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Posted by Speedy Jim on August 4, 2005, 3:22 pm
joe7sloppy@hotmail.com wrote:
> I am doing a bathroom in the basement of my house. I have to run 4 cold
> and 3 hot (tub, sink, shower, and toilet). I am going to be coming from
> 3/8 ID, 1/2 O.D. Copper. I bought 1/2" PEX to run under the concrete
> floor, I already have it broken up. I am using PEX because it's
> seamless (zurn pex). From the copper lines off the water heater (hot)
> and softener (cold) I am just going to cut out about 12 inches and add
> reducers to bump it up to 1/2 I.D. 5/8 O.D. copper, because not only is
> this the same size as the 1/2 PEX but also everything is cheaper in
> this size, maybe because its standard. So I will cut into the 3/8
> copper lines and add reducers to a 1/2 inch line with 4 tees in the
> cold line and 3 in the hot. Off the tees, I will continue with 1/2"
> down about 2ft from the ceiling (which is where the copper lines are
> running off the softener and water heater) to a 1/2 ball valve,
> continuing in copper again with a zurn pex copper to pex fitting at the
> end. This is my first project with piping and it's quite a big one. I
> fill fully confident I am able to do this just fine. My only problem is
> every time I talk to someone about it, I am told a different way how to
> do it. Even the guys at the hardware store have told me 3 different
> ways to do it. The first time I had all threaded fittings with
> compression for the copper. The second time, I had flare fittings with
> threaded couplings, the third time, its now all solder fittings, no
> threads except where the pex connects to the copper, that is some sort
> of compression fitting, no choice I guess there. I feel this is the
> best way, soldering everything, rather than compression, flaring, or
> threading everything together, do you agree? Also, I am teeing into the
> main 4" sewer line (stack) for all the drains. I have it dug up and
> ready to cut. From what people have told me so far, I should come off
> the 4" sewer line which is about a foot below the basement floor with a
> 4x4x4 Y and then have 4x4x2 tees off of that going to the various
> drains, reducing to 1 1/2 when needed. And also reducing to a 3" for
> the toilet. Or someone told me I could just reduce to 3 from right off
> of the sewer (4x4x3 Y) and go to 1 1/2 right off the 3" line (3x3x1
> 1/2). Which is better, isn't bigger better? Thanks
>
Phew. How odd that the existing lines are 1/2" O.D. Most unusual.
Oh, well.
Sounds like all your soldered copper fittings will be above the floor.
Then PEX below the slab. Sounds OK.
On the drainage: I think you should be talking to your town/city
inspector; you may be headed for trouble.
My take on it: Use the 4X4X4 WYE to enter the existing house drain.
(4X4X3 WYE will work too, but that decision rests with the inspector.)
Use an appropriate-sized WYE (or long-turn TEE-WYE) for each
fixture branch; never use a SAN TEE in this kind of app.
Now, each fixture trap must be protected by some form of
venting arrangement. Here is where is gets sticky, especially
working under-slab. I would get a good book at the library or
BigBox on DIY plumbing and study it. Then talk to the
inspector to see what he will allow/require.
Jim
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