I have two plumbers that have bid my project and one swears by CPVC and the other is a copper die hard. He wonders how CPVC can be leagal. Has anybody had bad experiences with CPVC?
Thanks for the input!
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Where do you live?
Jon
The house will be built in Leavenworth Washington. This is a mountain town about 150 miles east of Seattle.
Out where I live both are legal. However, from what I've seen and been told, if it's done in CPVC out here, it suggests that it was done by a DIY, or a "plumber?" on the low end of the pay scale.
Despite the fact that copper costs way, way, more than plastic, the bulk of the cost of a plumbing job is still (or should be ) labor. I think copper is superior from a performance standpoint. Depending on what you are building, that may or may not matter to you. I personally would never use it, except for a temporary line. But this forum after all is about "FINE homebuilding."
Jon
Hi MSH. Where you building at? I finished a house just off East Leavenworth Rd. a couple years ago.
I used CPVC, I believe its code in almost every state. Type "copper vs cpvc" into google for some interesting discussions. I've used CPVC for 6 houses now, never a problem. My inspectors have all liked it. Some people are going to bash me now.
Good luck to you, Leavenworth is a great place to live, jim
Thanks for the info Jim. My property is also on E. Leavenworth RD. about a 1/4 from HYW 2. Are you a builder in the area?
Did you buy that lot on the river? I built the cabin with the green metal roof just off Dye Road. We still own it. I live in Snohomish.
Yes, my lot is the one on the river. There is one that is currently for sell and mine is the one to the right looking toward the river. There is a row of pine trees between the two lots. We are going to build the garage this summer and then the house in a couple of years and live full time then.
Mike
OK get your hard hat on. I am going to bash you. Want me to use a wet noodle or a dry one?
what is the solution on the copper to avoid the pipes eroding from the inside -there have been some real horror stories in the newspaper about that problem , all over the country
It is being discussed by some very knowledgable pros at this link...
CLICK
I have plumbed and taught plumbing in a vocational school. Copper is a time tested durable product. Also you can repair it easily today or 20 years from now. Not the case with CPVC. Plastic becomes more brittle with age. After 10 years or so CPVC will be difficult to add on to and if you happen to flex it or bump it good it will fracture. The only use I have seen over the years for plastic has been with well water that has heavy mineral issues.
I also agree with Wethead. If you are looking to save $$ use Pex. Cuts labor by 40% plus and is only about 10% more expensive on material. DanT
Let me vote in with you guys on the pex.
My plumbers have been slow comiong around but they are gettin pretty well sold on it now.
I hate to see CPVC when I am remodeling. You can guess that I do more vibrating and bumping around than a new house gets with the lines in place..
Excellence is its own reward!
wet noodle please.
I don't think CPVC is better than copper, but a viable alternative. Its easy, cost-effective, very high impact strength, been around for 35 years, accepted by all national building codes in the USA and Canada. Certain CPVC fittings should never be used, most notable female threaded and the drop-ear fitting. I starting using it as a DIY'er and see no reason to stop. I got my hard-hat on.
Edited 4/29/2003 5:42:10 PM ET by Jim Lovatt
We put CPVC in my parents' house back in 1971, when it was sort of experimental. My dad was in the plastics business, and worked on pipe extrusion.
It's all still there and working fine. I even took off a compression waterstop and changed to a CPVC male NPT fitting to use a new waterstop, no problems with the glue or brittleness.
That being said, it's still an oddball installation by local standards, and that would be a major negative if we were going to sell the house. For my place, I'm going with copper.
-- J.S.
I've noticed that several of developers are using it in new home construction. I've also noticed several hammer arrestors installed in concert. It seems to indicate the builder is concerned about rattling of the pipes.
A neighbor home near by was plumbed with CPVC about six years ago without hammer arrestors. Several of his joints have come apart, causing thousands in damage. Could just be bad joints but I think of it as the galvanized of the 90's.
Hope this helps.
Len
Depends if you are building a shi**y little house or a nice home.
I just bet it is obvious where I am going with this!
Try PEX if it is legal. It outshines both of these materials. But puke me if I ever use CPVC!