PEX Install Plumber Recommendations

[Palerider]

I have a cabin in central Clinton county (up the mountain north of Lock Haven) yet not far from border of Lycoming. I want to swap out the pvc water lines to PEX making it easier to winterize. The lines are consolidated to a small area of the cabin and almost entirely acessible in a basement utility room.

Does anyone have recommendations of a plumber in the area to contact? Especially interested if you know they've done PEX installs before.

Thanks

[27hand]

I have a cabin in central Clinton county (up the mountain north of Lock Haven) yet not far from border of Lycoming. I want to swap out the pvc water lines to PEX making it easier to winterize. The lines are consolidated to a small area of the cabin and almost entirely acessible in a basement utility room.

Does anyone have recommendations of a plumber in the area to contact? Especially interested if you know they've done PEX installs before.

Thanks

Palerider.
First off, I can't refer anyone for you but do have a suggestion.
PEX is not too difficult to install for anyone with even minor mechanical ability.
Most camps would have a kitchen sink, toilet, hand sink, a shower and water heater and usually on a common wall.

Pvc, PROPERLY SUPPORTED and piped with PLENTY of slope to a drain point would be the easiest way to go. Follow the instructions to clean, prime, cement, join and allow adequate cure time before charging the system.
Google PEX installation. It is also a DIY job. I would slope PEX as well. PEx is less apt to burst but the fittings can break if they freeze.
Make sure there is absolutly NO trapped piping.

l'll probably repipe my buddy's camp around the Tionesta area but I'll do it in copper ( I'm a plumber).

I would remove the water heater drain valve and pipe the drain to the outside as well ( ball valve at the heater connection point).

One thing to also watch is the shower valve to ensure no water gets trapped in there.
RV antifreeze in the traps and you should be good to go.

All in all, it is a DIY project OR, get to the nearest town and ask around for someone who does this for a living.
I only do side jobs as far as Myrtle Beach but get free use of the condo with surf and turf bennies.


Good luck or PM me if you want or need any additional info. Info is free.

27

[Palerider]

Thanks 27. The cabin plumbing is as you describe, all in one area but the PVC was installed by the previous owner and not well supported nor great slopes. I've taken care of supporting it but draining the water when weather turns to avoid freezing is a pain in the ass.

I'll read up on install more, just swapped out the toilet so can manage a few projects but thought getting a pro for this was the safest way to get it right.

[Jhaydeno]

Consider using compressed air to help clear lines of water. A few well placed schraeder fittings to hook up a pancake compressor's hose can save hours or days of repiping too!

[USMC3531]

you could always cut and add in some T's with a valve hanging down in problem areas.

[streaker69]

Consider using compressed air to help clear lines of water. A few well placed schraeder fittings to hook up a pancake compressor's hose can save hours or days of repiping too!

I made this to blow the water out of my hose reel and pressure washer.

[27hand]

Here's an iso of what I'm doing at my buddies camp.
The water supply valve is in a pit and it is also where the system drain terminates.
Larger size PVC pipe is more rigid than small bore for anyone not doing a job in copper.
The shower valve is a low point beyond the water heater where I will extend what would normally be a tub spout pipe to below the floor but isolated with a ball valve till drain down.
The water heater drain valve will be removed and replaced with a ball valve.
The 2 drains will be connected below the floor and run to the pit where it will tie back in to the water system or can be terminated by itself.

The piping for the toilet and 2 sinks is sloped and drained by gravity.

Air compressor is an option but I won't need one by piping everything for gravity drainage nor will we have to run a hose off the water heater drain.

[streaker69]

I think the cabin is more complex than you think.

[27hand]

I think the cabin is more complex than you think.

That's the 2 story cabin and it's no longer permitted by NFPA to use victaulic style couplings to join stainless steel .
Notice the drain in the center?

[27hand]

I think the cabin is more complex than you think.

If you ran the water lines in copper and valved them individually, it might look something like this.




I would stick with 3/4" PVC. Considerably more rigid than 1/2" and for the quantity you need, not that expensive.