Copper to plastic

jstar571

I'm strongly considering replacing the copper water lines to plastic. Age of copper is unknown but it's old. Sample I had to remove to replace was 85% clogged.

Question. Is plastic flex pipe better then copper??

Daniel Holzman

Check the threads on PEX on this forum over the past two or three years, this question has been debated ad nauseum. A careful search will reveal opinions all over the place. For what it is worth, I replaced all the leaking copper in my house with PEX about 8 years ago, worked out very well.

jagans

I assume you are talking about your supply lines. Ive never heard of copper supplies clogging. Pinholing from acidic water, yes, clogging no. You should find out why they are clogging first, and address that problem.

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Fairview

This copper tubing that supplied an ice maker failed where it penetrated dry wall. It has been replaced with plastic.

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md2lgyk

What was the pipe clogged with? Like jagans, I've never heard of copper clogging.

Another alternative to copper is CPVC. That's what I did my house with a few years ago. Easy to work with and much less expensive than copper. I know there are plumbers who swear everything except copper is crap, but I've had no problems.

joecaption

I'd be getting that water tested to see what needs to be done.
If it's doing that to the pipes what do you think it's doing to the water heater and fixtures?

jeffnc

PEX is more flexible (literally and figuratively) than either copper or CPVC. It's not difficult to transition to PEX with the new Sharkbite style connectors. Once transitioned, you can use all PEX connectors after that, which are much cheaper. You can of course connect a PEX connector to the copper pipe with a soldered joint, if you want to do one of those one more time for nostalgic reasons.

Hardway

Why did it fail?
What part did the ice maker play?

jagans

It looks to me like you have acidic, very hard water. The green is copper oxide, copper roofs sometimes patina to the green color you see there from acid in the air. The white is a build up of minerals from hard water. Joe is of course correct again. You need to get your water tested, as you probably need a neutralizer and a water softener system. Im surprised your fixtures and aerators don't clog up continually, not to mention your HWH.

This appears to be a rare case wherein the deposits coated the inside of the pipes and probably prevented acid perforation (Pinholing)

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jstar571

The pipe I had removed was dirty with deposits. My upstairs (2nd floor) shower doesn't seem to be getting hot water as much as it should. I'm thinking its clogged.

Ghostmaker

Chinese dry wall installed there?

jagans

What does where the drywall is made have to do with the inside of his pipes?

Ive got a feeling this is gonna be a good one

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Javiles

Copper or plastic the never ending question, my first choice will always be copper, the homeowner will have the last word and it will be clearly noted in the invoice and or proposal, i remember when poly pipe came out everyone was raving about how great it was and how much time and money one could save, that until the fitting started cracking the rings split and pipe would swell and rupture, now its pex and similar products again still unproven against time. copper properly installed and from an American made manufacture will stand test of time. proven, shark bites and similar same thing this week i had two calls with leaking shark bite fittings, so in my home copper none of that plastic crap.

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jstar571

That is what I'm wondering...how long would the flex pipes last? Any known issues.

Lightfoot

my first thought too.

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