HELP!! I am doing some remodeling on my 2000 doublewide. I have a local contractor/handyman doing the things that I don't know how to do myself. I'm a 60 year old female and have been fixing things my whole life. I purchased new bathroom sinks and new fixtures for both bathrooms. Two days after having ionstalled the hall bath sink and fixtures, I heard water gushing in the bathroom. I'm really glad that I was home! The guy came backj and re-glued the connection. The existing plumbing in this home is a flexable tubing with 'strings' going through it. The guy used all of the old plumbing except for a PVC connector where he cut the old sink out and put in the new just above the shut-off valve. He used this purple stuff and PVC glue/adhesive. It was the hot water that had come apart at the top of the connection. Two days after repairing the connection, I heard water gushing again!! Glad I was home again!! This time it had come apart at the bottom of the connection! Another phone call and the guy was back with a new glue/adhesive, and he assures me that it will hold. It is called CPVC Cement... Medium : Orange. My Granddaughter tells me that her boyfriend had to put new plumbing in one of his Father's homes and that they used the same flexible pumbing that is in my home, and that they had to make connections with a thing called a 'shark bite'. Okay... Now, I'm afraid to leave home just in case the connections come apart again. HELP!! What should I do?? Is the new orange stuff going to hold, or do I need to replace all the connections with 'shark bites'?

PVC is not recommended and / or suitable for hot water. It softens when filled with hot water. As consequence, joints will fail no matter what type of glue is used.

However, Chlorinated Poly Vinyl Chloride (CPVC) pipe is fine for hot water application. It meets all ASTM requirements. It is recognized by all plumbing Codes.

I am not sure whether your handyman used PVC for entire hot water system. If so, it has to be redone, otherwise it will never hold pressure.

Sorry about the bad news.

Milo

They make a PVC specifically for hot water nowadays, Milo, but like you, I doubt this person used this specific PVC... especially considering the fact that Earthwalks45 mentioned the orange cement meant only for CPVC!

I'm afraid you have someone mixing old with new, EW45.

Look at the pipe in question.. should state approval for hot water or not on the pipe lettering (and cement shouldn't be orange)... *UGH*!

Back to you...

Mark

Did your not so handyman actually use PEX, does it look like this ZURN PEX PEX Tubing, Red, 1/2In, 300Ft, 100psi - PEX Tubing - 10A659|Q3PC300XRED - Grainger Industrial Supply (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ZURN-PEX-PEX-Tubing-10A659?gclid=CNCU5KeKr7MCFdEWMgodUkoApA&cm_mmc=PPC:GooglePLA-_-Plumbing-_-Pipe%20and%20Tubing-_-10A659&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=10A659&ef_id=UV1PGvG4oGgAAIFh:20121102005914:s)

Hmmmm..? Curious, for sure!

The existing plumbing in this home is a flexable tubing with 'strings' going through it

Doesn't sound like either PVC or CPVC to me.
Can you post pictures of piping?