Replumbing Options, I

Homeowners with the Kitec plubming problem may not realize it, but they will have many options to consider when they make their replumbing decision. Some of those decisions include:

• Piping system: copper, PEX, or CPVC.
• Type of manifolds and fittings, critical decisions if you want to hinder the affects of or eliminate outright the adverse consequences of dezincification.
• System design & performance. The Kitec system provided homeowners with instant hot water. Some replumbing contractors will provide you with hot water within a minute, while others within a few seconds. It's all in the design of the system and how near the contractor brings the recirculating line to the fixtures.
• Should you replace gate valves with ball valves? Yes!
• Should you replace the valves in your shower and below your sink & toilet? If so, the contractor should not replace them with the same cheap valves you're taking out but should replace them with better quality (and more expensive) valves that will resist dezincification?
• When investing $8,000 in a new plumbing system, make sure you concentrate on addressing those aspects of the system that brought us to this point--the replacement of standard brass fittings that have broken down and fail due to dezincification, even though your decisions might cost a little more.

I have attached a decision matrix for those who are planning to use PEX for their replumbing, along with some recommendations for Wirsbo and Vanguard piping systems.  PEX Decision Matrix

SPECIAL NOTE. The new DZR bronze fittings comming in from WIRSBO (VIEGA) are made from a special copper alloy called C314 and if the homeowner wants any protection from future dezincification, they should insists on the use of these special C314 fittings, which are more expensive that the standard brass or SharkBite fittings. The fittings are stamped with this designation and fittings without this designation should not be used. The homeowner can verify the use of these fittings by examination.

What about a Product's Warranty?

As a general rule, the longer the manufacturer warrants a product, the longer the manufacturer is willing to accept a risk of failure. The same can be said for a contractor warranty. How much value one places on a warranty is another matter. As a word of caution, a so called "good" but short-period warranty will protect against an unanticipated or catastrophic product failure within the designated timeframe, but can not be expected to protect against a long-term process failure such as dezincification, which may not exhibit a failure within the that short-period timeframe.

Here for references purposes is a copy of the product warranty for various residential plumbing systems. The first three listed are PEX products. Contractor warranties typically cover one or more years. Click on the Link below to read the Warranty.

1. Uponor (Wirsbo) 2 pages, plus plain language page
2. Viega (Vanguard) 1 page
3. Zurn 1 page
4. CPVC (Crestline Flowguard Gold) 1 page
5. Copper 1 page

Ron Johnson 15 April 2007