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amritakaur

Repipe with Copper or CPVC?

amritakaur
11 years ago

You guys were so helpful when I needed advice for choosing a hot water heater, I'd like to now ask your advice for repiping my mobile home. I want to get rid of the cursed polybutylene before it springs another leak. My husband was a plumber. He had intended to replace the PB with copper, but died unexpectedly last year before he could do so.

Most of the plumbers around here use PEX, but I don't want it because we have roof rats around here and they'll chew it up. I just found a BIG mummified roof rat in a pile of insulation next to a water pipe in the crawlspace under the house. I don't know how it got in through the skirting, but if I'd had PEX it would have chewed right through it. I don't want to lie awake at night wondering if a rat is eating my plumbing.

That leaves copper or CPVC.

Copper would be my first choice (it does well here), but the cost is a financial hardship. Not impossible, but very hard.

Two plumbers have told me that Flowguard Gold CPVC is reliable, if installed correctly. One of them is my brother in NM. All the other local plumbers I've called have disagreed, saying CPVC is garbage that will soon crack and leak. They say Phoenix is too hot and dry for CPVC. But if that's the case, how can CPVC be rated for 180+ degrees?

Whether copper or CPVC, we'll use pipe insulation. I'm also going to replace the insulation batts and bellyboard in the crawlspace after the repipe. Freezing will not be a problem.

Are the local plumbers telling me the truth about CPVC, or are they just trying to steer me towards PEX because it's easier for them?

Would any of you feel comfortable using Flowguard Gold under these circumstances, or is copper my only safe choice?

Thanks for your help.

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