I am getting ready to re-plumb my entire house. I plan to switch from Copper to PEX. The reason is that I have a well and the water causes pinhole leaks in the copper. My question is:

The current setup is a standard tee and branch. I have 1/2" pipe coming off of the 3/4" mains in the basement that feed each bathroom (2 1/2 baths). Two of the bathrooms are two stories up from the basement. What I was thinking of doing is coming off the mains with 3/4" and running up both stories to a manifold (Separate manifolds for each bath) and running the 1/2" from the manifolds to the fixtures. My concern is will this effect my water pressure? As I’ve stated before I am on a well. Currently the pressure is OK, but I wouldn’t want it to be less.

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Originally Posted by edreev

I am getting ready to re-plumb my entire house. I plan to switch from Copper to PEX. The reason is that I have a well and the water causes pinhole leaks in the copper. My question is:

The current setup is a standard tee and branch. I have 1/2" pipe coming off of the 3/4" mains in the basement that feed each bathroom (2 1/2 baths). Two of the bathrooms are two stories up from the basement. What I was thinking of doing is coming off of the mains with 3/4" and running up both stories to a manifold (Separate manifolds for each bath) and running the 1/2" from the manifolds to the fixtures. My concern is will this effect my water pressure? As I’ve stated before I am on a well. Currently the pressure is ok, but I wouldn’t want it to be less.

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You shouldn't have any noticeable drop in either pressure or volume if you go with a manifold.

Also, you would have an appreciable increase in volume if you branched off to each cold manifold with a 1" feed, but only if the feed coming in from the well pump is also 1".

Sorry, I meant to say that you should run a 1" main and then branch off with 3/4" cold to each manifold to increase volume.

Your well water is obviously very acidic, test the PH of your house water supply, pinhole leaks in copper and green staining in sinks is a dead giveaway. Acidic water corrodes copper over time causing the copper walls of you pipes to become thinner, acidic water also causes EXCESSIVE corrosion and wear on hot water heaters, plumbing fixtures and is very harsh when washing clothing causing color fade and shortened durability. I recommend you stay away from PEX for 2 reasons, first, PEX is expensive, especially the connection fittings that are proprietary to it, second, and most disturbing, PEX is now being studied by several entities for it's health safety. There are suspicions that PEX can be penetrated by certain external chemicals and insecticides leaching into your drinking water AND due to its chemical composition may be leaching MTBE chemicals (carcinogens) into the water supply itself, especially in the hot water lines (like the plastic water bottle concerns that the feds are now acknowledging). Solution, install a PH neutralizer tank in your system where your main enters the house, repair the weak copper lines affected and in the process you will probably have spent less to fix the problem and not have the risk of exposing your family to more potential toxins. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edreev

I am getting ready to re-plumb my entire house. I plan to switch from Copper to PEX. The reason is that I have a well and the water causes pinhole leaks in the copper. My question is:

The current setup is a standard tee and branch. I have 1/2" pipe coming off of the 3/4" mains in the basement that feed each bathroom (2 1/2 baths). Two of the bathrooms are two stories up from the basement. What I was thinking of doing is coming off of the mains with 3/4" and running up both stories to a manifold (Separate manifolds for each bath) and running the 1/2" from the manifolds to the fixtures. My concern is will this effect my water pressure? As I’ve stated before I am on a well. Currently the pressure is ok, but I wouldn’t want it to be less.

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You should be all right with the pressure unless you intend to connect firefighting equipment or large-scale irrigation systems! (How much water does the family use when showering?)

BUT DEFINITELY DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR WATER QUALITY.

Copper corrosion indicates that copper is being dissolved in your water. If you cook with it or drink it, you are ingesting copper, which causes liver disease!

Gernot H.

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Originally Posted by Ger-ger

There are suspicions that PEX can be penetrated by certain external chemicals and insecticides leaching into your drinking water AND due to its chemical composition may be leaching MTBE chemicals (carcinogens) into the water supply itself, especially in the hot water lines (like the plastic water bottle concerns that the feds are now acknowledging).

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I just had to post something on this topic... I find it funny that the concern about carcinogens comes AFTER the concern of external chemicals and insecticides that are already in the water. Not that it excuses the MTBE's...