Installing a Tankless Water Heater

Installing the tankless water heater does require some expertise in assembling gas and water fittings. While installing pex is reasonably easy, these two taskes are certainly not in the realm of your everyday DIY'r.

WARNING: Not doing the gas piping right could be very dangerous and in many jurisdictions requires a certified professional to do the installation or at least test it BEFORE first operation.

But there are a few things you can do to make the job easier.

1) Use Pre-fab Pipe
Most of the big box home improvement stores will have all the black pipe materials in various pre-cut sizes and lengths that you need for this job so doing any cutting of pipe can be avoided or eliminated entirely. The stores will have all the pipe, values, nipples, T's, safety values and other parts. JUST BE SURE TO GET GAS RATED PIPE AND FITTINGS!

While black pipe is adequate for the gas pipe I recommend getting either stainless or galvanized for the water lines.

2) The Gas supply line
You will need to get and route the appropriate size (diameter) gas pipe from your outside source point to the hot water heater. The perfect pipe for this is the corrugated stainless steel tubing (csst) as that manufactured by Gastite. The material bends around corners similarly to PEX so you can run one continuous pipe without elbows. The only connections to be made are at the outside wall (to connect to your gas source) and at the water heater. THESE TWO CONNECTIONS ARE CRITICAL SO ONLY PROFESSIONS SHOULD MAKE THESE.

Using this corrugated pipe eliminated any of the work associated with running and connecting the black pipe normally used for the task.

3) Use the right tools
You simply must have the right tools to tighten these connections. A good set of pipe wrenches is essential.

4) Use plumbers putty
All the fittings must use the appropriate gas-rated putty for sealing the connections.

5) Testing is Absolutely mandatory
You need to test all the fittings for leaks using a soapy fluid.

Related Posts:
Installing Propane Gas at the Cottage
11 rules for venting a tankless water heater (gas)
3 reasons to use corrugated stainless steel tubing (csst)
;-)

3 Tips for creating a Pex Water Control Panel

Setting up a control panel for the cold water system is quite easy. Imagine doing this in copper! The soldering would be a nightmare... Pex pipe is definitely a DIY'rs dream

What we did is create a shut-off for each separate line to each location. In this case we have a separate line for each of:

• Each toilet (2)
  
• Upstairs shower
• Bath Tub and Sink (for upstairs)
• Kitchen
• Downstairs shower and bathroom sink

A few tips:

1) Use ball valve with 1/4 turn shut-off. With these you can see at a glance which are on and which are off. All in the picture are in the off position. The lever is in line with the pipe in the 'on' position.

2) Use a manifold that has the right number of nipples. This one has six, which is exactly what we needed.

3) Be sure to factor in a system drain. This is the cottage after all. If you are closing down the cottage for the winter it will be hugely helpful to have an easy way to drain the system for winter. In our setup the bottom pipe provides a means (off the picture) to drain the system.

Related Posts:
4 reasons why pex is a diy plumber's dream!
Pex versus copper piping: pros & cons

;-)

Creating Clean Water at the Cottage

Clean and drinkable water is very important!

Perhaps I went overboard but I put quite a lot of effort in to ensuring the water at the cottage is clean and drinkable.

Here you can see the first iteration of the water filtration system that I installed - starting from the left edge of the picture:

1) Pressure switch - the blue box is the pressure switch which controls the pump in the lake. It is attached to the pressure tank (not shown)

2) Two Whole House Filters - These are the two filters in the middle of the picture. The left most one uses a 30 micron filter. The right one holds a 5 micron carbon filter. The 30 micron filter is a first stage, removing the larger material from the water. The 5 micron filter has two purpsoes: a) to take out the small material that gets byt the first filter, and 2) takes out some of those nasty tastes.

3) UV Filter - This is the stainless steel filter to the right of the whole house filters. This filter uses a high powered UV light to sterilize the water as it passes by. The model used here is rated to treat the water for the whole home, eliminating 99.99% of bacteria and viruses including chlorine resistant cysts that are not tested for in routine water tests (such as Cryptosporidium
and Giardia - no beaver fever for me!).

4) PEX Manifold - This is the copper manifold on the right of the picture with all the PEX pipes connected to it. It`s purpose is to distribute the water to the various locations in the Cottage

Coming Up:
In the next few posts we will dig in to the parts of the water purification system in a bit more depth.

Products used:
Trojan UV MAX D Filter
GE Household Filters
PEX

Related Posts:

We Have Water! - Apr 28, 2009

Cottage on the Edge: Installing the Water System: Materials Purchased - Oct 03, 2008

4 Reasons Why PEX is a DIY Plumber's Dream! - Nov 04, 2008

PEX wins Hands Down! - Sep 20, 2008

;-)

Start Planning for the Shower Before you build the Bathroom

The installation of the shower is pretty much one of the last things you are going to do in the bathroom, however, just about everything you do and build in the bathroom will impact the shower stall. Here is a few things to plan for:

1) Layout of the Bathroom
Make sure they is enough room between and among the various facilities in the bathroom - the tub, the shower, the toilet and the sink. Keep in mind a window is a good thing, and make sure that there is sufficient ventilation....

2) Shower Drain Position
Each shower stall has a very specific location for the drain in the shower base. YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS VERY PRECISE DIMENSION WHEN IN STALLING THE WASTE PLUMBING. get it wrong and the base of the shower just won't fit!

3) Insulating the Water Supply
If the shower will be in an exterior wall ensure there is plenty of insulation to keep the pipe warm in the wall... TIP: create a false wall in the inside of the normal and insulated wall to house the piping...

4) Installation of the Shower Stall
Each shower has unique installation process. For instance the base of the shower stall we installed was inset in to the drywall so the walls when installed overlap the lip on the base - to create a water seal.

Advice: Buy your shower stall before to install the plumbing, and read the instructions first!

Related Posts:

Five More Tips for Installing a Shower - May 23, 2009

Installing a Shower: Part 1 - Oct 12, 2008

4 Reasons Why PEX is a DIY Plumber's Dream! - Nov 04, 2008

Plumbing Tip: Check twice, three times before soldering... - Oct 23, 2008

;-)

Five More Tips for Installing a Shower

Where I made the greatest number of mistakes is in the series of tasks that end up making the shower...

Fortunately all of the mistakes were recoverable.

Here is a Few tips so as not to follow my blundering ways:

1) Check, and then Check Again!
When it comes to soldering in any component, especially the key shower faucet, be sure to check that you have everything oriented the right way. Once you solder it all together... fixing the mistake, is a frustrating exercize as I described in a previous post:

Plumbing Tip: Check twice, three times before soldering... - Oct 23, 2008

2) Test before you Bury Your Mistakes....

Plumbers know they can't bury their mistakes like Doctors can... They won't work or worse leak...

It turns out that even though I fixed the orientation of the shower faucet... it did not work.
Fortunately, I had the smarts to check the faucet before I installed the shower stall. If I had then I would have had to rip it all out to replace the faulty faucet.

3) Installing the Stall is a Two Person Job.
Don't be a loner... unless you have a third arm! There is just two many parts to align, square and level...

4) Use the tight Caulking
Pay attention to the kind of caulking that the shower stall manufacturer recommendations for sealing the edges. Silicon does not stick well to certain kinds of plastic - so you will have to get a latex-based caulk for those locations.

Silicon caulking with a fungicide in it is still the best for wet locations but they are not much use if they don't adhere.

Also, pay attention tot he colour of the caulking. I found that a set of three tubes of caulking worked perfect: white latex, white silicon and clear silicon, worked best.

5) Put the shower head higher than the tallest person you know....
I just hate having to bend to have a shower... Most shower heads seem to be placed about 6 inches too low! I recommend placing then at least 78 inches from the floor of the shower (not the floor of the bathroom), and going to 7 feet (84") would not be unreasonable.

Related Posts:

Installing a Shower: Part 1 - Oct 12, 2008

Cottage on the Edge: How to make Sh#t Flow Up Hill! - Jun 15, 2008

4 Reasons Why PEX is a DIY Plumber's Dream! - Nov 04, 2008

Plumbing Tip: Check twice, three times before soldering... - Oct 23, 2008

;-)

Ahhhh! A Shower with HOT Water!

Three weekends ago i was able to complete the installation of the shower, however, I wasn't able to 'test' it that weekend -- the caulking needed to cure at least 24 hours.

Or that is what the instructions said on the side of the tube...

Anyway... with great self control I waited until the next weekend - which turned into two weekends because we attended our golf course's opening weekend tournament.

Suffice it to say the next Saturday morning I was in the shower and enjoying the first shower at the Cottage....

Coming Up:
-Tips for installing shower stalls

Related Posts:

Installing a Shower: Part 1 -Oct 12, 2008

4 Reasons Why PEX is a DIY Plumber's Dream! - Nov 04, 2008

Plumbing Tip: Check twice, three times before soldering... - Oct 23, 2008

;-)

We Have Water!

Over the past two weekends I completed installing all the water systems and tested it. The pump in the lake started with no problems, and other than a few loose connections there were no leaks.

I discovered that the shower faucet is not working properly so this coming weekend the task of fixing or replacing that is a high priority.

I also install a reverse osmosis filter under the kitchen sink... and it all appears to function without a problem.

I took water samples from before and after the reverse osmosis filter to test the potability of the water.

Coming Up:
In the next few posts I will explore:

• The structure of the water system I installed
• The filtering system installed
• The outcome of the water testing
  

Related Posts:
Cottage on the Edge: Installing the Water Pressure Tank
Bosch 2400ES Tankless Water Heater: Sneak Peek
Installing the Water System: Materials Purchased
Installing the Tankless Water Heater
11 Rules for Venting a Tankless Water Heater (Gas)
6 Criteria for Sellecting a Tankless Water Heater
Cottage on the Edge: PEX versus Copper Piping: Pros & Cons
5 reasons to use tankless water heaters

;-)

3 Reasons to Build your own Stub-outs

I like to build my own stub-outs.

Stub-outs are the end portions of your water supply that stick out of the wall or the floor. It is these pipes that are ultimately connected tot he faucet, toilet, etc.

While I am a DIY plumber, not a professional, I have a few reasons why I like to make my own stub outs to share:

1) One size doesn't fit all
For the most part I find the stub-outs are not long enough for my liking. I know my limitations for soldering so I just wanted a bit more copper sticking in to that vanity or base cabinet. That way I have a few more options when I come around tot he final connections. Hey I can always cut off a bit of copper - adding more length can be done bu tis a pain in the butt!


2) Make PEX connections in accessible locations.
I was just more comfortable making the transition connection between PEX pipe and copper in a location that I could easily get to later. Having it in a wall behind a vanity cabinet would mean removing the cabinet and cutting in the wall. By having the connection to the PEX in the area between the floor joists meant that I would only have to cut a hole in the ceiling below.

3) Stronger material at the rub
Being a first time user of PEX I was just a little bit concerned about places where the PEX may be subject to wear and tear - namely at the exits to various applications. So I decided to use tried and true copper in those locations

In many of the locations I could have brought the PEX pipe right to the appliance, however, I choose to error on the side of caution.

Avoiding Freezing Pipes: Part 1

The best way of avoiding pipes freezing is to not place pipes in exterior walls. However, it is not always possible to do that.

It the basement bathroom, I was able to design the layout so that the shower and vanity plumbing would be in interior walls. Only the cold water supply tot he toilet need to be installed in the wall.

While the pipe needs to be installed in the center of the stud wall you need to place All of the insulation BEHIND the pipe. It the picture to the right you can see that this rule was followed in only two of the three stud openings. This was an error that was quickly fixed before the vapour barrier was stapled on.

Other things to Note in the Picture:

• We used white/grey PEX for all the cold water supply
• The drain for the toilet is in the bottom right corner of the picture
• We created our own stub-outs using 1/2-inch coper pipe
  

NEXT In Part 1:
Tomorrow I will discuss the second option for insulating pipes in exterior walls - creating a wall inside a wall...

Securing PEX Pipe

Installing PEX pipe is quite easy. The key is the use of PEX pipe clips.

The clips allow the ordering positioning of the pipes, and keeping then out of the reach of nails. It in this picture I have secured the PEX on the main beam supporting the floor above.

There needs to be a bulkhead built to surround the beam so it is the perfect location to attach an run pipes. I was fortunate in that there was a wall to one side of the beam just about 2 feet away. This provided the perfect zone to run and protect all the sensitive parts of the water system including the drain pipes.

A key location for securing with clips is where a PEX pipe makes a change in direction - like when the pipe is making a 90-degree turn and going from a slot between two joists to a bulkhead area as in the picture. There is a bit of stress and this location so securing before and after the 'turn' ensures that the PEX will stay where you want it to.

In this picture you see the grouping of the PEX pipe runs for the bathroom applications including the shower, the bath tub and the vanity sink - 3 hot and 3 cold water runs. There is not particular order, I just placed them as I install them.

Related Posts:
Installing the Water System: Materials Purchased
PEX wins Hands Down!
PEX versus Copper Piping: Pros & Cons

PEX Tips: 3 Ways to Manage Expansion Considerations

PEX is affected dramatically by the temperature of the water flowing through it. It can expand something like a quarter inch for every foot of length for each rise of 10 degrees. So you can see if you have a long run the expansion and contraction can be very dramatic - measuring in feet.

There are three ways to manage the expansion in PEX pipe:

1) Create lots of slack
The way to manage this expansion in PEX pipe length is to create adequate slack in your lines. This is generally accomplished by placing a loop in the line as shown in the picture.

2) Make big enough holes
Most of the PEX you will likely be using will be 1/2-inch so make your holes at least 3/4-inch in your joists and studs. That way the PEX pipe can easily move when it expands and contracts. An added bonus is that a bigger hole makes it easier to install as well.

3) Use bigger clips
I like to use the 3/4-inch clips to secure the 1/2-inch PEX pipe. It keeps the pipe in place but also allows free movement through the clip for expansion and contraction. Plus if you are like me I do not quite get the position right and a looser clip makes it easier to make adjustments.

BTW: I found the exact-fit clips, that would be 1/2-inch for 1/2 pipe, tend to scratch the pipe if you try to move the pipe through the clip. This is not a good thing as it is creating a potential weakness in the pipe that could leak latter.

Related Posts:
Installing the Water System: Materials Purchased
PEX wins Hands Down!
PEX versus Copper Piping: Pros & Cons

4 Reasons Why PEX is a DIY Plumber's Dream!

I just love PEX! PEX is truly a DIY plumber's dream!

IN the picture you can see all the plumbing to the upstairs shower. In addition to the drain you can see the hot and cold water supply.

Can you guest which is the hot water supply?

From my perspective the four reasons to use PEX are:

1) Very Inexpensive
At least inexpensive with respect to copper plumbing. I have estimated that the PEX is roughly one quarter the price of a system built with copper.

2) Easy to install
Just drill the holes in your joists, if required, thread the PEX pipe from the entry point to the appliance and your done. Be sure to follow the building code requirements for placement of holes in any joists.

3) Faster to install
Because you can bend the PEX you can create one complete length with no joints, elbows, etc. This save a lot of work, plus eliminated the nasty effort of soldering copper in tight spots.

4) Makes you look like a pro
The PEX system makes it easier to build a manifold-based system which eliminates the nasty competition for hot or cold water among two or more applications. No more scolding shower surprises when someone else turns on a faucet.

Related Posts:
Installing the Water System: Materials Purchased
PEX wins Hands Down!
PEX versus Copper Piping: Pros & Cons

Installing the Water System: Materials Purchased

In anticipation for the weekend when we go hog-wild installing the water supply system, I have been stockpiling the materials.

Here you see:

• Two rolls (each 50 feet) of 3/4-inch PEX water pipe - these are the smaller rolls secured with black ties.

• Two rolls (each 250 feet) of 1/2 inch PEX water pipe - these are the larger rolls secured with plastic wrap. There is one roll of red PEX and one white. I wanted a roll of blue but my supplier did not have any in stock. In any case the white PEX pipe was less expensive. I was hoping to use red for hot water and blue for cold water.

• Not shown in the picture are all the PEX connectors, ball values, crimping tools, and other PEX materials
  

COMING: The supply system scheduled for installation in two week so stay tuned - I'll discuss then.

PEX wins Hands Down!

From my point of view PEX piping wins hands down on two accounts: Price and ease of installation.

Price:
The price of copper today is roughly $1.66 per foot compared to 35 cents per foot for PEX. That makes copper more than four times the cost of PEX pipe. I roughly need about 600 feet of PEX pipe so th cost difference is substantial. PEX ~ $250 versus Copper at $1009. That is compelling!

Ease of installation:
While I have soldered copper pipe the thought of all the cutting and soldering needed makes me shake in my boots. The installation of copper will simply take forever! So while ease of installation is easier with PEX that real benefit is much less time to install.

I start the plumbing installation over tha next few weeks - I will share my experiences - so stay tuned!

PEX versus Copper Piping: Pros & Cons

If you are like the rest of us non-plumbers then there is a good chance that you don't know which plumbing pipe is better. You may not even know what PEX pipe is.

What is PEX pipe? PEX is cross-linked polyethylene pipe. After several processes that the material must go through, it becomes durable for extreme temperatures (hot or cold), creep deformation which happens from long term exposure to stress, and chemical attack from acids, alkalis, and the like. All of this makes PEX an excellent piping substance for hot and cold water systems, especially since PEX is flexible and well adapted for temperatures below freezing all the way up to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

As mentioned above, PEX is a good plumbing material because it is flexible and that makes is easy to install. PEX is also resistant to breaks in cold weather, has fewer joints, and is easy to install bringing your costs down.

What about Copper? Since we all know what copper piping is because it has been around for decades, we know that the metal is durable and flexible which makes it easy to install, especially compared to iron pipes. Copper piping also provides a biostatic atmosphere making bacteria difficult to grow inside of it; an important health decision.

Copper also resists corrosion and is unaffected by ultraviolet rays, unlike PEX that cannot be used outside, so that it can be used for outside uses. However, be aware that copper can corrode of the pH of the water is too acidic or too basic for the pipes. But just because it corrodes, doesn't mean that the water is bad for you. Try to think of it like this; the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. and, of course, Canada, has some of the best drinking water in the world but that very same water has a corrosive effect on the pipes.

Which is Better? So the choice between PEX and Cooper is solely yours, but keep in mind a few of the advantages and disadvantages of choosing which system to install into your home or business.

Some advantages for PEX are:

1. Adaptable and easy to use plumbing system.
2. Can be used with hot and cold water.
3. Can also be used with metal and PVC piping.
4. PEX has fewer fittings making it faster to install and has less of a chance to leak.
5. PEX is more burst resistant due to its flexibility to expand and contract.
6. It has a shut off valve at each supply line making it more convenient for you when you have to get repairs done.
7. PEX can be a pressure balanced system.
8. Since it is flexible, the pipes can be bent around most corners and usually won't need a coupling or fitting.

PEX has some disadvantages that you should be aware of and they are:

1. It cannot be used outside.
2. Cannot be recycled due to its shorter life use.
3. It provides an impermeable membrane that can allow the possibility of contaminating your water.
4. The pipes may be damaged if left outside for a long period of time.

The advantages of copper are:

1. Durable and flexible making it easy to install.
2. Safer in natural disasters.
3. Weather and bacteria resistant.
4. Resists corrosion, more so than other metals.
5. Unaffected by ultraviolet rays so it can be used outside.
6. Copper in a fire, does not release toxic gases because it resists burning.
7. In earthquakes, pipes flex due to being slightly elastic so that they don�t snap causing more damage.
8. Copper is recyclable making it a more sound environmental choice.

Copper piping also has disadvantages that should be considered:

1. Can corrode.
2. Has become expensive.
3. At higher levels of copper from corrosion, the water can have a metallic taste.
4. It can also freeze and break during cold water.

If cost is one factor in determining which piping system you want to install be sure to visit our post tomorrow!