Luke Maddux
Member
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2023
- Messages
- 22
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I'm going to repipe my house with PEX using a Home Run manifold system. The main reason for this is to remove all of the old galvanized pipe (original from 1959).
My house was built in two events: the original house, and the addition. When they added the addition, they moved the water heater into it, and tied it into the old house with 1/2" copper. So the main trunk of my hot water feed goes from 3/4" galvanized to 1/2" copper for about 20ft before it gets to the water heater, and then for about 20ft after it leaves the water heater before tying back into the galv system in the old house. There is also a bathroom sink, shower, and a washer tied into this 1/2" trunk as well. All of these fixtures - the water heater and the other fixtures in the addition - are on 1/2" pex risers that branch off of the 1/2" copper.
My hot water has noticeably lower pressure/flow than my cold. So my question is: is the trunk of my hot water system undersized at 1/2"? Should this have been a 3/4" trunk with 1/2" risers?
This is all further complicated by the fact that the plumbing in the addition is extremely difficult to access - maybe impossible - but if I thought I could noticeably improve my water pressure I would find a way, even it if meant cutting through the floor.
Thanks for any feedback,
Luke
My house was built in two events: the original house, and the addition. When they added the addition, they moved the water heater into it, and tied it into the old house with 1/2" copper. So the main trunk of my hot water feed goes from 3/4" galvanized to 1/2" copper for about 20ft before it gets to the water heater, and then for about 20ft after it leaves the water heater before tying back into the galv system in the old house. There is also a bathroom sink, shower, and a washer tied into this 1/2" trunk as well. All of these fixtures - the water heater and the other fixtures in the addition - are on 1/2" pex risers that branch off of the 1/2" copper.
My hot water has noticeably lower pressure/flow than my cold. So my question is: is the trunk of my hot water system undersized at 1/2"? Should this have been a 3/4" trunk with 1/2" risers?
This is all further complicated by the fact that the plumbing in the addition is extremely difficult to access - maybe impossible - but if I thought I could noticeably improve my water pressure I would find a way, even it if meant cutting through the floor.
Thanks for any feedback,
Luke
