House hunting and home insurance tip. Read this I am trying to save you, your friends and families a expensive repair job.

[Gary Devine]

Did you know if there is a water pipe leak underneath your house concrete slab your home owner's insurance will not cover it, unless they see water coming ups or floor damage from the water. Your water meter or water pump could be running non stop and you can hear water running, but that is not good enough.
Most times water drains into the dirt ground below or it runs outside along the edge of the house.
Never, never, never buy a house on a concrete slab. Copper water pipes underneath do not last forever. Plastic water pipes will last twice or three times as long.
My customer Chris had a hot water leak under his concrete slab. His powder room bathroom floor, the family room hard wood floor and the hallway pergo floor were hot from the hot water. His family room floor had a couple wooden boards buckle, so now the insurance will paid the expense because of the damage above. No damage no home owner's insurance money. Many customers fall in this category not having a claim.

[JM]

I can offer another solution: Live somewhere with no running water .

[Gary Devine]

I can offer another solution: Live somewhere with no running water .

We went backpacking out west with ice cold mountain running water. Throw your safety water pill in the water and drink it down. It's was heaven.

[FirstBubba]

Gary, please tell me you went back with PEX!
After nearly 20 years in the water industry, I did pick up a hi t or two.
The life expectancy of PVC underground is 1500 YEARS!
PEX will freeze and thaw without bursting.
I watched them pour the slab for my home. The ONLY piping "in" the slab is PVC and PEX. All PVC is no pressure sewer.
Except for two outside faucets, all PEX is in walls.
There is NOT ONE INCH of copper tubing in my home. That crap springs leaks!

[FirstBubba]

I can offer another solution: Live somewhere with no running water .

Big G, will your "safety pill" inactivate the giardia cyst?

[Gary Devine]

Gary, please tell me you went back with PEX!
After nearly 20 years in the water industry, I did pick up a hi t or two.
The life expectancy of PVC underground is 1500 YEARS!
PEX will freeze and thaw without bursting.
I watched them pour the slab for my home. The ONLY piping "in" the slab is PVC and PEX. All PVC is no pressure sewer.
Except for two outside faucets, all PEX is in walls.
There is NOT ONE INCH of copper tubing in my home. That crap springs leaks!

Bubba, smart move. ?
Today everybody is using plastic pex piping. There are thousands and thousands of homes across this country with copper pipes installed underneath slabs. After forty to fifty years get ready for those leaks start up.
People better have a large bank account if your home owner's insurance rejects your claim. ???
When my wife went house hunting years ago. We only looked at houses with basements.
Even tight crawl spaces can be a pain in the butt.

[jhjimbo]

Gary, what was the approximate total bill for the job you described above.

[FirstBubba]

Gary, what was the approximate total bill for the job you described above.

$84.95! LOL!

[FirstBubba]

Gary, please tell me you went back with PEX!
After nearly 20 years in the water industry, I did pick up a hi t or two.
The life expectancy of PVC underground is 1500 YEARS!
PEX will freeze and thaw without bursting.
I watched them pour the slab for my home. The ONLY piping "in" the slab is PVC and PEX. All PVC is no pressure sewer.
Except for two outside faucets, all PEX is in walls.
There is NOT ONE INCH of copper tubing in my home. That crap springs leaks!

Gary, the wife and me designed AND built out home. (still not totally finished! LOL!)
Except for the two outside faucets in the front, ALL plumbing and piping is in one wall.

[rockhound]

We had all copper pipes replaced under out house with PEX this past summer. Although its a so called craw space, my craw mode has isn't what it used to be. The thought of a flame under the house was enough to convince US to update. I don't think PEX has a very good resale value.

[Gary Devine]

Gary, what was the approximate total bill for the job you described above.

1. Set up a large plastic tent with tape.
2. Cut and removed wooden floor.
3. Removed toilet and pedasal sink storing them in the garage.
4. Cut bathroom ceramic tile
5. Cut and removed sections of concrete with metal wire.
6. Removed wet dirt.
7. Cut the wooden wall and Sheetrock in bathroom.
8. Replaced eight feet of hot water pipe.
9. Installed new dry sand.
10. Installed wire and concrete.
11. Cleaned up the mess and removed the plastic.

Two workers and myself. Total bill $2,750
Two pepperoni pizzas for lunch paid by the yours truly. The Home owner had pizza with us. ?
Four egg sandwiches for breakfast bought by myself. Including the home owner.??
We left the house at 9:30pm and got there at 9am.

[FirstBubba]

We had all copper pipes replaced under out house with PEX this past summer. Although its a so called craw space, my craw mode has isn't what it used to be. The thought of a flame under the house was enough to convince US to update. I don't think PEX has a very good resale value.

No idea what new innovation might be just around the corner, but right now, PEX is the cat's meow.
Other than the crimping/clamping tool (yes, there are two different ones!), costing in excess of $100, everything else is easy!
Snip, join, crimp/clamp.
PEX will freeze, but does not burst!

[jhjimbo]

Gary, what was the approximate total bill for the job you described above.

Several years ago I replaced my line from the corporation valve past the street valve to the main inside. Dug the ditch by hand but I did have a friend push under the garage floor with a backhoe bucket. Got in real good shape that summer. I used copper all the way and covered the pipe with insulation.