New House Tips please

[Boxman]

Cross linked polyethelene.

 

[TresCrows]

Pex is a plastic tubing type plumbing that uses both semi rigid and flexible tubes to route the water. Most houses that utilize it use a manifold system that allows direct to fixture plumbing. The plastic tubing is swaged onto a variety of end fittings using a special crimipng tool that looks like a bolt cutter. They run about 100 bucks. The common tubing sizes are 3/4 inch for main lines and large water consumers like hot tubs etc and then everything else uses the 1/2 inch diameter size. Each size requires it's own crimping tool. I have it in my house and like it alot. There is no problem with leakage, no pressure drops when you flush toilets etc because of the central manifold and it is easy to add additional lines etc to future needs. I have a parallel system from my well--main house is on rural water (expensive)---that connects my well to the exterior water faucets and to the toilets. It also uses the Pex tubing and a secondary manifold. I don't know how this system would be installed in a house built on a slab with plumbing normally run in or below the slab but for basement homes or two story homes it is easy to install. The manifold is commonly located in the mechanical room with the breaker box, heater, water heater and all that stuff. Another advantage, you can turn of individual water circuits to make repairs or modifications without shuting the water off to the house--just turn off THAT line that you are working on at the manifold. Lowes carries some of the pieces needed for system expansion and repair. J

 

[_RaT_]

It's a plastic piping system that replaces the copper in a house. While plastic got a terrible name a number of years back, PEX, a cross linked polymer plastic has proven itself very reliable. It is not susceptible to corrosion the way copper is when exposed to acidic water. I have a neighbor that had a leak in the plumbing under the house. They asked if I would fix it. No problem I thought. I shut off the water, went to cut the 3/4" cu with a tubing cutter and with very little pressure, collapsed the pipe. The walls were paper thin. I had to very carefully heat the pipe, pull the fittings apart and redo a small section of the supply coming in. It's a mess. The pipe really was paper thin, I could collapse it with my fingers.

 

[_RaT_]

"I reccomend if building on concrete slab to install PVC conduit underslab to pull PEX through. If you were to ever have a leak, you would be able to repair it much easier"

Excellent idea! I could see using some electrical sweep 90's for bringing them up out of the ground.

 

[OkeeDon]

How does the price of PEX and the fittings compare to copper? Is it flexible enough to make corners without elbows? Using the crimpers, what's the failure rate for making a leakproof connection? I would suppose that the connecters are not reusuable. I ask about that because I used to try to make my own computer network cable, and sometimes I'd have to try several times before I got a usable connection. I'm also familiar with Tracflex, the flexible gas plumbing line which also runs from a manifold and is pretty neat to use, but with a cost several times higher than pipe or copper. Also, if every PEX line is a home run, the cost becomes even more important.

I'm going to do my own plumbing and I like to use new, neat things, but cost is a big factor. I have the tools and skills to use copper; the overall cost of PEX, incuding the tools, would have to be comparable for me to use it. Time is not as important - I'm already months behind schedule. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( "I reccomend if building on concrete slab to install PVC conduit underslab to pull PEX through. If you were to ever have a leak, you would be able to repair it much easier"

Excellent idea! I could see using some electrical sweep 90's for bringing them up out of the ground.
)</font>

How much would that affect the heat transfer?

Depending on your runs I don't know of you could pull it out or get new stuff in there again. Once you make a couple 180's your about done. You'd have to be carefull how you lay it out and/or make shorter runs.

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Is it flexible enough to make corners without elbows? Using the crimpers, what's the failure rate for making a leakproof connection? )</font>

We did my Stepsons driveway and garage. You can make a 180 deg turn within a couple feet just laying it out. The PEX tubing bends pretty good. The connections were a snap to do and we had zero failures.

Sorry don't know the cost.

 

[TimSullivan]

You have gotten some great advise. Just learn from other’s mistakes unless you want to make them your own. These may have been posted already.

Have a stairway from your garage to your basement or a walkout.

Grade to allow the largest widows possible in your basement, usually not on the street or money side. Then take the time to design the layout of the basement for easy use as living space. That is the cheapest square foot cost.

I cannot stress this enough. Hire the best builder in your area and check into all his clients for the last two years. Talk to the suppliers in your area and get their recommendations. Trying to save a few dollars by going with the lowest bidder is almost always the wrong way to go.

Find the builder that does one house at a time. Some GC will have several house going and will always be juggling subs. You want your house done in 120 days or less, not sitting waiting for subs to show up.

Be fair to your builder and make as many decisions as possible early. Don’t leave the selection of materials and fixtures until the last minute.

Make scale cut outs of your furniture and move them around on the plan. Make sure your window placement does not conflict with great grandma's china cabinet.

We moved into our new home just eighteen months ago. Now our son’s family is in the process of planning to build next spring. We were very happy with our contractors and they will be doing our son’s home. The builder does one house at a time and is booked through next summer already. He is that good and that much in demand. While there are always problems that come up, a good honest builder will work to solve those problems.

I have dealt with many contractors and the time spent to find the right person to work with is the primary decision. Good subs are busy so plan well ahead.

As for the land, we built our home on pasture land and woods. The open areas were covered with brush and weeds. We pulled out the big ones and bush hogged the smaller rose bushes and weeds.

Then for the first two years I just cut the existing grass on the eight acres with a bush hog and rolled and leveled the ground. Now I am shopping for a zero turn mower to start finish cutting the grass. The old field grass is tough, drought resistant and looks good when mowed

 

[blurrybill]

Brett,

Since we're in the midst of building our dream right now, I have little time to list everything.

That being said, one of our best ideas was to put a pet/boot "sink" right inside the mudroom door. The small area is tiled like a shower and has a hand held shower that we can use to rinse off muddy boots and the dog. Above is a rod to hang wet coats. It also has (will have) a fold down redwood bench to sit on. Our pets are indoor/outdoor, so this lets us insulate the house from mud, snow and allow boots and coats to drain.

Bill

 

[slowzuki]

Just getting started on house plans but my recommendations are:

1 story, NO basement!

Don't let a builder tell you that a 4 ft frost wall is required on your slab. It is bs, slabs for cold climates are easy to design and build, just requires proper drainage under them.

Token tractor comment, buy a tractor! You'll use it more than you think! I know we use the neighbours more than they probably anticipated!

Put in a bigger septic tank than the minimum and take lots of pictures and measurments for digging it up to get it pumped!

People spoke about circulating hot water etc, you can find instant on hot water heaters for good prices that will save $$ in the long run. Circulating hot water and dual heaters is really inefficient.

Think about wooden siding, rough cut boards are pretty cheap and last a really long time. You don't need to paint them, you don't need to do anything with them actually. If your overhangs keep water off and they don't get splashed at the bottom they will just darken. If they get wet they will go barn board grey. If you stain them you will have to restain every 10 years or so on the south side. For god's sake don't paint them! It a viscous cycle of scaping and painting!

Think about using non opening windows whenever possible, they are cheaper, more secure, more efficent and lots of other things. Install intake vents at floor level and larger exhaust as high as possible, natural circulation will do amazing things!

Big overhangs on south wall, shade windows from high sun in summer, lets in low sun in winter.

Pressure flush toilets! The old american standard toilet has reached the end of it's life I say.

Entry porch / vestible - the 2 sets of doors really cuts down on air exchange when bringing groceries etc inside saves dropping/raising the temp of the house right when you get home.

Indirect flourescent lighting - office buildings are finally learning that a direct light doesn't do anyone any good, put it behind a reflector! Use 2+ lights near edges of rooms instead of one in the middle, less blocking your light and makes for better reading etc.

A really good resource is titled "Your Engineered House" it was written in the 60's but most of the material discused is starting to show up in current houses!

Ken

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Don't let a builder tell you that a 4 ft frost wall is required on your slab. )</font>

I'd think this depends on code requirements and what your building.

 

[slowzuki]

The building codes generally can be overcome by getting an engineer to design it for you.

I have looked at this from a lot of angles and there isn't a good arguement for a frost wall! Here in NB the frost goes down about 3 - 6 ft depending on ground cover. The government builds all of its buildings (unheated included) on slabs with no frost wall (despite the building code) and out of the hundreds, they've only had trouble with one. It was built in a swamp with poor drainage for a radio tower.

A properly tamped and prepared site won't have problems, well, at least not problems a frost wall can solve.

Just think of what it is doing? If it is insulated, as most are, it is doing little to reduce frost depth local to the slab. It is not a wide footprint like a footing so it isn't reducing ground loading, it actually has a high loading! The only good I guess is if you poorly prepped the pad, and didn't use steel reinforcement, it would help prevent corners of the slab from cracking from uneven settlement.

Ken

 

[Pigeon]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> How does the price of PEX and the fittings compare to copper? Is it flexible enough to make corners without elbows? Using the crimpers, what's the failure rate for making a leakproof connection? </font>
)</font>
PEX piping in my area is typically less expensive than a copper system. The PEX pipe is less expensive, but the fittings are more expensive than copper.
Current WHOLESALE pricing in my area (NE Oklahoma).
1/2 P tube ............. .48/ft
1/2 C tube............... .93/ft
1/2 P 90 w/ sleeves 2.26ea
1/2 C 90 ................. .30ea
Pex can be installed either in a 'home-run' method, or manifolded in several walls, as is typical w/ copper systems.

As to the flexibility, 1/2 Pex comes on a roll approx 2 ft. in diameter. It can be bent smaller than that (probably 10-12 inch d.), as long as it is not kinked. It is hard to kink.

Failure rate with good installation practices is almost zero. If you do have a leak, it can usually be repaired by applying GENTLE heat to the fitting. A hair dryer works well for this.

Trescrows mentioned a tool for ~ $100. There are different systems from various manufacturers. The one I use is Wirsbo. Not because of any particular preference, but it is popular and readily available in my area. Wirsbo tool is WHOLESALE ~$225. It will do 3 sizes. 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch.

Perhaps the greatest feature of PEX is the ability to use it in freezing climates. It has a chemical 'memory' that allows it to freeze without breaking or leaking. Don't ask me how this works-I'm a plumber, not a chemist. It will swell when frozen, but upon thawing will return to its' original size.

Some time back, we did a little test. (Plumbers can get bored too.) We filled a piece of 1inch pex 12 inches long with water and capped both ends. Put it in the deep freeze overnight. The next day, upon removal, it had frozen to approx 3 inch diameter, with no sign of any leakage. Hit it w/ a sledge hammer while frozen, no leakage or breakage. Upon thawing, it returned to original size and shape. You could not tell it had ever frozen.

 

[Pigeon]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

How much would that affect the heat transfer?


)</font>

....not sure what you mean.

 

[Rch]

Spook light; Flood lights up on all sides of the house, up high. In the bedroom have a bank of switches to each one. Individual switches for each flood light on the respective side in the other parts of the house, say downstairs. Make this a single switch seperate and above any bank of switches so it doesn't get switched on inadvertently during the day- you may want to consider a pilot light switch.

At night, you hear something, flip on all those lights from the bedroom. Or, turn off any of those lights from the bedroom that were left on. My wife loves it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Consider a plug for electricity under the dining room table.

 

[GaryM]

Good idea! My new place has a similar system. The outside lights can be switched from 4 locations. Bedroom, Lower level French door, Side door, and three seasons room. But they all work together. I think your system might be better.

And don't forget, a lot of this functionality can be obtained with the X-10 systems.

 

[Junkman]

I did the same thing in my house over 20 years ago and the only thing is that we use this lighting for nighttime lighting. If I turn it off from the bedroom, my wife thinks it is on in the morning if she checks the switches in the kitchen. The lights are on a photo cell and sometimes we come home to a dark driveway, because the switch that appears to be on is actually off.... Hope that this makes sense ........

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( (

How much would that affect the heat transfer?


)

....not sure what you mean. )</font>


I was refering to running the PEX inside a conduit or duct. If you do that the you have lost your direct thermal transfer. Now you have to heat the air in the conduit which in turn heats the concrete.

 

[_RaT_]

This PEX is purely for the hot and cold water plumbing throughout the house. It would be independent of a radiant floor system which often uses PEX piping as well.

 

[TresCrows]

Rat is correct, Pex is not intended for hot water radiant floor heating--it is a general plumbing tubing. J