the_nite_owl
Jul 19, 2006, 07:40 AM
I am beginning to replace the 53 year old copper lines in my house with PEX as I am building a bathroom in the basement.
I want to put in a manifold to separate some of the lines and give a central location for shutoff controls.
Running individual lines to every fixture could be a bit expensive so I am trying to determine which lines are best to
Keep separate, which to combine and what the proper sizing should be for the lines before I go buy supplies.
I would like advice on the best configuration based on the fixtures and their locations.
My thought has been to keep the hot/cold lines independent for both bathrooms so they will have no pressure drops, and
Of course to supply the water heater with it's own line. Other items are not as demanding and I thought they might be
Good to combine along the same line to reduce the size of the manifold and tubing that has to be run.
My thoughts are to group items something like this:
Cold Water
1. upstairs toilet, sink, front outdoor faucet.
2. Basement toilet, sink, Workshop sink.
3. Kitchen sink, refrigerator, back outdoor faucet
4. Basement shower
5. upstairs shower
7. hot water heater, furnace (closed loop system)
8. Washing machine
Hot water
1. Upstairs bathroom sink, downstairs bathroom sink, shop sink.
2. Upstairs shower
3. Downstairs shower
4. Kitchen sink, dishwasher
I might consider combining hot/cold for the two showers or from the basment shower to the work shop sink since the
Plumbing would route easily to both and both are not likely to be in use at the same time. The run would be short for
Cold water but longer for hot. If there are extra connects on whatever manifolds I end up with it might be worth the extra line.
The current copper pipe is only 1/2" and I will be replacing with 3/4" where needed. I imagine 1/2" is good for most of
the fixture runs? Any benefit to making the shower runs 3/4"? I am not sure what size line the dishwasher uses but
Suspect the current tubing is more like 3/8".
I would appreciate any tips on grouping, routing and sizing. Once I have a plan in place I will begin putting together a
Parts list and measuring for total length of tubing I will need in each size and what connectors, valves, adaptors will be needed.
The first phase will be to plumb the upstairs bathroom to get the pipes relocated so the framing can go in for the downstairs
Bathroom and the rest of the job will be one section at a time as a new water heater is installed and possibly the furnace
Is replaced, both with wall mount direct vent gas systems.
The upstairs bath will be directly above the basement bath. The washing machine is on one wall of the basement bath and the workshop sink will be on the other wall of the basement bath adjacent the shower wall.
The water line coming into the house is right next to the basement bath and laundry area so things line up well for short shared lines where appropriate.
I want to put in a manifold to separate some of the lines and give a central location for shutoff controls.
Running individual lines to every fixture could be a bit expensive so I am trying to determine which lines are best to
Keep separate, which to combine and what the proper sizing should be for the lines before I go buy supplies.
I would like advice on the best configuration based on the fixtures and their locations.
My thought has been to keep the hot/cold lines independent for both bathrooms so they will have no pressure drops, and
Of course to supply the water heater with it's own line. Other items are not as demanding and I thought they might be
Good to combine along the same line to reduce the size of the manifold and tubing that has to be run.
My thoughts are to group items something like this:
Cold Water
1. upstairs toilet, sink, front outdoor faucet.
2. Basement toilet, sink, Workshop sink.
3. Kitchen sink, refrigerator, back outdoor faucet
4. Basement shower
5. upstairs shower
7. hot water heater, furnace (closed loop system)
8. Washing machine
Hot water
1. Upstairs bathroom sink, downstairs bathroom sink, shop sink.
2. Upstairs shower
3. Downstairs shower
4. Kitchen sink, dishwasher
I might consider combining hot/cold for the two showers or from the basment shower to the work shop sink since the
Plumbing would route easily to both and both are not likely to be in use at the same time. The run would be short for
Cold water but longer for hot. If there are extra connects on whatever manifolds I end up with it might be worth the extra line.
The current copper pipe is only 1/2" and I will be replacing with 3/4" where needed. I imagine 1/2" is good for most of
the fixture runs? Any benefit to making the shower runs 3/4"? I am not sure what size line the dishwasher uses but
Suspect the current tubing is more like 3/8".
I would appreciate any tips on grouping, routing and sizing. Once I have a plan in place I will begin putting together a
Parts list and measuring for total length of tubing I will need in each size and what connectors, valves, adaptors will be needed.
The first phase will be to plumb the upstairs bathroom to get the pipes relocated so the framing can go in for the downstairs
Bathroom and the rest of the job will be one section at a time as a new water heater is installed and possibly the furnace
Is replaced, both with wall mount direct vent gas systems.
The upstairs bath will be directly above the basement bath. The washing machine is on one wall of the basement bath and the workshop sink will be on the other wall of the basement bath adjacent the shower wall.
The water line coming into the house is right next to the basement bath and laundry area so things line up well for short shared lines where appropriate.