Love to smack a plumber

[Runs With Scissors]

Just checked!
1/2 Shark Bite straight coupling $8.28
1/2 copper sweat straight coupling $0.54

1/2 " straight Shark Bite coupling costs 15x more!
Make a few Shark Bite connections, and you will have wasted many $.
WAY too rich for my blood!

I was just yanking your chain with that meme.

Ironically my SIL sent me that last night because a long time ago I was on his case for using pex instead of copper in his old house, and he just found out that I used pex last weekend at my sisters house.

I have no doubt you are correct about prices, and if I was doing a lot of plumbing, there is no way I would use them.

However, 2 connections once every eleven years is about the extent of my plumbing jobs, so I'm OK with paying up.

Paul

 

[fried1765]

I was just yanking your chain with that meme.

Ironically my SIL sent me that last night because a long time ago I was on his case for using pex instead of copper in his old house, and he just found out that I used pex last weekend at my sisters house.

I have no doubt you are correct about prices, and if I was doing a lot of plumbing, there is no way I would use them.

However, 2 connections once every eleven years is about the extent of my plumbing jobs, so I'm OK with paying up.

Paul

I do not disagree with your conclusions.

FWIW:
This is a 293 year old house, with most plumbing (copper) installed in the early 50's.
We did not have electricity until 1947.
My family has owned the house since 1932.

 

[Biker1mike]

Just checked!
1/2 Shark Bite straight coupling $8.28
1/2 copper sweat straight coupling $0.54

1/2 " straight Shark Bite coupling costs 15x more!
Make a few Shark Bite connections, and you will have wasted many $.
WAY too rich for my blood!

Interesting !
A master plumber in my area make upwards of 50 bucks an hour. The plumbing company adds close to double that per hour. I wonder where the breakdown is for the company for shark verse sweating the pipes.
Plumbers in my area are in high demand and finding a plumber for an emergency is almost a bidding war.

 

[McMXi]

Interesting !
A master plumber in my area make upwards of 50 bucks an hour. The plumbing company adds close to double that per hour. I wonder where the breakdown is for the company for shark verse sweating the pipes.
Plumbers in my area are in high demand and finding a plumber for an emergency is almost a bidding war.

That's the problem with that Shark Bite vs. old school plumbing comparison. It doesn't take into account the time to fit up the connection and solder it, or the cost of the solder, or the cost of the MAP gas, or the fact that access can be very limited, or the fact that the joint needs to be dry to solder ... and on and on.

 

[D2Cat]

That's the problem with that Shark Bite vs. old school plumbing comparison. It doesn't take into account the time to fit up the connection and solder it, or the cost of the solder, or the cost of the MAP gas, or the fact that access can be very limited, or the fact that the joint needs to be dry to solder ... and on and on.

And many folks do not know how to keep the water out of the line long enough to solder it. Also, the skill level of using sharkbit fittings isn't very high, so virtually anyone can install them.

 

[McMXi]

And many folks do not know how to keep the water out of the line long enough to solder it. Also, the skill level of using sharkbit fittings isn't very high, so virtually anyone can install them.

Yep! Good luck soldering a joint if there's any water near the connection!

 

[motionclone]

sharkbites dont get the nod from pros but arent the new Propress fittings that i see everywhere now virtually the same idea? Oring seal around outside of pipe.

 

[johnjk]

This pex is easy to drain the hot side because the line goes off the HW tank to the manifold and screws on the top. Easy to unscrew and drain out. I would have done the copper connector but the hardware was out in that size and I could buy that shark bite for 7 bucks, wait two days and buy copper for 1.99 or drive in to town 50 miles and waste another hour each way and 2 gallons of fuel. Happy with my decision which is really all that matters.
I used shark bite hook up hoses at the old house for the HW tank and after 12 yrs no leaks. Good enough for me.

 

[fried1765]

And many folks do not know how to keep the water out of the line long enough to solder it. Also, the skill level of using sharkbit fittings isn't very high, so virtually anyone can install them.

Very true, for low skill level homeowners.

 

[Chanceywd]

Very true, for low skill level homeowners.

It is the bread trick, You take the center out of some white bread and make a tight little ball you push back up the pipe to hold the water that is dripping by. Solder a union there and then you only have to do it on one side, If it is on the pressure side use water to blow it out before assembly if it is on the other side take the aerator off the nearest faucet and flush it out there.
I seen that done by a union plumber 40 years ago and have used it many times.

Bill

 

[motionclone]

Interesting !
A master plumber in my area make upwards of 50 bucks an hour.

Wow, they are like 80 and up in Maine. Thats an independent guy with a plumbing license. I would have thought NY would be way more money.
I charge 70hr for Masonry work and its an unlicensed trade around here.

 

[fried1765]

It is the bread trick, You take the center out of some white bread and make a tight little ball you push back up the pipe to hold the water that is dripping by. Solder a union there and then you only have to do it on one side, If it is on the pressure side use water to blow it out before assembly if it is on the other side take the aerator off the nearest faucet and flush it out there.
I seen that done by a union plumber 40 years ago and have used it many times.

Bill

I have been using the "bread trick" for at least the past 60 years.

 

[fried1765]

Wow, they are like 80 and up in Maine. Thats an independent guy with a plumbing license. I would have thought NY would be way more money.
I charge 70hr for Masonry work and its an unlicensed trade around here.

$120 per hour here, by independent master plumber!

 

[Hundramos]

I had a similar issue with a leaky connection in my own basement last year. The initial installation was done quickly, but they skipped the Teflon tape and it led to some nasty leaks. I ended up calling a residential plumbing to get it sorted. They were fantastic—quick, thorough, and made sure everything was done right. They used the right materials and double-checked their work to prevent any future problems. It’s amazing how a few small details can make such a big difference.

 

[DustyRusty]

I am "team propane torch and solder",...... and always will be.

I use a acetylene torch, plumbers paste, and 95/5 solder. Most of my home is soldered with 50/50, however the code has changed and now requires 95/5 solder, which is much more brittle of a connection. I use a plumbers wire brush on the inside of the fitting and emery cloth on the pipe, dope, heat, apply solder, wipe with a dry cloth. Looks just like an experienced plumber made the connection.

 

[jyoutz]

I had a similar issue with a leaky connection in my own basement last year. The initial installation was done quickly, but they skipped the Teflon tape and it led to some nasty leaks. I ended up calling a residential plumbing to get it sorted. They were fantastic—quick, thorough, and made sure everything was done right. They used the right materials and double-checked their work to prevent any future problems. It’s amazing how a few small details can make such a big difference.

We had a plugged shower drain and so we had a plumber come and clear it. The next day we had a water leak in the basement below the shower. After cutting out the drywall, it was revealed that the p trap on the shower ABS drain pipe was never glued when it was installed 8 years prior. I was surprised that it didn’t leak before.

 

[fried1765]

I use a acetylene torch, plumbers paste, and 95/5 solder. Most of my home is soldered with 50/50, however the code has changed and now requires 95/5 solder, which is much more brittle of a connection. I use a plumbers wire brush on the inside of the fitting and emery cloth on the pipe, dope, heat, apply solder, wipe with a dry cloth. Looks just like an experienced plumber made the connection.

A plumber friend asked me who installed my new water heater (age 83).
Nice wiped joints.
"I did"
He was surprised!

Electrical inspector once asked me, who did this electrical work (40' x 50' storage bldg)?
"I did"
Him: "Some of the best work I have seen"!

 

[ctfjr]

I use a acetylene torch, plumbers paste, and 95/5 solder. Most of my home is soldered with 50/50, however the code has changed and now requires 95/5 solder, which is much more brittle of a connection. I use a plumbers wire brush on the inside of the fitting and emery cloth on the pipe, dope, heat, apply solder, wipe with a dry cloth. Looks just like an experienced plumber made the connection.

Be just like the plumbers that still solder

 

[DustyRusty]

Be just like the plumbers that still solder

Damn, that stuff is quite expensive. I still have a couple rolls of lead and tin based solders that my father had manufactured back in the 1960s. His occupation was as a master smelter and refiner of white metals. I used to have an ingot of linotype that he had manufactured, but it got lost somewhere in the move. Today, there isn't one white metal smelting and refining company left in the United States.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Thank you. I was looking at Corro-Pro-Tec. AO makes the water heater so maybe I'll go that route.

Off topic update:
Over a year later and there is no smell from the hot water. I really didn't believe a powered anode would do the trick....but it did.