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+-- Thread: Fixing behind the builder (/showthread.php?tid=7335038)
Fixing behind the builder - KC - 11-25-2017
Among the many things that make me cuss the builder(s) of this house was that they didn't put the cover plate/border thingy on the washing machine outlet box. I did catch it, and when we came for the final walk through they'd thrown up a 1x2 wood frame around it. Which looked like hell and wouldn't do anything to contain water... but I figured I'd find the cover plate in a cabinet somewhere or just buy one. Except I never found it, and there isn't one that would fit it in the known plumbing universe, according to Google. So after 6 years I finally cut open the wall and replaced it. It was PEX with crimp fittings, I used Sharkbite on the replacement. Not entirely comfortable with those... but it's not leaking now. So maybe. Gonna wait for a few loads of laundry before I close it back up. I hate plumbing, and I hate fixing sheetrock... but it's bothered me every day since we moved in.
RE: Fixing behind the builder - crokett™ - 11-25-2017
9 years ago I moved the washer and dryer to the basement in our old house and plumbed the washer in with Shark Bites. It was supposed to be 'temporary' because the spot I put them I was going to move them. I wanted the shark bites reversible. When I moved them to their permanent spot I was going to use soldered transitions from copper to PEX. They are still in the same spot in that house and I have never had a problem with the Shark Bites.
RE: Fixing behind the builder - KC - 11-25-2017
(11-25-2017, 07:23 PM)crokett™ Wrote: 9 years ago I moved the washer and dryer to the basement in our old house and plumbed the washer in with Shark Bites. It was supposed to be 'temporary' because the spot I put them I was going to move them. I wanted the shark bites reversible. When I moved them to their permanent spot I was going to use soldered transitions from copper to PEX. They are still in the same spot in that house and I have never had a problem with the Shark Bites.
That 'reversible' feature is what kinda worried me.
RE: Fixing behind the builder - crokett™ - 11-25-2017
(11-25-2017, 07:53 PM)KC Wrote: That 'reversible' feature is what kinda worried me.
I re-used Shark Bites in that house, not those, but others and the re-used ones still haven't leaked, as far as I know.
If it's any consolation, the first time I saw Shark Bites was at a plumbing supply place. He had a demo set up with them, the pipes had water in them. I had asked for something easier than Pex - it was for the washer/dryer project and he handed me that demo. I had the same reaction as you until he told me to try pulling them apart. I tried, and failed, and the demo didn't leak - granted it wasn't pressurized.
RE: Fixing behind the builder - FS7 - 11-27-2017
(11-25-2017, 08:02 PM)crokett™ Wrote: I re-used Shark Bites in that house, not those, but others and the re-used ones still haven't leaked, as far as I know.
If it's any consolation, the first time I saw Shark Bites was at a plumbing supply place. He had a demo set up with them, the pipes had water in them. I had asked for something easier than Pex - it was for the washer/dryer project and he handed me that demo. I had the same reaction as you until he told me to try pulling them apart. I tried, and failed, and the demo didn't leak - granted it wasn't pressurized.
Push-to-connect fittings are pretty handy, and very useful in many situations. They are rated for in-wall use and although old plumbers like to say you'll destroy your house and your neighbors by using them, I've never had a leak and I don't know anybody who has either.
That said, I don't use them if I have any amount of time to work on something. They are really, really expensive for what they are, I think, and if I need more than one joint (or I don't need immediate pressurization) I will use something else.
A while ago I had some well water quality issues and I diverted the output of my existing sanitizer to a set of daisy-chained canister filters I was putting in. This was using 1" CPVC and required a lot of threaded fittings, elbows, tees, and valves. If I had used push-to-connect the cost would have been far greater. A CPVC elbow is around a dollar, while a SharkBite elbow was $15 or more. For one fitting or a quick repair, sure, it's pretty handy. For a project, never.
RE: Fixing behind the builder - crokett™ - 11-27-2017
(11-27-2017, 02:33 PM)FS7 Wrote: That said, I don't use them if I have any amount of time to work on something. They are really, really expensive for what they are,
that depends.... if you're an experienced plumber who has the tools already and knows how to sweat copper, then yeah they're expensive. if you're experienced and have the tools already to crimp pex, then they're still expensive, but slightly less so. if you're a homeowner who doesn't have the tools or experience and this is a one-off, they're not that expensive when you factor in the cost of your time and the other tools you'll need, and its easier to get them correct the first time. There's also no risk of setting your house on fire or having to work with tools in a cramped space.
RE: Fixing behind the builder - meackerman - 11-27-2017
One of my neighbors had a sharkbite come loose, course it had to happen when he was away for the weekend. Flooded pretty much his entire first floor.
His thought was it was improperly installed...but I dunno if he ever figured out exactly why.
RE: Fixing behind the builder - EricU - 11-27-2017
I don't think it is that hard to mess up a shark bite install, especially if you don't properly clean up the ends. Of course, same is true of sweated fittings, particularly in barely accessible places. I feel like I'm pretty good at sweating pipe, but if I can barely see it, I go with sharkbites now. I'm not proud.
I really like the sharkbite repair fittings. my last project, I sweated everything together that I could, and then joined the pieces with a repair fitting. I had previously tried to sweat an elbow there, and it lasted for a couple of years before it started dripping. Too hard to access to get good penetration of the filler