On Feb 24, 11:47*pm, Vic Smith
wrote:
On Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:44:27 -0800 (PST), "

wrote:

old galvanized fittings tend to rust and weld together, no matter how
careful you are its easy to twist a connected line and cause another
leak either immediately or in the future.....

old galavanized is generally packed with rust, making you wonder how
water even managed to get thru the rust

First off, I've only dealt with Lake Michigan water.
That's all I'm talking about.
Probably pretty much the same water as in the other Great Lakes.
Don't know how many millions use that water.
But I'm just talking about Chicago area Lake Michigan water.
It' s not rust restricting the pipes. *It's scale.
Deposited minerals.
Some rust, but mostly scale.

It ain't "easy to twist a connected line" unless you just don't know
how to handle two wrenches at the same time.
Fittings don't "tend to rust and weld together."
I've taken apart plenty of 50 year old fittings and only the first 2-3
threads were rusted.
In the steel mills we would routinely hit an old threaded end with a
wire brush, re-dope, and crank it back in.
When I re-piped the 50 year old galvanized in my last house 30 years *
ago I left all the old galvanized pipes in the plumbing wall - they
weren't scaled up - and had no trouble connecting the new feeds to
them. *Nothing has leaked since.

Looks like the water is different where you're at.
I can see examples of what you said all over the net, so I don't doubt
that galvanized will rust and scale up faster in some places.
Around here that takes +50 years.

Here's the funny thing I found when I looking around the net.
It looks like copper leaks more than galvanized and doesn't last as
long. *Pinhole leaks, different types of corrosion, joints starting to
leak after repairing other leaks, etc.
It doesn't scale up. *Looks like if it could scale, leaks and
corrosion would kill it before that would happen anyway.
Didn't do a "scientific" survey, but copper sure doesn't look good.
I was surprised by the copper horror stories.
Kind of thought copper was the cat's meow.

I considered using copper when I re-piped my last house, but since I
cut/threaded a lot of pipe and had the tools I went with galvanized.
Hadn't sweated copper either, and still haven't.
Like I said, galvanized is like riding a bike to me.
Now I wouldn't even consider copper if I have to re-pipe this house.
Galvanized or PEX.. *But I don't know if PEX meets code here.

--Vic

I too have had my goes with galvanised. Unless the pipe itself is
rotted there is no problem EXCEPT for undoing one my dad put
together. His method of tightening a joint was "as tight as it will
go plus half a turn". My 24" pipe wrench got lots of use .

Harry K

On Feb 25, 12:56*pm, Harry K wrote:
On Feb 24, 11:47*pm, Vic Smith
wrote:





On Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:44:27 -0800 (PST), "

wrote:

old galvanized fittings tend to rust and weld together, no matter how
careful you are its easy to twist a connected line and cause another
leak either immediately or in the future.....

old galavanized is generally packed with rust, making you wonder how
water even managed to get thru the rust

First off, I've only dealt with Lake Michigan water.
That's all I'm talking about.
Probably pretty much the same water as in the other Great Lakes.
Don't know how many millions use that water.
But I'm just talking about Chicago area Lake Michigan water.
It' s not rust restricting the pipes. *It's scale.
Deposited minerals.
Some rust, but mostly scale.

It ain't "easy to twist a connected line" unless you just don't know
how to handle two wrenches at the same time.
Fittings don't "tend to rust and weld together."
I've taken apart plenty of 50 year old fittings and only the first 2-3
threads were rusted.
In the steel mills we would routinely hit an old threaded end with a
wire brush, re-dope, and crank it back in.
When I re-piped the 50 year old galvanized in my last house 30 years *
ago I left all the old galvanized pipes in the plumbing wall - they
weren't scaled up - and had no trouble connecting the new feeds to
them. *Nothing has leaked since.

Looks like the water is different where you're at.
I can see examples of what you said all over the net, so I don't doubt
that galvanized will rust and scale up faster in some places.
Around here that takes +50 years.

Here's the funny thing I found when I looking around the net.
It looks like copper leaks more than galvanized and doesn't last as
long. *Pinhole leaks, different types of corrosion, joints starting to
leak after repairing other leaks, etc.
It doesn't scale up. *Looks like if it could scale, leaks and
corrosion would kill it before that would happen anyway.
Didn't do a "scientific" survey, but copper sure doesn't look good.
I was surprised by the copper horror stories.
Kind of thought copper was the cat's meow.

I considered using copper when I re-piped my last house, but since I
cut/threaded a lot of pipe and had the tools I went with galvanized.
Hadn't sweated copper either, and still haven't.
Like I said, galvanized is like riding a bike to me.
Now I wouldn't even consider copper if I have to re-pipe this house.
Galvanized or PEX.. *But I don't know if PEX meets code here.

--Vic

I repiped (total remodel right down to the studs) with CPVC/PVC.
Simple, cheap, no special tools, easy to change, patch etc. *All that
is needed is a hacksaw, can of glue and a handful of fitting that are
cheap, cheap, cheap. *Need to change or add something in middle of
run? *2 minute job of which 30 seconds is waiting for the glue to dry.

Harry K- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

ahh the copper thieves will be disappointed.

my dad owned rentals in phoenix, after having copper lines repeatedly
stolen he went to CPVC, no more missing lines.....

one time someone ripped all the wiring out of the house.

after that he started selling off his rentals.

On Feb 25, 2:18*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:00:32 -0800 (PST), Harry K

wrote:

I too have had my goes with galvanised. *Unless the pipe itself is
rotted there is no problem EXCEPT for undoing one my dad put
together. *His method of tightening a joint was "as tight as it will
go plus half a turn". *My 24" pipe wrench got lots of use .

Bet none of the joints he cranked on leaked (-:
It's easier to undertighten galvanized than to overtighten it.
Seems whenever I did work with a helper who hadn't done galvanized
they were leery of overtightening, until I put another turn or two on
it. *Then they quickly got the idea.
It's really the easiest type of plumbing once you get the hang of it.

--Vic

PEX is far easier snakes easily around obstructions

On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:12:16 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Feb 25, 2:18Â*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:00:32 -0800 (PST), Harry K

wrote:

I too have had my goes with galvanised. Â*Unless the pipe itself is
rotted there is no problem EXCEPT for undoing one my dad put
together. Â*His method of tightening a joint was "as tight as it will
go plus half a turn". Â*My 24" pipe wrench got lots of use .

Bet none of the joints he cranked on leaked (-:
It's easier to undertighten galvanized than to overtighten it.
Seems whenever I did work with a helper who hadn't done galvanized
they were leery of overtightening, until I put another turn or two on
it. Â*Then they quickly got the idea.
It's really the easiest type of plumbing once you get the hang of it.

--Vic

PEX is far easier snakes easily around obstructions

Right. Should have said "rigid, and not including PVC" (-:
I'll look at PEX first if I have to do any supply plumbing around
here.
Everybody seems to talk it up.
Well, I just did a google search for PEX leaks.
Learned a bit about it.
Looks like it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Expands too much, needs too many tie-downs, gets all snaky looking,
leaks, rodents can bite right through it, etc, etc.
And nobody knows how long it will last.
Don't think I would ever use it to replace existing piping runs.
Might be useful for some applications, but not any house I ever lived
in.
If I wanted to run water to my detached garage it would work.
But I already have a garden hose for that.
If I have to open walls to clamp down PEX it would be just as easy for
me to use galvanized. No need to snake any piping here.
The more I read about copper, PEX, and the rest, the more I like
galvanized steel pipe.
But maybe I'm crazy.

--Vic

On Feb 25, 4:32*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:12:16 -0800 (PST), "





wrote:
On Feb 25, 2:18*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:00:32 -0800 (PST), Harry K

wrote:

I too have had my goes with galvanised. *Unless the pipe itself is
rotted there is no problem EXCEPT for undoing one my dad put
together. *His method of tightening a joint was "as tight as it will
go plus half a turn". *My 24" pipe wrench got lots of use .

Bet none of the joints he cranked on leaked (-:
It's easier to undertighten galvanized than to overtighten it.
Seems whenever I did work with a helper who hadn't done galvanized
they were leery of overtightening, until I put another turn or two on
it. *Then they quickly got the idea.
It's really the easiest type of plumbing once you get the hang of it.

--Vic

PEX is far easier snakes easily around obstructions

Right. *Should have said "rigid, and not including PVC" (-:
I'll look at PEX first if I have to do any supply plumbing around
here. *
Everybody seems to talk it up.
Well, I just did a google search for PEX leaks.
Learned a bit about it.
Looks like it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Expands too much, needs too many tie-downs, gets all snaky looking,
leaks, rodents can bite right through it, etc, etc.
And nobody knows how long it will last.
Don't think I would ever use it to replace existing piping runs.
Might be useful for some applications, but not any house I ever lived
in.
If I wanted to run water to my detached garage it would work.
But I already have a garden hose for that.
If I have to open walls to clamp down PEX it would be just as easy for
me to use galvanized. *No need to snake any piping here.
The more I read about copper, PEX, and the rest, the more I like
galvanized steel pipe.
But maybe I'm crazy.

--Vic-

obviously you havent actually used PEX.

and galvanized would be my dead last choice for water lines, as it
rusts inside it can add excess iron and taste to your drinking water..

One big advantage to PEX is homeruns with no Ts etc in walls....fewer
joints fewer leak points

Good luck trying to resell a home with galvanized, a one foot long
piece in a home I sold caused grief...

PEX expands if frozen and doesnt tend to split so a frozen line isnt a
replumb job.........