Pull PEX...Push Poly - The secret to cheap replacement of polybutylene pipe
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ต.ค. 2024
- *** UPDATED WITH COMMENT IDEAS BELOW ****
I replaced all the polybutylene pipe in my house with PEX. It was very hard, but doable. Here is one of the methods I used in order to make the process a little cheaper, easier, and less damage-intensive.
The main secret is using a transition piece, crimping it, and then removing the crimp. The result is two pipes that stay together and can be pushed through the existing run. This allows you to re-use the clips that were in place originally. Booyah!
Like the video if it helped you out.
Comment Ideas:
People have suggesting using lubrication to help these slippy-slide through there.
Wow its so simple and I wish I had thought of that to avoid all that grunting.
So! Try it with silicone spray, some wiring lube, or maybe even soap in a pinch and let me know if it helps!
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#DIY #DIYPlumbing #PEX #Polybutylene #Homerepair #Cheap #CheapDIY #secret #tips #Plumbing #PITA #repipe
I just finished doing the lines in my house. I used a PB/PEX coupling and then wrapped it with electrical tape. It held together amazingly well. No pushing,
It went through the existing clips with the tape on there? That's great if so! Good job!
Clever using the poly to pax adapter to run through the bracket clip thingies. Thanks for posting this!
Thanks! Anything to get the job done!
Too funny, I've been searching hard on how to repipe my place. This method popped up on a Reddit thread so seeing this video is extra helpful. This is making me glad I have an attic above my 1 story place. Thanks for the video man!
The biggest obstacle was access (and drywall, lol), so having an attic will be extremely advantageous! Good luck on the repipe!
Clever. Thanks
I've noticed that my polyb pipe is in perfect condiion, but the dang fitting are cracking where the crimp collar is attached. They're about 40 years old.
Yes, the fittings were mostly to blame for the majority of failures on PolyB. And those failures normally depended on the chemical makeup of the water. Thanks for watching, hope it helps!
Nice tips- maybe some silicone spray on the clips might've helped the pulling a bit. Thanks for sharing.
Wow these suggestions keep getting better! Someone else suggested soap, but silicone spray might be even more slick! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment with that idea!
I will have to do this soon as well. I'm thinking of saturating the those half clamp supports with dish soap, (via long pole or something with a sponge on the end). Hopefully it won't be as difficult as your setup. Fingers crossed. 🤞. Thanks for the video!
Great idea! I didn't think about using lubricant! Let me know if it helps. Thanks for watching !
@@Josh_OfAllTrades Hey Josh, I will let you know how it goes! Cheers man.
My polyb pipe outter diameter is much bigger than the pex 1\2" . This make pulling through pretty clean.
Good luck with your install!
As I write here, I'm cautiously optimistic that I may have successfully repaired a major leak that had developed at our water meter box. In this process, I learned little bits and pieces about priming & cementing PVC, what sharkbites are and ultimately what polybutylene is and that it is what our main water line is made of - and I suspect that goes for all piping in our walls.
I am aware of PEX piping but not read up on the ins & outs. In considering the possibility of transitioning all of our current PB piping to PEX, one thing I question is our main water line which runs underground from the city water meter, up through the slab and to presumably copper piping that comes to the water heater. I assume also that there are multiple points that break off of the main line going to sinks & toilets(?). I was just wondering about the possibility of running PEX piping through existing PB piping to route from meter, underground, through slab and to whatever it terminates at. We are talking about 3/4 PB piping currently so it may result in too small of PEX not able to withstand current PSI pressure. I dunno. Any ideas, thoughts welcomed!
Edit: afterthought: or would it be better to maybe connect PEX to PB at the street and begin lightly pulling just enough to get some length that only pulling on PB would do the job? I noted that pushing is best and not to pull but pulling briefly st first might be an only option.
Hi @TheAgentAaron,
I think I understand what you are asking, but if I've got it wrong let me know. You are asking about replacing your current pipe going from the city water meter to your house?
I would absolutely not attempt the method discussed in the video to do that. To replace that pipe the job would be to locate it, dig a trench, and replace the pipe from above. It would push/pull apart in the ground for sure, and you'd be left having to dig anyway. I had PB from the meter to the house in my situation as well and I chose to leave it in place. I got quotes to have it replaced and they were gargantuan, and DIY'ing that I did not want to deal with at that point. I put a PB to PEX adapter at the entry point to my crawlspace. I bought insurance against the specific situation of that pipe rupturing. If it did, it would just be water in the yard and not my house. Pulling THROUGH an existing pipe is not possible. If they made some machine to do that (which I don't think they do) it would be as you expect, all your water flow would not be correct, it needs to be 3/4 inch minimum. If anything, if I was to redo the PEX job again, I would have considered upsizing the main pipe to 1 inch.
You mentioned copper coming through the slab to your water heater. If it is copper in the ground, I'd leave it. I would also encourage you to check and trace where it comes through and see what the pipe type is. If it is copper going throughout the house I wouldn't touch it. But since you also mentioned PB (grey pipe) it could be that throughout as well. Another last thing to weigh is that any PB pipe you see, check the type of connections they used. If they are copper connections, they are less likely to have issues unless you have really bad water. The main problems with PB came from them using the PB/plastic connection fittings and them falling apart over time.
@Josh_OfAllTrades Wow! Thanks for your thorough and timely response. I don't imagine it to be all that thrilling of a thing to do at 8am before going to work, so thank you.
I sort of figured that'd be your response on pulling PEX through existing PB piping. That would be just too easy (maybe? maybe not? I suppose it could be a tight squeeze). Oh well, a pipe dream, at best. Lol! I think your recommendation of just re-laying a new line from the meter to the house is a more achievable method. Though to where it would need to run I've no idea and the copper lines that I am aware of come from the wall to the water heater. If that means all wall pipes are copper or not, I've no idea. I guess it does seem off for copper to come from the wall only to have BP from the wall to the meter. But now that you mention it, we may have copper piping which would explain the rare 'clunk' that I hear that can only be a pressure relief of some sort. I suppose that would mean that BP only runs meter to house and like you say, if copper, I have no need or desire to change that. I've only this morning become familiar with BP piping and it's history of bursting, causing flood damage and apparently, a whole lot of lawsuits. I'm still sitting on pins & needles just waiting for my repair job last night using a 'sharkbite' to reconnect PVC to BP line. I just can't see how sturdy the BP side with teeth can be considering I only had to push the BP line into it. They tell me it won't let go. I did also purchase the sharkbite adhesive (but not adhesive) wrap to put around ut. I haven't wrapped ityet. I wanted to at least ensure my repair was good though they also say the wrap creates a perfect seal. I'm not so sure about that, but.. at least it protects from contaminants. This is not my area of expertise.
Why not just run the PEX line and strap it to the disconnected Polyline - Thou your method was noted. TY
The location shown here is above my kitchen, I couldn't get up there without cutting more holes (thus adding drywall repair costs) or falling through the ceiling, so it was easier to run it in place of the Poly line through the existing clips. This is more of a method when you don't have access. If you do have access, just pull out the poly and replace it with PEX, because you can put your hands right on it!
That poly kicking ur ass😂
Heck yeah it sure was. I got my revenge in the end though when I threw rolls of it into the dumpster!
Is the PEX, PEX A Uponor or PEX B Zurn? I am trying to decide which to use when I repipe my house.
It is PEX B. While commonly referred to as Zurn it was Apollo and Sharkbite brand PEX B tubing. You can't use these clamp fittings like I show with PEX A. PEX A is also a lot more flexible, so I would not recommend it for doing runs like this.
Not to say PEX A doesn't have it's advantages! I went with B mostly based on price and availability in my area.
@@Josh_OfAllTrades From my research you've made the right choice going with PEX B. I say that because Uponor has a class action lawsuit and have lowered their warranty to 10 yrs from 25 yrs. Pex B Zurn still has the 25yr warranty and NO class action lawsuits. I'm convinced to go with PEX B Zurn for my repipe. Thanks for the video!
It looks like a 2 man job would be easier 😕
You're absolutely right! I'm actually only half a man, and the other half is a very small, very lazy dog. In all seriousness, this was during Pandemic Extravaganza '20 so I wasn't interested in asking anyone over to help.
The dogs hate poly
They really did hate it because it disturbed their sleep so much during the project!