Shark Bites!

[alkemyst]

I use shark bites because I can't solder and shark bites are pennies compared to a plumber coming out. Also I found a leak on a Saturday afternoon. Having a plumber come out at that time would have been a small fortune.

You work in an Oil Field and can't link up pipes?

Just ask someone on the job to show you how to sweat a fitting, it's easy.

I have never needed a plumber to come out until I had a root finally block my main drain at 10-4am one night. The fuxored thing is I had to tell that moron how to get access with his nice rotor tool. He wasted like 2-3 hours before he knocked on my door and told me he couldn't find how to access the drain.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I used those on my brother's replacement water heater a couple years ago. Awesome things, works well.

My parents have had a pair on their incoming water line where a filter system was installed, converting from the copper to the CPVC lines to the system, and have never had a leak from them.

I wouldn't want to put them in a wall personally, just in case, but somewhere exposed and accessible like plumbing in the basement is fine.

 

[NoTine42]

I've seen so many leaks happen with those steel braid lines right on the water heater like that

I think flex lines are a code requirement in some earthquake-prone areas like CA.

 

[iGas]

I meant scarey in other ways, but NM.

Yeah, I still need to run a pipe off the relief valve, I just wanted hot water again off the bat for starters

The old one snapped coming off the other, I'll rig one up soon.

I wouldn't worry too much water heater leaks tend to be inside the casing and you will see wet spot or weeping around the base, and the most common leak is pinhole leak at the hot/cold nipples on the top of the water heater tank that take time to develop.

Slow side leak, and corrosion (possibly more than a year of leaking).

Top leak from corrosion, again the leak has been going on for many months possibly year/s.

Pipe and fitting leaking, also a slow leak from corrosion.

Below leaks are not related to water heater, but I throw them in just in case people want to know.

Leak due to saddle screw (electrical ground, etc...)

Split pipe from freezing.

 

[CPA]

Remodeled my master bath - both shower and tub. Used sharkbites for all of rerouting of pipes from my Kohler digital thermostatic valve.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

You work in an Oil Field and can't link up pipes?

Just ask someone on the job to show you how to sweat a fitting, it's easy.

I have never needed a plumber to come out until I had a root finally block my main drain at 10-4am one night. The fuxored thing is I had to tell that moron how to get access with his nice rotor tool. He wasted like 2-3 hours before he knocked on my door and told me he couldn't find how to access the drain.

I drive an eighteen wheeler in the oilfield. Also before driving I worked on injection pumps in the oilfield. Never once did it require sweating pipe. I know the basic concepts I just suck at it. Really I have no desire to learn as it's a skill I'd likely never use more than a handful of times in my life. I'm okay with not being an expert at everything in life. If something pops up that's beyond my abilities I'll call in a pro.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I updated all my primary copper lines from 1/2" to 3/4" 2 weeks ago. I got stuck in 1 place there I couldn't solder the 3/4" pipe size going into my gas tankless water heater. I wasn't able to get the torch under the unit due to the gas lines being in the way. I ended up switching those lines to pex. *(sharkbite brand instead of apollo). It was far easier to crimp the connections in the tight space than to sweat the pipes.

I'm adding 2 bathrooms and plan on running all the new lines with pex simply because there are fewer joints and I can run it more easily through the framing. Pex is great stuff. I've seen the solderless copper connections, but didn't use them. I was reluctant to try them out, though I did remove one piece that had been used in my old 1/2" lines...it hadn't leaked in 8+ years. (installed by previous owner or plumber)

 

[momeNt]

I drive an eighteen wheeler in the oilfield. Also before driving I worked on injection pumps in the oilfield. Never once did it require sweating pipe. I know the basic concepts I just suck at it. Really I have no desire to learn as it's a skill I'd likely never use more than a handful of times in my life. I'm okay with not being an expert at everything in life. If something pops up that's beyond my abilities I'll call in a pro.

But you know how to weld right? You can't work on an oil field and not know how to weld. I have no idea why you'd bother learning how to sweat copper pipes, but welding is a daily occurrence on an oil field.

 

[twinrider1]

Do you even weld, Bro?


(sorry, couldn't resist).

Surgery happens every day in a hospital. Doesn't mean every single employee knows how to do it.

 

[momeNt]

Do you even weld, Bro?


(sorry, couldn't resist).

Surgery happens every day in a hospital. Doesn't mean every single employee knows how to do it.

Most would be able to do a better job at surgery than somebody not even remotely connected to the field. So your argument is invalid.

When I'm feeling sick I just go to see the receptionist at my doctor's office, she's been there so long she knows almost as much as the doctor, and I don't get charged to see her.