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Replacing Brass Water Pipes with PEX Tubing

Al Leone of Leone Plumbing replaces the old brass water pipes with PEX tubing in the Melrose basement project. Leone explains that the water hammer will be removed as it is so old it is obsolete. Leone cuts the pipes into sections for easy removal. The brass pipe dates back to when the house was built and is corroded and thin from years of use. The proper length of tubing is pulled and held in place by a bend support. Bob explains that by using PEX tubing, more headroom is created in the basement and the sink and laundry lines can be esily relocated. Kyle Tasse of Viega North America shows Bob the three different types of PEX: Pexcel for plumbing, Pextron for heating, and Fostapex for both plumbing and heating. According to Tasse, the advantage to Pexcel is the connection system that features a sleeve with an eyehole for double checking that the sleeve is securely on the tubing. The fitting holds the sleeve in place so that the lines can be dry fitted and attached later. Bob points out that innovative technology is exciting for do-it-yourselfers, but it is often best to hire a master plumber.

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Preventing Water Infiltration in the Basement Now Playing

Preventing Water Infiltration in the Basement

Replacing Brass Water Pipes with PEX Tubing Now Playing

Replacing Brass Water Pipes with PEX Tubing

Reworking the Existing Plumbing Now Playing

Reworking the Existing Plumbing

Installing Basement Drainage Solutions and Sump Pumps Now Playing

Installing Basement Drainage Solutions and Sump Pumps

Installing an On-Demand Hot Water System Now Playing

Installing an On-Demand Hot Water System

Clip Transcript For:

Replacing Brass Water Pipes with PEX Tubing

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" We get a demo these old brass water lines so when you know replace -- with pex tubing. All the way up to the risers. And we eliminate this up. This obsolete want to hammer this well it's not so long -- needed. First episode friend's. House found many water and then to. Cut the pipe into sections where we can -- This is the original brass tubing that was used when my house was built and as you see it's very corroded and very thin. And it's always a good idea to get rid of it when you're doing any remodeling work. If you don't want you don't want the stuff breaking on you. We're running the new. Pex water line. To a connections and we gonna pull. It's we have enough fields where we need to go. We're going to assemble a bend support. To hold the pipe in place."

" The use of pex throughout this job is making it easier to keep precious headroom and really cutting down on the time it takes to do things like relocate the laundry and update the old water lines. It is a manufacturer of pex systems we manufacture three different kinds of -- pack sell for plumbing. Textron for heating and last -- attacks across the taxes a product with form stability it can be used for both plumbing and heating. This product also is use in. Just applications for radiant as well as baseboard heat. Today we're talking about the excel plumbing system and the big advantage of our excel plumbing system when the media is our connection system. Our connection is simple as we have this stainless steel ring with a sleeve with -- it. The -- is designed so you can see that the pipe the fitting the sleeve is all the way on the pipe. We then insert our fitting which holds the sleeve in place so this system can be dry fit and then -- attached later and pressed for him. There's a lot of new innovative products that make remodeling an old house easier from the plumbing perspective and a lot of do it yourself reflected tackler but. Most of the time you're better off hiring a master plumber."

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Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. If your pipes are whistling, banging or knocking when you turn the water on or off, there are things you can do to quiet them. Water hammer is a common cause of banging pipes. In plumbing where water pressure is high, shutting off the tap can cause the pressure to back up and jolt the pipe, a little like slamming on the brakes in your car. The jolt can be especially violent when a solenoid-controlled appliance like a washer or dishwasher shuts the tap since the shutoff happens instantaneously. Many homes come already equipped with water hammer arresters, which are small air chambers attached above the water line to absorb the pressure of the water as it s shut off. Spiral-shaped water hammer arresters were also used years ago and you may still find them in older homes. Plumbing that s not properly anchored to the framing can rub or bang on whatever is nearby and cause a racket. All this banging and jolting can strain pipes and copper fittings and you can eventually wind up with a leak. It s best to deal with the cause of the noise wherever you have access to the plumbing. Plastic or nylon pipe inserts work well to cushion pipes running through framing members, but they need to be installed when you do the plumbing. For retrofitting, try pipe hangers. These plastic hooks hold the pipe off the framing and have a felt or rubber cushion to absorb any movement and prevent noise. Whistling sounds are also common where a shutoff valve hasn t been opened all the way or where pressure is high. If your water pressure is excessively high, installing a pressure-reducing valve near the water meter will get rid of the noise and lower your water bill. But consult a plumber first to be sure it won t take too much pressure away from any upper story plumbing. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

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