Home Improvement Today?

If I had gas available in my area I would do this

 

As you use water its replaced with cold into the tank. That water is then brought to an equilibrium with the water in the tank. So the hot is depleted faster than replaced.2 GPM is low for a shower head 2.5 is closer. At a rate of 2/3 hot to cold its around 1gpm so 40 mins if your tank wasn't actually cooling as you use it. Add the loss as the pipes loss heat over the run and 10 other factors and you get the real number.

 

I disagree. I wish I had one. But no gas available out in country so I'd have to go lp. Lp can be as much or more than electric and the piping involved I'd rather do at work not at home. Endless amount of hot water. When not in use not using any gas. Saves money.

 

X2
I have a 50 gal electric bumped up on stat with 3 full baths including jacuzzi. Of course I drain it with jacuzzi but otherwise we're fine. Gpm of shower heads helps.

 

This ^^^

 

I'll say this. Yesterday I repaired a 6" prv and noticed the 6" 909 backflow was leaking out drain under 125+ psi. It was due for annual test and it failed. They asked me to open it up and check. It needed rubber kit throughout. Relief would not seat for shit and spewed water into 2" drain which was flooding. It was noon they said they had over 600 guests coming this am. I diverted water from test cock 1 to a tee I cut into a 2"copper line downstream past cutoff 2. Backfed system thru a 1" wursbo line. Master lic plbr said it wouldn't work but I had 50 yards of 6" underground before bkflw and about 100 yards after to bldg with all the spud toilets. They worked fine. I will be rebuilding it Monday am after all the guests leave.
Just to show sometimes math and charts aren't always correct.

 

I have 2 roommates, making it a 4 person house with 1 bathroom. Everyone took a shower this morning in a 2 hour time frame. 40 gallons rarely is a problem. I'd just like a little more volume incase someone takes a long shower.

I was looking at them for a while but they are more expensive, and unless installed by a licensed plumber the warranty is void. I got an estimate for one installed and it was pretty high. I don't remember exactly though. I'll definitely look at them again before I buy, but right now I expect to just buy a high efficiency gas tank water heater and install it myself. I used the chimney for my wood stove otherwise I'd just use a traditional direct vent gas tank water heater.

 

The warranty isnt that long and if you have a softener, great. If not do bi annual.flush and del calcification. maybe buy it and have it installed by plbr. You won't be sorry.

 

What's everyone's opinion on pex and shark bite fittings?

I know how to sweat pipes but this seems soooo much easier and faster.

 

Some people love them some hate them. I personally am iffy. If I was going to use then I would want easy access to them. Otherwise I'd use the tried and tested method.

 

That's kinda the feeling I have too. I've used them a couple times before to fix stuff under the kitchen sink, or to connect the water heater.

I bought pex and fittings today to replace all the water pipes in my house. Everything is easy to get to if there's ever a problem. Ranch house with unfinished basement, and access panels in the bathroom closet.

 

They wont last. I only use them for temp fix.

 

Do you have any long term experience with them?

 

Yep.
Like I said I only use them for testing on slab leaks. They will leak. Just a matter of time. Chlorine in municipalities eats up orings.

 

They're good for testing and capping and 911s. Other than that, snake oil.

 

I wonder what quality O-rings are in ProPress fittings?.... I've seen those a lot in my area.

 

I use PEX with copper crimp fittings all the time. After taking a couple of fittings apart and seeing how the pipe conforms to the ridges I lost all worry about the system leaking. Here's the latest project I'm working on. The new washer location required 2 PEX fittings to adapt to the existing copper lines vs an untold number of elbows and sweating and fussing and measuring and cutting and burning studs and cussing to use copper.

 

Aren't pex crimp rings brass ?

 

Nope, copper, but the fittings are brass.
http://youtu.be/M3RHwlu9g30

 

They're better and not in the flow like sharkbite. I use them as often as I can.