Just for fun...

[stompandgo]

Well, more ironic than fun...

Just had our home repiped with thicker L-class copper to prevent the costly leaks more and more of our neighbors are getting with the neighborhood's original M-class copper piping from the late 1980s.

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Many holes in the walls and ceilings, as you'd imagine, but fewer than I expected.

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To keep things as clean as possible, the workers draped off everything with yards and yards and yards of totally unrecyclable plastic film. The whole house and garage. Twice — once for the repiping and then again today with all new plastic for the drywall repairs.

So all the good karma we've been accumulating over 40 years of doing our best to avoid, reuse, and recycle plastics gone in 2 days!

Clearly, resistance is futile. We will be assimilated.

Look at the bright side. They appear to be using ProPress fittings, not leaded solder.

 

[stompandgo]

They may solder new pipes but they may use Sharkbite connectors instead, and especially for repairs. If you don't know about them check them out. They can be a lifesaver.

No professional uses Shark Bite connectors. ProPress. They are cheaper than Shark Bite because the press tool used to install them is $2,500. I rent one whenever I do my own plumbing. The best.

 

[6zfshdb]

No professional uses Shark Bite connectors. ProPress. They are cheaper than Shark Bite because the press tool used to install them is $2,500. I rent one whenever I do my own plumbing. The best.

ProPress fittings also use O-rings and the press makes them more secure, but I'm not sure if the O-ring is any less prone to leaks than push on fittings. They are much cheaper, but more difficult to work with in tight spaces due to the size of the press tool.

 

[stompandgo]

The press deforms the metal as part of making the seal. It is a hydraulic connection, not just a spring ring. You can uncouple a Shark Bite connection. This is not possible with ProPress, because it is a permanent connection.

 

[6zfshdb]

The press deforms the metal as part of making the seal. It is a hydraulic connection, not just a spring ring. You can uncouple a Shark Bite connection. This is not possible with ProPress, because it is a permanent connection.

Very true and much more mechanically sound, but I was talking about leaks caused by deterioration of the O-ring. This is one of the complaints made by SharkBite reviewers.

 

[stompandgo]

The o-ring in the Shark Bite fitting is compressed by a few pounds of pressure. Otherwise, it could not be installed by human hands. The ProPress exerts 7,200 pounds of pressure via the tool. It's not even close to the same thing. Viega guarantees their fittings for 50 years if installed correctly.