Tom,
I'm beginning to work on my water supply lines and have gotten most of the materials. I wanted to know if I should be concerned with backflow devices of any sort? Also, the plummer at H.D. told me that the male adapters that would connect my copper pipe to my shower faucet would not need any type of sealant, just screw them in. What do you think?

Mickey

Use a sealant, teflon is good.

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Originally Posted by mickeyrory

Tom,
I'm beginning to work on my water supply lines and have gotten most of the materials. I wanted to know if I should be concerned with backflow devices of any sort? Also, the plummer at H.D. told me that the male adapters that would connect my copper pipe to my shower faucet would not need any type of sealant, just screw them in. What do you think?

Mickey

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Hey Mickey,
First off the salesmen that work at big box stores aren't plumbers. If they were they wouldn't be working at big box stores. You got some bad advice from your "plumber". Letrmetellu set you straight, use teflon tape on all threaded connections. Good luck, Tom

Finished putting in the pipes for my hot water. After completing and turning the water back on all pipes were warm to the touch except the 1/2 inch to my shower. It was warm for about six inches after branching off but below that no water. I did use bread to keep water from the area I was soldering so I suspect that is what is blocking the pipe. What's the time frame for that to disolve? I assume you guys do that since I've seen it suggested in various books and online. Do you ever experience a problem with it remaining blocked? Thanks!

Mickey

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Originally Posted by mickeyrory

finished putting in the pipes for my hot water. After completing and turning the water back on all pipes were warm to the touch except the 1/2 inch to my shower. It was warm for about six inches after branching off but below that no water. I did use bread to keep water from the area I was soldering so I suspect that is what is blocking the pipe. What's the time frame for that to disolve? I assume you guys do that since I've seen it suggested in various books and online. Do you ever experience a problem with it remaining blocked? Thanks!

Mickey

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Hi Mickey,

The bread in the line must have been drawn up in the shower valve and clogged the inlet ports. Shut the water off to the valve and remove the cartridge. Clear the inlet ports and turn the water back on for a minute to flush the bread out of the supplies. Good luck, Tom

Thanks Tom, all is well now. Another question. I still have my cold water supply to put in but I think tapping in to it will be more difficult. There doesn't seem to be a spot where there is any give to the pipe. Any plummer tricks in putting a tee in when the pipe can't be pushed back to accommodate the tee? I think this will be my last abstacle. Appreciate any help.

Het Mickey,

"Another question. I still have my cold water supply to put in but I think tapping in to it will be more difficult. There doesn't seem to be a spot where there is any give to the pipe. Any plummer tricks in putting a tee in when the pipe can't be pushed back to accomodate the tee"
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Yes there is. You will need a 1/2" street tee and a 1/2" slip coupling.
Put the St. tee on the line where you wish it to go and make a mark at either end. Cut on the marks with a hacksaw and use plumbers sand cloth to smooith out the burrs.
Shine the male end and use a 1/2" cleaning brush on the female ends.
Flux the fittings and slip the coupling back up one end of the pipe. Now put the street tee on and slip the coupling over the joint. Solder and test.
Good luck, Tom

Thanks, everything turned out fine as far as the connecting goes. Another problem. Yesterday I connected the pipes for the hot water, one branch to supply the shower and sink. No pressure problems. Today after connecting the cold water, two tees off the main, one to supply the cold water for the shower and the toilet. The other to supply the sink. The shower in the bedroom on the second floor experienced low pressure to the point of no water coming in sometimes. Nothing else on in the house and no other shower or faucet had low pressure when I tried them. What do you think I did wrong? Again thanks!

Mickey

"Today after connecting the cold water, two tees off the main, one to supply the cold water for the shower and the toilet. The other to supply the sink".
Mickey, are you a practical joker? Are you setting the bathroom up so that whoever's in the shower will get boiled when the john's flushed? If so then leave the pipes the way they are. If this wasn't intentional then run one line for the toilet and take the lavatory and shower off the other.

"The shower in the bedroom on the second floor experienced low pressure to the point of no water coming in sometimes. Nothing else on in the house and no other shower or faucet had low pressure when I tried them. What do you think I did wrong?"
I don't think you did anything wrong. You probably dislodged some crud in the pipes that is now clogging the inlet ports of the valve. Shut the water off to the valve and remove the cartridge. Clear the inlet ports and turn the water back on for a minute to flush out of the supplies. Good luck, Tom

Tom,
I see your point about the shower getting hotter when the toilet is flushed and I didn't think about that. The shower and toilet supply lines were close together so not thinking like a plummer but for convenience sake that's the way I hooked them up. I can say with certainty that the toilet will never be flushed while anyone is in the shower though. Wouldn't turning the cold water on anywhere in the house affect the water temperature in the shower? It seems that way to me. If you think it's a safety issue I will change them around. Thanks for advising me about the valve, I will remove it tomorrow; it had me worried about what I could have possibly done. Take care.

Mickey

Hi Mickey,
". I can say with certainty that the toilet will never be flushed while anyone is in the shower though." Now that statement's interesting. Tell me, what makes you so sure?

" Wouldn't turning the cold water on anywhere in the house affect the water temperature in the shower"
Do the math! The way you have it now you're drawing volume for two fixtures, (toilet and shower) off a 1/2" branch. The way I suggested will have one fixture, (the toilet) drawing off a 3/4" main. Now if you're doing the rub-a-dub in the shower and someone flushes the john which configuration will "git yo butt" parboiled the most? My way or yours? As for tuirning on other fixtures in the house, that's why we have a 3/4" main, To maintain volume when a draw is made. Why ask for trouble? Make the change over to one line to the john.
Cheers, Tom