I've got a slew of questions and after reading thru some of the posts I've still got... a slew of questions so I hope this isn't too long.

Since the DIY store floor help folks always seeme to give widely varying answers....

1) Gate valve vs ball valve - Can either serve as a main shutoff? What are the pluses or minuses of either one?

2) Why do gate valves have labels that say to use them in fully opened or closed position only?

3) The inbound side of my water meter has a slight leak... is that up to the city to repair?

4) My meter appears, I assume, to be steel. If I go with copper for supply lines do I have transition using a dielectric union from the meter to the new copper?

5) It seems the terms PVC and CPVC are often used interchangeably but they're not really the same, are they? How can CPVC be distinugished from standard PVC? Is CPVC actually be stamped as "CPVC"? Can pipe stamped as PVC be used from the meter to the house at which point I would transition to copper?

6) Some folks here seem to have very strong opinions about CPVC. In climates with less extreme conditions like So. California is CPVC less troublesome than say North Dakota?

1.Use a ball valve, a gate valve will not completely shut the water off after a couple years.
2. If the gate valve is used at a partially open postion, the sealing surfaces are prone to wear and damage from incoming water.
3. If it is on the street side of meter it is up to them, house side of meter is yours.
4. Most meters are brass, and have unions on both sides, I'd come out of the union with a copper male adapter.
5. No they are different pipes. Cpvc is usually a tan or yellow color. PVC is white.You can use PVC from meter to house.
6. Cpvc is probably ok where there is little chance of freezing. Not much is used in my area because of freezing. A 10' joint will freeze and burst the entire length, we mostly use Pex and some copper here.

1. They are interchangeable as far as usage is concerned. Long term reliablity should convince you not to consider a gate valve.
2. Paritally closing a gate valve, and it has to be closed quite a bit to control a flow, causes it to wear from erosion.
3.The meter is not steel regardless of what it looks like.
4. PVC is the size of steel pipe, CPVC is the size of copper tubing. Therefore they are not interchangeable. PVC cannot be used for hot water piping and becomes brittle so it is not allowed inside houses in most areas. Because CPVC is the copper tubing size, but has a much thicker wall, CPVC will carry quite a bit less water than the same sized copper tubing.

NC Plumber and hj have answered your questions very well.
I just want to stress the importance of using ball valves instead of gate valves--everywhere, including your fixture stops. I don't think gate valves should even be legal as main shut off valves. The ones that close fully after a number of years are rare.
Also, PVC will get brittle (with age) whether you live in a cold climate or not. It is not one of my favorite materials either. Fortunately it is easy to repair (since it fails so often).
Deb
The Pipewench

Thanks much everybody

>
> 1) Gate valve vs ball valve - Can either serve as a main
> shutoff? What are the pluses or minuses of either one?
Yes/ BV Often better quality shuts off tight can tell its open or closed by looking at the handle
>
> 2) Why do gate valves have labels that say to use them in fully
> opened or closed position only?
You probably mean ball valves, because their not designed to throttle and they will be loud.
>
> 3) The inbound side of my water meter has a slight leak... is
> that up to the city to repair?
In my area that would be the water company's problem ....your area?
>
> 4) My meter appears, I assume, to be steel. If I go with
> copper for supply lines do I have transition using a dielectric
> union from the meter to the new copper?
Never seen a steel water meter Most usually they are made of brass or bronze
>
> 5) It seems the terms PVC and CPVC are often used
> interchangeably but they're not really the same, are they? How
> can CPVC be distinugished from standard PVC? Is CPVC actually
> be stamped as "CPVC"? Can pipe stamped as PVC be used from the
> meter to the house at which point I would transition to copper?
>
There only used interchangably by those who don't know any better.
PVC is only allowed for outside water piping. cannot stand any hot water becomes like a boiled spaghetti
CPVC is harder and holds up to heated water and is legal for indoor use in some places.

> 6) Some folks here seem to have very strong opinions about
> CPVC. In climates with less extreme conditions like So.
> California is CPVC less troublesome than say North Dakota?
I'll let someone else anwer that as I'm a California based plumber but here it is only legal with a variance when you can show that copper in that area would be attacked by pin holeing problems.