Last year, we ripped out a tub in our upstairs (boys) bath and replaced it with a walk-in shower. I paid a “highly recommended” plumber to replace the old tub/shower fixture with a new shower fixture. $240 and 3 freaking trips later, he just about got it right. When a plumber can’t replace a fixture without having to make 2 additional trips because of leaks…
Anyway, we are now redoing our shower and I will need to replace the old fixture with a new one. NO WAY I am calling that Jackleg, so I am stuck with no known plumber and doing it myself. The current pipes are 23-year-old CPVC. The plumber last year used PEX. I know nothing about PEX pipe, fittings, etc., so I am looking for some helpful advice. I am doing all of the demo and will put up new green board. I’m paying someone to do the pan and shower wall panels. I have worked with CPVC/PVC a lot but, if something else should be used, I either need to find a good plumber OR, learn how to use another pipe material.
Pex is very easy to work with. They have adjustable crimpers and rings for fittings or the more expensive SharkBite slip fittings which are great but very expensive. I would not leave cpvc anywhere in my home if I could help it, it’s known to be brittle and problematic, especially in the cold. I had never done plumbing work aside from soldering copper before i did my bathroom reno and it turned out not too bad. You seem fairly mechanical so i would suspect youd be able to handle it of you wanted.
I renovated a 1985 house and converted everything to PEX. It was a 1-story crawlspace house and the bathroom was removed. Added another bathroom (toilet, shower and 2 sinks) and a laundry room.
PEX is easy to work with, easier than PVC. The biggest single expense was the crimp tool. The slip-on fittings work but I wouldn’t use them in a space that would be closed up that you can’t access. Plus they are quite expensive.
I did that project 8 years ago and used the crimp rings. There are other type rings now, don’t know anything about them.
The rings are cheaper at a plumbing place like Fergusons vs. the big box places. In your case you’ll only need a few so no big deal.
You are welcome to borrow my crimp tool and tester. Mine will do 1/2" and 3/4". They cost about $40. I’m in Gilbert on the lake and come to Columbia fairly often.
Thanks, I pretty much decided I am going to just do it myself. I need to figure out whether crimping or cinching is the way to go. If I go with crimping, I may rent your tool from you. Of course, I should probably just buy one. It’s a tool and I don’t have one so…
Anyway, thanks for your input and the offer of the tool.
I went with the standard crimp rings after starting with the training wheel ones haha. I say training wheels because they come with a helpful spacer on the ring to be sure you place it in the optimal position. Like these.
Crimps have been used for along time. Just like a clamp it must be placed, ‘crimped’ and set correctly for the seal to hold anyway.
I’ve never seen a cinch clamp used in the residential, commercial or industrial settings around here so I can’t speak on them.
So, basically, if you can do one the right way, you can do the other. Comes down to what you want.
Bringing power up before we leave today. The rest of the utilities will come in tomorrow and ammonia should be back up Friday… full production commences over the weekend. Might hit the river up too if it all goes right! Not gonna jynx the schedule…lol
About the clamps, I know I’ve seen them on fuel lines or hydraulic lines somewhere now that I think about it, so they must be good at what they do too. I’ve just never seen them used in any type of construction is all.
