# Hate CPVC



## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

I have had it. Going to let my boss know this is the last job with it. I always seem to miss one joint. I try to concentrate and cut maybe 4 pcs then glue them but when I have other people on the job wanting to know something I get distracted finish and find out the hard way I forgot to glue a joint.


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## ]3ones (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

You use glue? Just sharkbite 'em.....:laughing:


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## Bigwrenchjosh (Aug 22, 2011)

I have never seen the big appeal of that stuff. In my area the only ones who really use it are modular home manufacturers. Is there a large cost difference between it and plain old crimp style pex?


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## plumber tim (Jul 4, 2013)

The company I work for installs miles of cpvc ever month. We hydrostatic test it every time I've seen dry fits hold with house pressure for months before it lets go.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I was working on a W/H yesterday, installing a TXT tank. The house is piped in CPVC. The cheap CPVC ball valve was turned off at the heater. The 3/4" CPVC cold line broke right behind the cheap valve. Water blew out at my chest. It took a moment for me to realize what was happening...it's like oh duh, I need to turn the house off......:laughing:

In my opinion CPVC is a bomb just waiting to blow.....:excl:


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

Tommy plumber said:


> You use glue? Just sharkbite 'em.....:laughing:


That's what I do......screw glueing pipe! :thumbup:


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Bradford White...
Sold only to plumbers!
Nice install that's how I roll...


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

If you forget about joints you've glued, perhaps you need to mark everyone. Like X the joint with a sharpie. That's what we used to do with propress in large commercial jobs. Seemed yo take care of the problem.


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

Don't be hatin on CPVC this stuff is able to hold a water logged expansion tank all day long! 









and another:









If that won't satisfy you there's always Gas nipples for water lines.........In the attic by the way. :whistling2:


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## Bigwrenchjosh (Aug 22, 2011)

Wow! That is skanky.


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

Redwood said:


> Bradford White...
> Sold only to plumbers!
> Nice install that's how I roll...


Redwood, We also do some fine work on our tankless installs....


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

RW Plumbing said:


> If you forget about joints you've glued, perhaps you need to mark everyone. Like X the joint with a sharpie. That's what we used to do with propress in large commercial jobs. Seemed yo take care of the problem.


Thats a thought. Think I will try it next time. Thanks


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Bill said:


> I have had it. Going to let my boss know this is the last job with it. I always seem to miss one joint. I try to concentrate and cut maybe 4 pcs then glue them but when I have other people on the job wanting to know something I get distracted finish and find out the hard way I forgot to glue a joint.


cpvc just don't seem to hold without glue:laughing:


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

View attachment 30358


Tommy plumber said:


> I was working on a W/H yesterday, installing a TXT tank. The house is piped in CPVC. The cheap CPVC ball valve was turned off at the heater. The 3/4" CPVC cold line broke right behind the cheap valve. Water blew out at my chest. It took a moment for me to realize what was happening...it's like oh duh, I need to turn the house off......:laughing:
> 
> In my opinion CPVC is a bomb just waiting to blow.....:excl:












This was that W/H where the cold shut off blew off the wall and soaked my shirt. Low quality pics from phone. I supported the TXT tank with some wood in an effort to brace the tank. Believe it or not, there were {3} sharkbites on the heater; I added the one on the T&P line. Heater had pex stubbed up into sharkbites. Maybe the W/H was from another property?

Original call was T&P was running continuously. Property mgmt. sent an A/C guy out who merely replaced the T&P in the heater. Of course that did not solve the problem. That's when they called me.


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## saysflushable (Jun 15, 2009)

My grandpa has cpvc in his house from the 1970.s. all the cpvc I see is homeowner installed and looks terrible and never supported properly. but dang I don't see it failing. It might be better than we think, I'm always nervous touching it.


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

saysflushable said:


> My grandpa has cpvc in his house from the 1970.s. all the cpvc I see is homeowner installed and looks terrible and never supported properly. but dang I don't see it failing. It might be better than we think, I'm always nervous touching it.


The majority of homes I work in has CPVC piping including mine, I will most likely rip it out and use Uponor pipe at some point.
I guess the piping is okay, it's been around a while and I don't see any more problems with it than any other pipe/fittings. Just make sure it's supported properly and not allowed to freeze because it really blows it up!
Another issue is to always cut piping that's been installed a while using a hacksaw, the pipe get's very brittle, especially on the Hot side.


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## CaptainBob (Jan 3, 2011)

Here in MN I've seen it used on a lot of commercial stuff as well as residential. I just recently worked on a commercial job where it was specked out. It does seem to have a slight pricing edge on pex.


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## longplumb (Nov 15, 2009)

Trailer house plumbing to me that usually only supported every 10' with zip !! LOL


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## Michaelcookplum (May 1, 2011)

You can say what you want about cpvc. The main reason I don't like it is because it's hard to get it to look good. Always bowed no matter how much you try and strap it. The only leaks I've ever had were from unglued joints. Lesson learned, never dry fit any of it. I've never had one crack, split, break or anything. I've installed 1000's of feet of it. I don't like using it but it's hard to knock a product you've installed so much of and have never had one single leak or 
Issue with. We all glue PVC joints so to me cpvc is the same. Why would one think pex crimp would be better?


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

Michaelcookplum said:


> You can say what you want about cpvc. The main reason I don't like it is because it's hard to get it to look good. Always bowed no matter how much you try and strap it. The only leaks I've ever had were from unglued joints. Lesson learned, never dry fit any of it. I've never had one crack, split, break or anything. I've installed 1000's of feet of it. I don't like using it but it's hard to knock a product you've installed so much of and have never had one single leak or Issue with. We all glue PVC joints so to me cpvc is the same. Why would one think pex crimp would be better?


 we don't think it's better it all sucks!lol. I have seen the nightmare scenario with cpvc on freeze ups you pull the insulation back and all you have is chunks. It's very brittle when cold that is one benefit for pex but it still sucks.


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## plumbing ninja (Jan 15, 2012)

Transcript of master plumber advising his apprentices...

A-B-C-D-PVC?

D-N-O-PVC?

O-S-D-R!

C-D-E-D-B-D-BITS-ALL-O-A-D-PLACE!

D-PVC-S-SHATTERED-E-V-WHERE!

I

D-PVC-S-S***TY-PIPE !!!!! 

C-HOMBRE!

LOL :thumbup: (If u didn't get it say it slowly in a bad Hispanic accent! Hopefully the pesos will drop!)


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