drilling holes in wall studs for plumbing

gwilkrrs

i am running water supply lines for a bathroom in the exterior walls of my addition. is it ok to drill the hole from the center of the stud but cheating towards the interior? i will install nail plates to protect the pipes...... i dont want to drill them direct center since i want to be able to insulate well (maryland location) but i dont want to bend the inspector either.....

joecaption

Most inspectors are going to want them in the middle.
A simple slit on the back side of the insulation should make it slip over it.

mae-ling

Here water lines are not run in exterior walls, freezing water is a bad thing.

Fairview

What ever you do don't cut the insulation. That small area of compressed insulation won't hurt a thing.

md2lgyk

As mentioned, water lines in exterior walls are a very bad idea. I have lived in Maryland and know how cold it can get. I suggest finding another way to plumb this bathroom.

carpdad

I used 2x3 to bump out the wall that has the water supply lines. You may try blocking out top and bottom of cold/hot pipes and fill around the pipe with spray foam for least air flow around the pipes. Insulate the rest with your choice. I am assuming from your question that your wall is 2x4.

As long as you use the metal plates, holes don't have to be in the center. I would still leave no less than 1" of wood in the studs if you are drilling through most of the wall.

stubborn1

Like others said, avoid running plumbing in an exterior wall if there is any way possible. If you must, make sure to keep the piping on the warm side of the vapor barrier.

The inspector issue should be fairly simple - make a call and discuss the issue. It's much easier to have the conversation before the work goes in than to explain your reasoning when he's on site inspecting your work.

__________________
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gwilkrrs

SOrry yes 2x4 studs. coming in another way with the plumbing isnt realy feasable- the tilet and vanity are on the exterior wall...... the inspector didnt mind if they were off center as long as they were pretected from the front with plates. i am running 3/4" supply lines 1 over the other.....
i am thinking of insulating the lines as well as the wall cavity

Fairview

That's one of the more common misunderstood mistakes as seen on TV news usually at the beginning of very cold snaps. Just don't do it as that's only insulating the room air temperature from the tubing / pipes.

Out where heat trace or a constant flow of water is needed, yes, but not in a heated building.

woodworkbykirk

if and when we do have to run pipes in an exterior wall we have our plumber run his lines in a way that they come up straight through the floor where they will come out the wall. it eliminates drilling through studs and you can fit rigid foam in behind the pipe which also elminates having compressed fibreglass

mind you here all exterior walls have to be 2x6 and have a r-value of r-24 achieved by using r-20 in the wall cavity with 1" foam on the outside of the wall.. high density r-24 batts or spray foam insulation

mae-ling

can't you bring them up from the floor? That is what we do when we have to be on an exterior wall.
Or build a 2x3 (or 4) wall in front for the pipes to run in.

gwilkrrs

it is a slab on grade addition with all cathedral ceilings one story.
to get them out of the exterior wall i would have to run a long way around interior and then down the roof rafter bay and into the exterior wall for supply........
so do not put pipe insulation on the pipes?