copper

(the L refers to the wall thickness, M may be code compliant but L is thicker / better)

if copper, make sure there are NO long 1/2" runs as that will induce high velocity flow

1/2 individual fixture branches are fine, but run 3/4 to each 'group'


ps. pH = 6.5 = perfect for copper

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



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I have 3 flavors of material installed in my house: copper, PEX, and CPVC- each on an "as needed" basis.

I have never heard of PEX causing ANY problem with the water. A PEX installation is cheaper as far as material AND labor so it should be about half the price of copper. I do NOT put in "as needed" in my contracts, but I DO add a few hundred dollars to cover them if they are needed. "L" copper is just thicker, so if your water attacks copper it will last longer than "M", but will eventually fail.

Hi and thank you for your comments. How would I find out if PEX pipe affects the taste and smell of our water here? I tried to find new home developments that used it here but was unsuccessful. Right now I am leaning towards copper repiping. I don't mind paying more for a quality job. Husband just got quote today from group that charges more but many clients shared the awful experiences on YELP. So I just learned that paying more doesn't remedy any problems. It is so sad that nowadays businesses just promise anything and take the money first and don't care if they deliver. I could never do that as a professional. Maybe that is why I still work hard for my paycheck and don't make much. So I would just like to know how to select repiping company that will actually do a great job for the hard earned money I am paying for their services. I have requested more specific estimate from group I would prefer to use that husband is not sold on. That is why he keeps getting estimates that I find unacceptable where I feel group is just trying to get the initial funds and then clients have to fight with them to get anything done. That is not what I need at this time. So although I have requested a more thorough estimate from the group the is the most expensive that I thought might be the best to contract with, I have not heard back from them and I haven't determined any group my husband has gotten an estimate from to be a group that seems positive to do business with. They may have significantly lower estimates but when I read between the lines and research them they are not found to be positive. Wow, I should have gone into a different field years ago. I work so hard for my paycheck and try to help the people I serve. But I just don't get the same feeling from the people I have encountered with the slab water leak problem. The leak detection group was lame at best and even now knowing that we need to replace our entire water system, it hasn't improved with trying to find a positive company. Like I said, the most expensive by double of some groups bidding to do repairs hasn't contacted me back when I wanted them to be more specific as to repairs they will be doing the right way. Maybe I expect too much of people, but it is what it is. Any comments are welcome to give me advice. If PEX is only $1000 less on our complete house repipe, I definitely think going with copper L is the way to go. Some groups don't even do PEX which is another concern of mine. If it were great, weren't even oldsters like I am learn a new way? I do it all the time where I work and I even try it out! Is that asking too much to get my question answered about the way water will taste and smell if husband really thinks PEX piping is the way to go? My next question is if going with PEX is better than going with copper with another group at the very same price. Does that mean the former is somewhat scamming as copper should be significantly less expensive that PEX or group doing copper is just lowballing? Once again, I have so many questions and so few answers! I am so glad this is a clean water issue as if it were sewer, I would have had it fixed one way or another in one day!

Thanks again for listening to all of this and for any comments.



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