Is anyone a plumber?

NeveSSL · Jun 22, 2014

Hi all,

I am looking at adding a utility sink to my garage for various uses, including skimmer cup cleanings, and I am looking for some help/guidance on plumbing. I do not believe this will be a difficult project at all because the sink will backup directly to our crawl space (which has really high ceilings and is easy to work in... you can stand in almost all of it), but I need a pro to confirm that and try to get a quote on how much it would cost to plumb it. Both our hot and cold supply lines are copper (no idea why...), so I'm hoping the hardest part will be soldering those in and running them to the sink.

Thanks!

Brandon

Rob.D · Jun 22, 2014

If you have close access to hot/cold and drain, it's super simple, check out "shark bite" fittings at home depot. They are the same as the fittings on our RO systems.

NeveSSL · Jun 22, 2014

Hmmm... The drain is easy to get to, but is definitely further than the supply lines. The cold supply line is almost directly beside where the sink would be. And the hot is not much further away, I don't believe. I could also add in a T before my pressure regulator and put an adjustable regulator on there to give my RODI closer to 60PSI instead of the 40 it has now... Great, Rob... now my mind is reeling with possibilities. lol

Would you use SharkBite to PEX?

Brandon

TUSI · Jun 22, 2014

Water lines are normally the easy part. I would install a tee on both the hot and cold then install two shut off valves so you can eliminate that sik if you ever have too. The biggest issue is your drain pipe, if its far from your waste line then you have to vent it cause it will drain very slowly and also the pitch cause slop sinks being they are deep wont give much room to work with. Double check that first before the water lines

Volitans67 · Jun 22, 2014

I can take some pics or you're welcome to come over and see how we did the one in our garage!

NeveSSL · Jun 22, 2014

TUSI said:
Water lines are normally the easy part. I would install a tee on both the hot and cold then install two shut off valves so you can eliminate that sik if you ever have too. The biggest issue is your drain pipe, if its far from your waste line then you have to vent it cause it will drain very slowly and also the pitch cause slop sinks being they are deep wont give much room to work with. Double check that first before the water lines

I'm planning on using an air admittance valve unless I find a vent that's easy to tie into. Thanks for the tips!

Volitans67 said:
I can take some pics or you're welcome to come over and see how we did the one in our garage!

Thanks, Nate! Do you happen to know how its vented?

Brandon

Rob.D · Jun 22, 2014

NeveSSL said:
Great, Rob... now my mind is reeling with possibilities. lol

Would you use SharkBite to PEX?

Brandon

I think PEX is geared more towards pro plumbers, I'm basing that on the fact for PEX you need a special crimping tool and if not aligned correctly you will have a leak vs Sharkbite which is a press it in place and you're good to go.

mike007 · Jun 22, 2014

You can use pex with shark bites. On your drain you can use a studor vent which will allow air into the line but won't let sewer gas out. I advise you to go to your local Home depot or Lowes and they will help you out.

mfief · Jun 22, 2014

Yes it needs needs a special tool but the stuff is so simple to use. Shark bite fittings can be used as adapters for copper, CPVC, and PEX. PEX is also the least susceptible to cracking if frozen as well. The crimping tool comes with a gauge to check the fitting after you crimp them.

mike007 · Jun 22, 2014

You will not need a tool with shark bites. They have a stiffener inside the fitting so all so have to do is slide the pex all the way inside fitting until it locks into place and you are ready to go.

Daniel@R2R · Jun 22, 2014

Shark bites are awesome! Definitely a good choice!

Ground Zero · Jun 22, 2014

PEX is the easiest thing in the world to work with, I'm pretty sure Lowes will rent you a crimp tool, but if no, they're not expensive. It's very forgiving and you can easily make long runs with it. Sharkbites are ok for what they are, but personally I would put it in with actual fittings for the pipe you're using.

If the supply is close, personally I'd probably keep it all copper for uniformity and run it up to a stopcock with a regular supply tube to the faucet. If you want to switch to pex, cut you in a copper to compression Tee and rock on with Pex. Nothing to the drainline just drop it a 1/4" every 10'. I'd be happy to help one weekend if you like. I was a plumber in a past life.

NeveSSL · Jun 23, 2014

Thank you guys so much for the replies.

Russ, I'd love to hire you one day to assist. Well, I would be assisting you, but you know what I mean.

It will probably be a month or three before I'm ready. Everything is easy to get to, though, so I don't think it will be a big deal, but maybe if you're over my way some time I could have you take a look and make sure what I'm thinking would work. If you're ever at the Critter, I'm about 10 minutes southeast.

Brandon

Ground Zero · Jun 23, 2014

No need to hire me Brandon, you buy the beer, we'll talk reef and run pipe. I usually hit the critter once a week or so, let me know when you're getting ready to put it in, I'll swing by and help you work up a material list and we'll figure out when we can put it in.

ryanlotz5 · Jun 24, 2014

Don't use pex it is not solid molecule based and therefore chemicals paints anything that touches it can leak through and contaminate the water supply plus almost all the crimps contain copper I am pex certified and a plumber

Sleep eat reef repeat !!!

NeveSSL · Jun 24, 2014

Ground Zero said:
No need to hire me Brandon, you buy the beer, we'll talk reef and run pipe. I usually hit the critter once a week or so, let me know when you're getting ready to put it in, I'll swing by and help you work up a material list and we'll figure out when we can put it in.

You are too kind, Russ. Thank you! When is your next trip?

ryanlotz5 said:
Don't use pex it is not solid molecule based and therefore chemicals paints anything that touches it can leak through and contaminate the water supply plus almost all the crimps contain copper I am pex certified and a plumber

I'm not sure that any of this would affect me. I would only be using PEX from the hot and cold supply lines to the sink. I only use RO/DI in my tank, so it doesn't matter if there's copper or not on the supply to the stink. The RO/DI has already been plumbed in, anyway.

Brandon

ryanlotz5 · Jun 24, 2014

Oh glad to hear ! I always war people using pex because if you spray any poisons or paints on it because of it's molecular bonding chemicals leak through and contaminate your water just thought I'd warn you not even for your ro/di but in general

plus if you poison tats they look for water and will not hesitate to chew through it many leant this the hard way lol

Sleep eat reef repeat !!!

Ground Zero · Jun 25, 2014

No prob, I'll be pretty wrapped up with a software go-live all next week, don't know if I'll get out much, but the following week I'll prolly go Tues or Wed (8th or 9th)

PEX is a wonderful thing, but it does have its limitations, fortunately they're all pretty well documented. Another one... it's not UV shielded, sunlight will eventually destroy it. All negatives aside though, still great stuff.

NeveSSL · Jun 25, 2014

Awesome. Sounds good! Good luck with going live.

What kind of software?

Brandon

Ground Zero · Jun 25, 2014

Medical. We're bringing two hospitals online for all-electronic order entry... always kinda hairy. The physicians will be picking apart my work for the first few weeks, so we're subject to massive amounts of urgent change requests until it gets some miles behind it.