DIYbanter - Question about water supply lines

"Gerry Atrick" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 11 Feb 2007 05:40:32 GMT, "Sacramento Dave"
wrote:

wrote in message
groups.com...
My local hardware store carries white nylon and stainless water supply
lines. Is one better/stronger than the other? I want to change my
kitchen sink lines but i'm not sure which to choose.

I like the stainless But in reality there both just a fancy rubber hose.
You can also use the chrome tubes with compression fitting but there more
of a pain in the ass to do. Also it would be best to take your old ones
with to make you get the right fittings on the ends.

Sinks take one fitting type, toilets take the other. Unless they are
some sort of commercial units, the tube diameter is all the same. Of
course you need the right length, or a little longer.

Personally I prefer the solid chromed tubes with compression fitting.
They wont rupture. I have seen the hoses rupture and that can be a
real mess. It happened to a neighbor of mine, who was a very old
widow who lived alone. She called me early in the wee hours of the
morning in tears. The shutoff on her toilet was stuck so I I shut off
her water main until the stores opened to get parts. She lost lots of
carpeting, things were soaked in the basement, some floors warped, and
the plaster on the wall behind her toilet was ruined. It was a real
mess. I replaced it with a new valve and a chromed tube.

Of the two types, the stainless steel are hoses with that S.S. webbing
around the hose to reinforce it. Thats probably the better of the two
if you dont want to mess with a solid tube. I am a person who
believes that all water under pressure belongs in a solid metal pipe.
I dont use those supply hoses, wont install pvc or any plastic pipes
(except for drainage). That's just me. I'm old and is the way I was
raised. Now a days that PEX seems to be the latest trend. I would
not even consider it. My house is all copper tubing with chromed
tubes under sinks and toilets. My only hoses are the ones on the
washing machine and I always shut the spigots off when not using the
washer. I've seen enough garden hoses rupture outdoors and that thats
enough for me. Of course outdoors in the summer is no big deal.

I agree with most every thing you say. I also like the chrome tubes but
most people don't have a tube bender or the skill to make it look nice.
Also you will run into deferent size fitting needs on your sinks and some
water closets. I even ran into a 5/8" ID water closet supply nipple old
house. As for the stainless braided hoses I've seen a lot of pressure up
against them in testing systems (125 PSI) they are also used in hydronic
system for supply and return to coils so I feel they are a safe choice.
But you are right if you have a failure chances of a small drip are slim.
Now as for PEX advantages cheap to install, in one week you could master it
no real skill level. Well I like to call it Garden hose plumbing, I can't
believe they let them use this crap it's a disaster waiting to happen. But
with the rising cost of copper I can see why they are getting it pushed into
code. But one fact is the rodents love it and they will chew into it.