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Topic:   PVC Female Adapter - 1200 visits (1 today, 3 this week)

Al Roden
Member


Posts: 422
From:Victoria, Texas
Registered: Mar 2003

posted December 19, 2005 08:20 AM            

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Can you use these PVC female adapters - are they allowed in the plumbing code? And does this supply pipe have to be CPVC?

Jerry Peck
Member




Posts: 7913
From:Pembroke Pines, FL
Registered: Feb 2003

posted December 19, 2005 08:38 AM            

"PVC" is not allowed "in" the structure for supply piping.

If CPVC is used, then they would either have a CPVC riser to the shower head or a copper one (to save breaking the CPVC riser off).

Does that house have CPVC, or ?? That is definitely a PVC threaded adapter, but what is the other end like? It does not fit on CPVC (they are different sizes so they are not interchangeable between them), or, is it ... PVC in the wall?

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Jerry Peck
South Florida

Michael Greenwalt
Member


Posts: 25
From:Milford KS
Registered: Sep 2005

posted December 20, 2005 10:30 AM            

In accordance with IRC P2904.5 distribution piping within dwelling units must meet NSF 61 standards which PVC and CPVC appropriately designed and marked do. (ie, not NSF DWV which does not). However IRC P2904.5 also states that ALL hot water distribution piping must meet 100 psi at 180 degrees F minimum, which you have to go to CPVC to meet as PVC does not. So, your shower head which would carry hot water, must meet the 100 psi at 180 degree standard and therefore must be CPVC minimum. Question is, can you determine the type of piping used?

Jerry Peck
Member




Posts: 7913
From:Pembroke Pines, FL
Registered: Feb 2003

posted December 20, 2005 10:35 AM            

"Question is, can you determine the type of piping used?"

White is PVC, and that adapter fitting is white.

That means there is something screwy because there is no reason to use a PVC double female threaded adapter - not sure if they even make one, as there is no need for one.

That means the pipe 'in the other end of that PVC adapter' "must be" (unless it is all really screwed up) PVC ... and it could be all really screwed up.

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Jerry Peck
South Florida

Michael Greenwalt
Member


Posts: 25
From:Milford KS
Registered: Sep 2005

posted December 21, 2005 07:46 PM            

The shower appears (not that word!) to be installed after construction which makes me lean towards a DIY weekend on the homefront. Given that, one can guess what is behind the wall. I wasn't picking up the shades as well on the browser so I opened it up in a program and I can see the white. Gotcha, PVC and as they say....not an acceptable installation. Must be replaced.

Jerry Peck
Member




Posts: 7913
From:Pembroke Pines, FL
Registered: Feb 2003

posted December 22, 2005 06:09 AM            

"The shower appears (not that word!) to be installed after construction "

Curious why you say that. How can you tell?

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Jerry Peck
South Florida

Al Roden
Member


Posts: 422
From:Victoria, Texas
Registered: Mar 2003

posted December 22, 2005 09:45 AM            

It was installed during construction - the owner, who owns and operates a HVAC business, built the house himself.

All the visible supply plumbing, under lavatories and sinks, was PVC (not CPVC) and was installed loosely without any support to the inside of the walls. Of course, the owner and HVAC guru says there is nothing wrong with this and his Realtor blasted me on the phone yesterday for being nick picky about the plumbing.

I felt a little bad marking his A/C system in need of repair BUT...

And the too narrow staircase and lack of safety railing.

And the countless wiring issues.

But I did it anyway.

Jerry Peck
Member




Posts: 7913
From:Pembroke Pines, FL
Registered: Feb 2003

posted December 22, 2005 10:05 AM            

What would you expect? He uses PVC for his condensate drain, so he had a lot of it in his shop.

And you know they never strap that stuff.

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Jerry Peck
South Florida