# Recently completed chaos.



## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Here’s a few jobs I’ve recently completed. First is a well, pressure system in a broiler chicken barn. Then I tried to finish the week running 300’ of 1” poly for a horse watering station. Then went to get my new excavation business purchase, and coming back into town I get a no water call, thought hopefully it’s just the pump. Nope internet provider hit the suction line with a directional drill. So an hour of digging where the elderly farmer says the line is proved nothing. Going tomorrow to dig in a new suction line. Sometimes you win sometimes you learn.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Question (not a negative comment):
Do you plan to insulate the HW piping in the first pic?
It is required in my neck of the woods.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Plumbus said:


> Question (not a negative comment):
> Do you plan to insulate the HW piping in the first pic?
> It is required in my neck of the woods.


If the water heater is equipped with check valves then it’s not required here.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Dpeckplb said:


> If the water heater is equipped with check valves then it’s not required here.



what do check valves have todo with heat loss through the pipes when in use? we have to insulate all the pipes, hot , cold and any heating pipes...


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Dpeckplb said:


> If the water heater is equipped with check valves then it’s not required here.


If there is a recirc system is there a requirement to insulate?


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> what do check valves have todo with heat loss through the pipes when in use?





Nothing. The check valves, or more correctly reffered to as flow checks are just there to stop natural convection of the water. Yes there will still be heat transfer especially when the water is being drawn but it seems like their main issue with heat loss is only when it's not in use.


The check valves I believe he is referring to are just the rubber flaps in the nipples. Check valves hold pressure in one direction. Flow checks limit flow in one or both directions. I might sound like a grammar nazi but I think we should all use the correct terms when discussing HOT water heaters. :biggrin:



I agree with you, all hot water pipes should be insulated for efficiency. I also think cold water pipes should be insulated but that is a much less serious concern.












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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

skoronesa said:


> Nothing. The check valves, or more correctly reffered to as flow checks are just there to stop natural convection of the water. Yes there will still be heat transfer especially when the water is being drawn but it seems like their main issue with heat loss is only when it's not in use.
> 
> 
> The check valves I believe he is referring to are just the rubber flaps in the nipples. Check valves hold pressure in one direction. Flow checks limit flow in one or both directions. I might sound like a grammar nazi but I think we should all use the correct terms when discussing HOT water heaters. :biggrin:
> ...





Eh...the hot water even without check valves doesnt convect much..its not like a heating loop ....insulating would make the biggest difference in saving energy..


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

If you are running cw lines in a attic, insulation is a good idea in many areas. When the ambient air climbs over 100*°f in the summer, someone is going to notice. *


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Plumbus said:


> If you are running cw lines in a attic, insulation is a good idea in many areas. When the ambient air climbs over 100*°f in the summer, someone is going to notice. *





Round here we don't run potable water lines in attics.








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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

skoronesa said:


> Round here we don't run potable water lines in attics..



If you have a slab floor, you may not have a choice.


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## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

skoronesa said:


> Plumbus said:
> 
> 
> > If you are running cw lines in a attic, insulation is a good idea in many areas. When the ambient air climbs over 100*°f in the summer, someone is going to notice. *
> ...



So on a slab you run it exposed or cut drywall/plaster and drill dozens of studs?


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Fatpat said:


> So on a slab you run it exposed or cut drywall/plaster and drill dozens of studs?







Plumbus said:


> If you have a slab floor, you may not have a choice.








I know it may be difficult for you guys to comprehend but in some places it gets cold. lolz jk :biggrin:


We almost never have slab construction but when we do yes, it gets run in the walls, preferably inside walls. Almost all buildings here at least have crawlspaces.



There is this one church that was rebuilt by a carpenter from the south. They turned it into a bank. Well the southerner had the plumber run the stuff in the attic and they put like a single layer of r8 on top of it. I have spent some quality time in that place with a heat gun and getting covered in fiberglass.


I remember when it was being renovated, I commented to my mother that I found it quite funny they were literally turning a church into a bank. It was the first of two that this particular bank reno'd from church to bank. They have done quite well over the last 10-15 years since the two renos.








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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Fatpat said:


> So on a slab you run it exposed or cut drywall/plaster and drill dozens of studs?





Often we drill more holes in the studs/joists than the electricians.










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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Fatpat said:


> So on a slab you run it exposed or cut drywall/plaster and drill dozens of studs?


I prefer to cut drywall/plaster and drill studs when I do re-pipes. But I see people running it exposed.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Debo22 said:


> I prefer to cut drywall/plaster and drill studs when I do re-pipes. But I see people running it exposed.





Personally I like exposed pipe in an old home but in our case it would be inside so it wouldn't freeze. I use nicer hangers than the crap copper plated steel milfords. Some azz holes use pvc j hooks on copper! The copperish enamel coated split ring hangers are nice. You can use them without rod if you use a stout wood screw like a 1/4" tapcon.



At least the bell hangers look kind of nice but you have to electrically insulate them from the pipes so they don't get all rusty. I use a couple wraps of electrical tape or some strips of cotton rag for an old timey look. I ran two new 3/4" copper lines about 80' to replace some galv. I did sweat joints where you'd see it in the kitchen. They loved it.




In my opinion the nicest hangers are the old solid cast rings with two screw hole ears. You have to slip them over the end of the pipe because they don't open.









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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Dpeckplb said:


> Here’s a few jobs I’ve recently completed. First is a well, pressure system in a broiler chicken barn. Then I tried to finish the week running 300’ of 1” poly for a horse watering station. Then went to get my new excavation business purchase, and coming back into town I get a no water call, thought hopefully it’s just the pump. Nope internet provider hit the suction line with a directional drill. So an hour of digging where the elderly farmer says the line is proved nothing. Going tomorrow to dig in a new suction line. Sometimes you win sometimes you learn.










The copper in the 1st picture is perfectly straight....looks very good. Nice quality craftsmanship.


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