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I need to run some plumbing for a basement kitchen, laundry room, and an upstairs 1/2 bathroom. There is a 1/2" line to the area already. Do I need to change it to a 3/4" line? Will it be worth the cost to change it?
Main line supplying your house should be at least 3/4" for less-than-average house, like those built few decades ago. Today's houses are lot bigger with more bathrooms and plumbing fixtures that require rapid water delivery in less time.
If your main water service is 5/8" than it is a case of incorrect pipe sizing and I would suggest you seriously consider upgrade to 1".
You are not stating size of your house, number of bathrooms, and incoming water pressure. But I assume you have at least 2 bathrooms and primery kitchen. If you add your new basement laundry and another kitchen, than 3/4" main water service becomes highly undersized and you will be lacking needed water-flow (volume) when demand peaks. Moreover, if you connect basement plumbing fixtures to 5/8" pipe, you will hear hissing sound every time you run your washing machine or flush your toilet.
Some people compensate for undersized pipes by increasing incoming water pressure at the pressure regulator. This only magnifies water friction (noise) as water passes in pipes. While it may provide temporary fix, it is incorrect, putting unwanted stress on your house plumbing system.
Hello layneb, can you please give us more detail on you plumbing layout, how many bathrooms in your house and what size service is going into your house. more than likely your going to be undersized on your water pipes, but if your going to remodel, or add on to your house you might as well go the extra mile and upgrade you pipesizes. good luck---Zeke
I need to run some plumbing for a basement kitchen, laundry room, and an upstairs 1/2 bathroom. There is a 1/2" line to the area already. Do I need to change it to a 3/4" line? Will it be worth the cost to change it?
My code calls for a 3/4" service,( One inch is better). A 3/4" house main and not more then three fixtures on a 1//2" inch branch. Good luck, Tom
It all depends on what kind of fixtures you have. You can have 3 hand sinks on 1/2" line at 1.6gln per minute water flow per spout. But 3 toilets, tubs, or presence of washing machine - 1/2" pipe becomes undersized and noisy. Size your hot and cold house piping with this helpful tool:
You can't make a fixture designed for a 1" main work by upgrading the pipe bigger than the smallest supply size, whether it be a main, the meter or a branch.
Upgrading to 1" is nonsense, unless you do it from the street.
PS: When I said 5/8" meter, I actually meant a 7/8" meter with a 3/4" supply, but the concept is still valid.
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