Replacing copper pipe with PVC???

[TheRic]

The house I moved into several years ago had both PVC and Copper. I have worked with both. I will admit that PVC is alot easier to install than copper (have not worked with Pex YET). I changed most of my PVC (and some copper) lines to copper.

[scmhogg]

This is not my area of expertise.... But, I have read about problems with electrolysis with mixing copper with other metals, eg. copper pipe with galvanized hanger straps. The article I read spoke in terms of trouble-shooting with an ammeter. They isolated the iron pipes with nylon couplings and insured that iron/zinc stuff did not contact pipes.

Also, extreme, dampness on the exterior of the pipe can cause corrosion. Just lay a small section of copper pipe in a damp flower bed for a couple of weeks.

Steve

[Tom Slick]

pex will someday overtake copper. one neat thing about a properly layed out pex system is that it is layed out like an electrical system. you have a main manifold with valves, from that all of the branch circuits go out indiviually in parallel. so the kitchen sink has seperate lines from the bathtub, the bathroom sink is seperate from the washing machine. everything isn't in series like a normal water piping system.
the downside is that it requires specialized tools and fittings.

[r1968]

PEX Pipes

Our new home is being built in a energy star rated community and PEX is required. The beauty of the system is flexibility and quick installation. That makes is really cost competitive with all other systems.
The builder also said that the new plumbers are not trained enough to do copper right and he would rather they use pex which is pretty foolproof with the tools.
--raj