Sunday, March 28, 2010

Plumbing: Types of Water Pipes and Water Heaters for Your New Home

Building Houses

For many decades water pipe was made of iron-with its rust problems and limited life. Leaks in walls of older houses were commonplace. Then came copper pipe which, while more expensive, offered such great advantages that iron pipe became a thing of the past. Today we have several types of plastic pipe that are less expensive and potentially longer lasting than copper.

In this article we look at these different types of water pipes, their pros and cons, and at the two different kinds of drain pipes. Taps and faucets are generally a matter of personal preference and cost except for exterior hose bibbs where a common arrangement is anything but user-friendly.

Plumbing plans are fairly simple and straightforward unless you want something unusual like circulating hot water. There's no excuse for a layout that brings you a sudden change in shower water temperature when someone washes their hands or flushes a toilet. If you can check this in the model house, it's a good idea. You should also check that outside hose bibbs are convenient and not located where growing plants will make them hard to get to.

Types of Water Pipe

While copper has been the most commonly used pipe inside new houses, several types of plastics are becoming more popular. There has been a reluctance by the plumbing industry to make the change but now three types of plastic pipes have been approved by several building code groups, most notably the Council of American Building Officials (CABO) whose codes are the basis for many state codes. Note, however, that a few states are slow to agree to let plastic piping be used in homes. But this is changing. You'll need to check your own state codes.

The main argument against plastic pipes is that they haven't been in use long enough to ensure that they won't cause trouble in the future -- the old chicken-and-egg riddle. And, in fact, there was a serious problem with polybutylene (PB) connectors that resulted in numerous lawsuits because of damage that was done to homes by leaky PB joints. There is a consensus that these problems have been solved. Cross-linked polyethylene has been available for many years but the reluctance to use it has held back its more widespread acceptance. This is changing.

Copper

Copper is the material of choice by most plumbing subcontractors even though installing copper pipe takes more skill than plastic. Copper isn't without its problems, however. In southern California there have been reports of pin hole leaks in copper pipe presumably due to chemicals in the water. California is now starting to allow plastic piping inside residences.

Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC)

CPVC is similar to PVC, the white plastic pipe used in lawn irrigation systems. Unlike PVC, CPVC doesn't soften when used for hot water. CPVC is 15 to 25 percent less expensive than copper. The installation times for CPVC and PVC are similar when done by an experienced installer.

Polybutylene (PB) and Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX)

Polybutylene and cross-linked polyethylene pipes are similar in that they are flexible plastics, they come in rolls, and require special fittings that are neither soldered nor cemented but are mechanical in nature. These fittings must be approved by local building officials.

The flexibility of polybutylene and cross-linked polyethylene tubes and pipes makes it possible to use them in a different way that has definite advantages, both during installation and later when in use in the home. The main water line coming into the house feeds a manifold with multiple outputs. Each output connects to an uncut piece of pipe that goes to a single outlet: a faucet, dishwasher, toilet, tub, shower, or washing machine. Joints, elbows, and couplings are not needed.

This results in lower installation times than needed for copper and a lower cost both in material and labor. Special tools and skills are needed for installation. (WIRSBO, a manufacturer of PEX, offers a twenty- five year warranty if the installation is done by a trained plumber, one year if you do it yourself.)

Because there is only one faucet per line coming from the manifold, turning on a second faucet has little impact on the flow to one already running. Thus, if you are taking a shower and someone turns on a faucet someplace else, there will be very little impact on either the amount or the temperature of your shower water.

Both PB and PEX are approved for hot as well as cold water.

Water Heaters

Be sure the water heater is suitable for your family. The tendency for builders is to use the smallest (and least expensive) heater allowed by code.When you want hot water quickly you have two options: re-circulating hot water or an auxiliary hot water tank.

Re-circulating Hot Water

You are already acquainted with re-circulating hot water-or did you ever wonder how you got the hot water so fast in your hotel room? The process involves doubling the amount of hot water pipe in the house. One pipe carries hot water from the heater to the faucets and the other carries the unused water back to the heater. A small pump keeps hot water circulating through the system. Both directions of pipe must be insulated if they are copper. The plastic in PB and PEX offers a certain amount of insulation in itself and additional may not be needed. WIRSBO says it's not necessary with their PEX. Check with the manufacturer of your piping and with your local building officials if you consider re-circulating hot water.

There's an initial cost for putting the system into place and an ongoing cost for the electricity to run it. Both costs are small, particularly when you put a timer on the system so that it doesn't run while you sleep.

You make up at least a part of the ongoing cost since you no longer have to waste water by running it until it gets hot. If your builder will consider having it installed, find out how much it will cost and you decide if it's worthwhile for you. PB and PEX piping are attractive in re-circulating hot water systems because they are easy to install, they don't have the potential noise problems of copper and the plastic pipe itself acts as an insulator.

Auxiliary Hot Water

Small heaters that mount under a vanity counter can provide hot water immediately. If you want one for a shower or tub, the heater will need to be bigger than one that furnishes water to the basins only. As with other hot water heaters, you'll need gas or electricity brought to the heater's location. The feasibility of doing this and the cost will depend on how big the heater is and on the impact it may have on the rest of the house design.

Water Pipes in Outside Walls

A good house design will minimize runs of water pipe in the outside walls because of the danger of freezing although for kitchen and vanity sinks short runs of pipe are often located there.

Outside walls in today's new houses are usually well-insulated. When water pipes are run in these walls, it is important that the pipes be kept toward the inside of the walls rather than the outside. Also, the wall insulation must be installed so that most of it is between the pipes and the outside wall and little or none is between the pipes and the inside wall. Plumbers and insulation installers understand this and normally install it this way. However, it doesn't hurt to check.

Nail Plates

Pipes running through studs or plates are always in danger of being punctured by wallboard fasteners-nails or screws that are 1 1/4- to 1 5/8-inches long and are driven into studs behind the wallboard. When the wallboard goes up, the installer can't see where the pipes are. Plumbers are supposed to put pieces of galvanized sheet metal, called "nail plates" or "safety plates", on the outside of the stud or plate to prevent the wallboard installer from putting a nail or screw there and inadvertently punching a hole in the pipe. The builder or his construction supervisor should check that nail plates are in place properly before the wallboard is installed, but they are sometimes missed.

Besides the obvious problem when an immediate leak occurs, improperly placed or missing nail plates can result in subtle problems that may not be seen for several years. Small leaks in drain lines are not always self evident and the dampness may be contained inside walls where it can rot the wood without being seen. There is also the possibility that a wallboard screw will penetrate a water or drain pipe but the screw itself plugs the hole until it rusts out a few years later. If you can, double check that nail plates are in place to protect all pipes before the wallboard is installed. The builder's warranty for things like this lasts only one or two years.

Noisy Pipes

You can reduce water and drain pipe noise by paying attention to how the pipes are installed. As an experiment when you visit model homes, have your spouse turn on a faucet in one end of the house and see if you can hear the running water in the other. Some houses are significantly better than others in this respect.

Water running through a pipe is noisier when the pipe touches wood because the wood can act as a sounding board. Pipes should be kept away from joists and studs. Plastic piping used in water distribution systems has additional advantages here. First, most noise originates where the direction of flow changes abruptly and this doesn't happen with plastic in normal installations. And, copper will carry noise along the pipe more readily than will plastic.

Drain water falling from the second floor of a house makes noticeably more noise in plastic than in iron pipes. If iron pipes are wrapped with insulation, the noise from the second-floor drain pipes will be just about eliminated. However, iron pipe rusts, so check its expected life in your area before having it installed. For either iron or plastic, wrapping with fiberglass insulation will help deaden the noise.

Hose Bibbs

You'll want hose bibbs on the outside of your house. Most builders put in two: one in front and one in back. For most of us this isn't enough. If you have an RV pad, you should have a hose bibb there. In any case, an additional hose bibb on at least one side of the house is useful.

If you need hot water to wash your car, have a bibb installed in the garage, connected to both hot and cold water. Be sure you take a hard look at the type of faucet that is used. The common faucet used for mixing hot and cold water restricts the amount of water that can be passed. This is no good when a high volume of water at full pressure is needed.

Make it known, either in writing or on a drawing, where you want the hose bibbs. Allow the plumber some freedom to minimize the cost of putting them in place, but be sure your wants are known.

In areas where there is danger of water freezing in hose bibbs, plumbing codes require a means of draining the water from the bibbs in the winter. Two methods are permitted in the codes: a regular hose bibb with a stop-and-waste valve or a frost-proof hose bibb.

Stop-and-Waste Valves

Stop-and-waste valves are installed in an accessible heated location where there is no danger of freezing. The "stop" part is simply a turn-off valve. The "waste" part is a plug on the valve which can be removed to allow water to drain.

he hose bibb is connected to the stop-and-waste valve with pipe that may be exposed to freezing conditions. In the autumn the home user must:

1.0 Turn off the water at the stop-and-waste valve.

2.0 Open the hose bibb and take care of any hoses which may be connected.

3.0 If the bibb and pipe don't drain by themselves, the waste plug must be removed to let the water out.

In the spring the above process must be reversed.

Unfortunately, not all plumbers follow the code carefully and not all inspectors see that they do. In far too many cases the stop-and-waste valve is placed where it is not readily accessible, making it virtually useless. If your builder or plumber insists that frost-proof hose bibbs are not a good idea, then you should insist that he put the stop-and-waste valves where you can get to them easily and that pipes drain by simply opening the bibb.

Frost-Proof Hose Bibbs

The frost-proof bibb includes a piece of copper pipe as a part of the bibb itself. This pipe extends the valve part of the bibb back into a part of the house that is heated and where there is no danger of freezing. When it is turned off, water drains from the exposed part of the hose bibb and no damage occurs.

There is a precaution, however. Sometimes hoses with closed nozzles are left connected so that the water cannot drain. This has happened often enough that plumbers in some localities have an aversion to using these bibbs at all. Properly used, they effectively eliminate problems with freezing.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Water Heaters and Water Pipes: Plumbing for Your New Dream Home

Building Houses

The correct plumbing of your home is an important process during construction. Most of us have used a plunger to clear a blocked toilet or maybe we have replaced a worn out washer in a faucet. Unless you have lived in a home with plumbing problems, most people take their plumbing system for granted. The plumbing system performs the dual tasks of supplying water to the house and removing liquid waste. It is important to find a good plumber to handle the installation of your plumbing system. Mistakes or oversights can be costly down the road or during construction if leaks develop.

The plumbing that will be installed in your house is made up of the drain waste vent system and the water supply system. The drain waste vent system transports all of the used water from toilets, sinks, and showers to the septic system or sewer. Most new construction uses PVC or ABS plastic pipe that is sealed with glue. Older homes generally use iron pipe. Some newer homes will still use iron piping to avoid the noise of draining water that is present with plastic pipes. The main components used in the drain waste vent system are the soil stack, vent, and trap. The soil stack connects your home to the sewer system. It is a vertical set of pipes that connects to the piping in the home typically in the foundation floor or wall. The top of the stack is your vent. This will extend vertically out through the roof to allow gases to escape outside, plus this wil also aid in draining by allowing air inward. You should periodically make sure the vent is unobstructed. A plugged vent will trap dangerous gases, and without the inward flow of air, could cause sinks to fill while other fixtures drain. A trap should be installed on all drains in the house. This is a U-shaped pipe that is installed below each drain to trap a small amount of water that prevents sewer gases from seeping back up through the drains into your home.

Your home's water supply system can come from two different sources: a private well operated by you or from a public water system operated by your city or county. In a private well system, a pump fills a pressure tank where it is stored for your use. When the tank is depleted, the pump will activate to refill the water. Using a public water system requires a water supply line that is connected to the water main and a water meter. The meter is typically the dividing point between the city-owned line and your home's line. Both systems typically use a 1/2" copper pipe that enters through the foundation floor or wall. Water supply lines are made of copper, CPVC plastic or possibly galvanized steel. Cold water pipes branch out from the main water line, while hot water will originate from your water heater. There are typically several cutoff valves in the system: near the water meter that the city can use to shut service off to the home, before and after the water heater, near the feeds for any outside faucets, under most sinks and toilets, and near most of your water-based appliances like refrigerators, washers and dishwashers. Any of these valves can be shut off in case of an emergency or to conduct repairs in the portion of the system behind the cutoff valve. You'll need to be familiar with your plumbing system if you plan to attempt any repairs yourself.

A small leak in a pipefitting or incorrect holes in the joists or studs can to lead damaged materials and a delay in construction. That is why it is extremely important that the right plumber does the installation of the plumbing in your new home. When looking for a plumber, or talking to your contractor about the plumber they plan on using, you will want a licensed plumber who has experience with the installation of plumbing in a new home. You do not want a standard "family" plumber who specializes in fixing leaks. The plumber you use needs to understand the residential design system and know the current building codes for your area. If you plan on being your own builder, the best source for contacting this type of plumber is an experienced contractor. A contractor will try to use reliable subcontractors, especially when it comes to plumbing. Mistakes, such as a joint left unsoldered, can easily destroy thousands of dollars worth of walls or hardwood floors and complicate construction with insurance claims and lost time. If you plan on using a contractor to build your home, it does not hurt to make sure the plumber meets licensing, workers compensation and liability insurance requirements.

Thoughts about the plumbing system for your future home might not enter your mind while searching through our collection of plans to find your dream home. If they do, they will probably be thoughts of what this fixture or that whirlpool tub should look like. The basics of the system will be handled by your general contractor or by the plumbing subcontractor you hire. Since stock home plans do not show the exact schematic of the plumbing system, both because of local building code requirements and the layout of the lot you are building on, it is important to have a basic understanding of plumbing systems and even more important to find a quality plumber who can implement a trouble-free plumbing system.

Roofing: Asphalt Shingles, Wood and Metal Shingles for Your New Dream Home

Building Houses

The type of roofing material used will depend on the style of home you are building, the slope of the roof, and local building restrictions. The following is a list of the roofing materials that are most commonly used in the construction of today's homes:

Asphalt Shingles

This is the most common type of roofing material used today. This type of shingle is divided into two different categories, organic or fiberglass (non-organic). Organic shingles are manufactured with a cellulose fiber base made from recycled paper and wood fibers, which is then saturated with asphalt. Then a mineral coating is applied to resist weathering. Fiberglass shingles are produced in a similar fashion but the core is made up of fiberglass. This tends to provide more flexibility and added strength over the organic. Dimensional shingles are a variation of organic or fiberglass shingles. They are similar to the standard organic or fiberglass shingle, however, the cores are much thicker. The additional layers of material can be sculpted to provide different shadow lines to give the roof a more custom look.

Asphalt shingles are manufactured in a wide variety of colors and are rated by their projected lifespan. This is typically 20-30 years for the standard organic or fiberglass, while dimensional shingles can have a life expectancy up to 40 years. The majority of manufacturer's will only warranty their materials for the specified life spans if their certified roofers install them.

Wood Shingles

The majority of wood shingles comes from Western red cedar. The reason this type of wood is used most often is its resistance to decay. The wood shingles are classified and sold as either number 1, 2, or 3. 1 is what is used and recommended for roofing because it is cut from knot free heartwood. 2 is generally used for siding and comes from less resistant sapwood. This type of shingle comes in a few different sizes, 16 inch, 18 inch, and 24 inch, and is tapered.

Wood Shakes

Like shingles this type of roofing material is taken from cedar. The difference is that shakes are either sawn again or split by hand. A resawn shake has one side that is left with a natural irregular look and one side that is cut thinner to give the tapered shape. Hand split shakes are tapered as well but typically have more natural, textured look. Shakes are separated by weight, which are classified as either heavy or medium and are sold in lengths of 18 inch or 24 inch.

Clay and Concrete Shingles

This style of roofing is usually associated with the Spanish-mission tiles. The most common shape of this style of roofing material is the traditional barrel shape, but you will also find clay and concrete tile that is flat or tapered to give a wood shake or slate appearance. The life span can be between 50-100 years, but this type of material performs best in warm dryer climates. Tile tends to absorb water, so this can be a problem in moist or cold climates where the tile could be damaged due to the freeze/thaw cycle. Concrete and clay tiles are heavy so it is often necessary to increase roof support for the added weight.

Metal

Roofs constructed using metal shingles have been around for years. Today's advances have made it available in many different colors, shapes and styles. Metal shingles will typically be interlocking and can be made up of aluminum, copper or stainless steel. This type of roofing is lightweight and doesn't crack, split, rot or burn and will typically last over 50 years. Metal can also be used on many different styles and both steep and flat roofs.

Slate

This is one of the oldest roofing materials found U.S. and is mainly used in the northeast. Slate is a hard rock that can be split into thin slabs, which can vary between 1/4 inch to 1 inch. Slate is extremely durable and can last 100 years or more. This type of roofing material is very heavy so it requires the roof be built specially to handle the added weight, and can be difficult to install properly, so it can be a problem finding a qualified roofer.

The roofing materials discussed above can vary in material and installation cost. The following table shows the cost breakdown by material. The costs given are based on 100 square feet of roof and are approximate figures. Costs may vary in your area.

Materials

Installation

Asphalt Shingles

$25 to $30

$36

Wood Shakes

$165

$75

Wood Shingles

$100

$75

Clay or Concrete

$300

$140

Metal

$110

$90

Slate

$500

$145

Source: BHG.com 2002

Choosing the roofing material for your new home is a major decision that many new homebuilders overlook, and assume their builder is going to install the best material to meet their needs. It is a good idea to know what options might be available depending on your style and cost requirements. A helpful resource to reference during your roof selection is The Essential Guide to Roofing which identifies everything from the basics to the most advanced techniques in roofing.