That’s a good point about the water chemistry—I swapped out an old water softener last year and noticed some greenish buildup on the copper near the transition. I ended up using a SharkBite fitting, but I’m still a bit paranoid about hidden leaks. Those crawlspace joints are a pain to check, honestly. Anyone else run into weird pressure drops after mixing materials?
I get where you’re coming from—mixing materials always makes me a bit uneasy too, especially when you can’t see every joint. I’ve had some minor pressure drops after swapping fittings, but nothing major. Sometimes it’s just air pockets or a bit of debris from the install. Honestly, as long as you don’t see any signs of leaks or corrosion, you’re probably fine. Those SharkBites are pretty reliable, even if they feel a bit too easy compared to sweating copper. Just keep an eye out for damp spots, but try not to stress too much.
- I hear you on the SharkBites—almost feels like cheating after sweating copper, but they do hold up.
- Mixing materials can be a pain, especially if you’re dealing with older copper and new PEX. Electrolysis is always in the back of my mind, even with dielectric unions.
- I’ve noticed pressure drops too, usually after a big install or when I didn’t flush the lines well enough. Sometimes it’s just a bit of grit stuck in a valve.
- Curious—how old are your pipes? I’ve seen copper last 50+ years if the water’s not too acidic, but PEX is still kind of a wild card for me. Anyone had PEX in for more than a decade without issues?
How Long Do Pipes Really Last Under Pressure?
That’s the thing with these old houses—mine’s pushing 120 years, and I’m still finding original copper tucked behind plaster. Some of it looks pristine, some is green and pitted. I’ve always wondered if the water chemistry changed over the decades or if it’s just luck of the draw. Has anyone actually tested their water for acidity before deciding on replacement? I keep hearing that’s a big factor for copper longevity, but I’ve never done it myself.
On the PEX front, I’m in the same boat—installed some about 8 years ago when we did a kitchen reno, but that’s not really long enough to know how it’ll hold up. The plumber swore by it, but then again, he also said galvanized would “last forever” back in the day... and we all know how that turned out. Anyone ever had issues with rodents chewing through PEX? That’s one thing that makes me nervous, especially after seeing a neighbor patch up a leak thanks to a mouse.
Mixing materials is another headache. I used those dielectric unions between copper and steel in the basement, but I’m never totally convinced they’re doing their job. Is there any way to tell if electrolysis is happening before you see visible corrosion? Or is it just wait-and-see?
Pressure drops are another mystery sometimes. I had one last winter that turned out to be a chunk of solder stuck in an elbow—took forever to track down. Makes me wonder how much debris gets left behind after even a careful install.
Curious if anyone’s actually seen PEX fail from age alone yet, or if it’s always something external like UV or critters. And does anyone trust those push-to-connect fittings long-term? They feel solid now, but will they still be tight in 20 years?
- I’ve always wondered about those push-to-connect fittings too—feels weird to trust something that just snaps on.
- Had a client’s bathroom reno where the plumber swore by them, but I still get nervous thinking about what’s going on behind the walls.
- Anyone found a way to check for slow leaks or pressure loss without tearing open drywall?
- Also, does anyone actually label where they’ve mixed materials? I never remember until I’m knee-deep in a project...