Installing a Pressure Reducing Valve

The first thing you have to realize when installing a pressure reducing valve is that these dudes can and do go bad. Replacing a bad valve can be a nightmare if you do not have valves on either side of the pressure valve. These isolation valves allow you to shut off the water easily AND they prevent the water from the house side of the system from draining out. This minimizes the amount of troublesome air that has to be bled from the lines after you install the valve.

Maintaining High Pressure

There may be certain places in your house where you want high pressure. Hoses are a common location. If you install a pressure reducing valve BEFORE the hose bib branches, you will lose your wonderful high pressure.

Take the time necessary to install the extra piping on the high pressure side of your water service line to allow you to keep high pressure at certain fixtures.

Unions at the Valve

Unions are simple threaded compression type fittings that allow you to quickly remove a valve, meter or other fixture from a piping system. They can be purchased where they sweat onto a piping system or they thread onto the pipe. A draw nut at the center of the union draws the two separate pipes together for a leak free joint. They are inexpensive and very easy to install. You will have no trouble with these!

A Pressure Gauge

How will you know what pressure you have after your new valve is installed? The easy way to tell is to purchase a pressure gauge that is permanently attached to the piping system. In actuality, you should have one that is on the high pressure and the low pressure side of the new valve. These simple gauges just thread into a simple tee fitting that you sweat into the water supply piping. You will need to purchase the necessary reducing fittings as many of these gauges have 1/4 or 3/8 inch male threads. The gauges are the only way you will be able to accurately adjust the water pressure.

The Right Pressure

What is the best inside pressure for your house? Well, you will have to determine that for yourself. I happen to prefer water pressure at or near 70 PSI. The model plumbing codes state that 80 PSI or greater is too high. Stay at or below 70 PSI and you will be just fine.

I would not recommend that you drop below 40 or 50 PSI in any instance. You will notice wimpy showers and extended fill times with baths at these lower pressures. Avoid water pressure that hovers at or near 40 PSI. I consider this pressure to be minimal and it actually borders on the nuisance level.

Adjusting Pressure

Pressure valves have a screw on the top of the valve. These allow you to adjust the pressure either higher or lower. You have to follow the valve instructions to see which way to turn the screw for higher or lower pressures. Remember, call a licensed plumber if you are in doubt or are not permitted to alter or extend your water lines. Some states - such as Massachusetts - are VERY restrictive!

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Liquid Drain Cleaners

Go to any grocery or super store and you will find liquid drain cleaners on the shelves. They are commonly found in or near the aisles where household cleaners are located. I visited several stores and two names overpowered the displays. You are probably familiar with both: Drano and Liquid Plumr (both are registered trademarks). The products come in different sizes and different formulations.

I also found a product that looked similar in packaging to Drano and Liquid Plumr. It was called The Works. It is labeled as a liquid drain cleaner just like the other two. In fact, it is easy to mistake them. The problem is that the chemistry of The Works is completely different than Drano or Liquid Plumr. The Works active ingredient is hydrochloric acid. Drano and Liquid Plumr operate at the other end of the chemical pH spectrum - they are alkaline bases. Bases and acids work to dissolve clogs and organic matter. If you use chemicals that are too strong, they can dissolve you and your plumbing system! Most of the off the shelf products can burn your skin or eyes so be careful.

One of the biggest dangers is mixing chemicals. Absolutely READ the label instructions. Don't become an amateur chemist and start pouring, different drain cleaners, ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners, etc. in with the drain cleaner you intend to use. Toxic gases can result as well as violent eruptions. Hot water also can accelerate or worsen the reactions. If drain cleaners don't work for you and you call in a plumbing service, be sure to warn them that chemicals are in the pipes.

You can call the companies below to get information about their products. Drano and Liquid Plumr both have helpful toll free numbers that offer drain clearing assistance over the phone! I used the Drano Maximum Strength product to clear my tub drain. It is clearly marked that it has a thick formulation. Be patient and let the products work a while.

Related Articles:   Minimize Clogged Drains - Plumbing Installation Tips,  Drain Cleaners - What Works / What Doesn't,  Drain Cleaners - Thick is Good

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Installing Plumbing to Minimize Clogs

I have been a licensed master plumber for nearly 20 years. It has been a learning experience the entire way. I have learned from my mistakes. I also have learned some tips from seasoned plumbers and sharp inspectors. Here are some plumbing installation tips that may help you minimize clogs.

Bigger is Not Always Better

Some people think that if you oversize piping you will have fewer clogs. Actually, the opposite is true. Large diameter pipes spread out the energy of the moving water. Keep in mind that the weight of the water moving through drainage pipes under the influence of gravity is the locomotive force propelling solid waste into the sewer or septic system. A large pipe allows water to spread out along the bottom portion of the pipe. A smaller pipe handling the same volume of drain water will pick up and carry solid waste faster and farther. Smaller diameter pipes concentrate this energy and help to quickly move solid waste through the system.

Plumbing codes regulate pipe sizes and attach a value to each fixture. These are often called fixture units. Toilets obviously discharge much more water at a faster rate than a drinking fountain. As such, toilets need a large pipe size to handle the solid waste and large amount of water. Three inch pipes are used to handle most residential toilets. 1.5 inch lines are used to handle waste from kitchen, bathroom and powder room sinks. 2 inch drain lines are common pipes for laundry drains.

Clogs can develop easily on horizontal runs of pipe. Friction causes the water within the pipe to slow down. To achieve good water flow, try to install horizontal drain pipes so they have a minimum of 1/4 inch per foot slope. 3/8 of an inch per foot is actually better.

No Hard 90's Under Ground!

Sharp bends in piping also slow down water movement. They cause the moving water to loose energy. The 90 degree bends also are tough to pass through with drain cleaning equipment.

Never install a 90 degree fitting under ground except when used at the base of a vertical plumbing stack. This is where a vertical pipe turns and goes horizontal. If you have to turn 90 degrees, use two 45 degree angle fittings separated by a 12 or 18 inch piece of straight pipe.

Tub and Shower Drains

When I installed my kids tub drain piping 12 years ago, I had a feeling trouble was brewing. I clearly remember thinking that because of the way I had to twist the 1.5 inch trap and piping around in the tight joist bay, there could be problems. Sure enough, when the tub stopped up, I couldn't get a plumbing snake through the line.

I would have had much better success if I had installed a 2 inch trap and branch line to the primary drain stack. That is my advice to you - use 2 inch traps and drain piping for bathtubs. Most plumbing codes mandate that shower stalls use 2 inch piping and traps. It only makes sense for tubs to be piped in a similar manner. The 2 inch traps accept drain cleaning snakes more readily.

Cleanouts - Test Tees

Where ever possible, make sure you install a cleanout or test tee within visible horizontal runs. Install the fitting so the access plug is not pointed down. Turn it slightly up from the horizontal position. You may never need to use the cleanout, but will thank your lucky stars if there is a clog!

Don't Guess

If you are trying to install your own plumbing system, don't guess at pipe sizes. Get a copy of a code book to make sure you are using the correct sized piping. Check to see if you are even allowed to install plumbing. Some states have highly restrictive laws that do not permit DIY work.

Related Articles:   Drain Cleaners - What Works / What Doesn't,  Liquid Drain Cleaners,  Drain Cleaners - Thick is Good

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Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST)

Install gas lines like electric wires? You must be nuts! If you would have made that statement 20 years ago, I would have thought you were nuts. After all, natural gas was meant to pass through rigid iron pipe, copper tubing, or steel mains, right? Well, that is the way it was done for years until someone got tired of threading pipe or forgetting to install the flare nut before you flare the pipe!

A Revolution

If you have ever installed black iron gas line on a hot or cold day, you know what an effort it can be. Threading pipe by hand will build biceps! The cutting oil gets everywhere and it is simply hard work. Working with copper tubing is easier, but even soft copper can be tough to bend without crimping the tubing. The new corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) is easy to cut, bends readily and requires no threading. Different systems require different fittings, but most are simple to work with. CSST is a revolutionary product and will be widely recognized as such within a matter of years.

Different Systems

Not all CSST is the same. It looks the same, even upon close inspection, but it is not. The difference is in the brass connections at each end of a tubing run. Some of the fittings have more parts than others. I happen to prefer the fittings that do not have split rings within them. Fewer parts, in my opinion, mean fewer problems.

Working With Black Iron

I love to install black iron pipe. So does my best friend, Richard Anderson - Cincinnati, Ohio's best HVAC man. The work is challenging and when you run several hundred feet of pipe with countless fittings and pass the pressure test, the satisfaction is enormous.

You need special tools to work with black iron pipe:

• A pipe vise or tripod to hold the pipe
• A heavy duty cutter to slice the pipe
• A rachet and assorted pipe threading dies
• A reamer and cutting oil

You can rent all of the above tools for a small job. If you plan to buy your own tools, be prepared! You will easily spend hundreds of dollars.

One of the biggest problems rookies make with black iron is getting the right length for a particular piece of pipe. You must always keep in mind that a certain amount of pipe disappears into each fitting. Usually 3/8 to 1/2 inch of pipe threads into a fitting.

You don't want to over-tighten black iron pipe. 1.5 to 2 complete turns of the pipe, after it is hand tight, is usually sufficient to produce leak free joints.

Pipe Dope

Black iron pipe joints need to have a sealing compound applied to the threads to make them leak free. I have never liked using Teflon tape - an approved sealer. I prefer using a pastelike substance called pipe dope. Traditionally, this material was messy to work with. However, a new pipe dope hit the market about 18 months ago that is easy to clean from your hands and any other surface it touches.

You apply pipe dope to oil free, or nearly oil free, male pipe threads. Don't put it inside a female fitting.

Threading Pipe

Pipe thread dies cut amazingly crisp threads on bare black iron pipe. As you might imagine, this creates enormous friction. You must use a special thread cutting oil to lubricate the die as it rotates around the black iron pipe. Failure to do this will cost you big bucks. Without oil, your cutting die will overheat and burn up. Capture the oil in a basket, strain it and reuse it!

Author's Notes:

On November 8, 2005, I received the following email.

In regard to your article on the CSST systems being installed in new homes. If you care to, read an article that was published in April of 2003 in the Dallas News regarding banning this installation in the city of Frisco, Collin County, Texas. Lightning strikes have caused numerous fires in residential homes as a result of CSST failing. Although the manufacturer states that it is completely safe, in fact safer than ridged black pipe, it has some serious issues. I have seen three fires in our own community as a result of CSST failure. The manufacturer accepts no responsibility for improper installation, and does not provide in any great detail, of detrimental or catastrophic failure if done so. I just saw your article and thought I would provide feedback. If you have questions on the article I mentioned, you may contact the Dallas News. Thank you for your time.

Maxwell J. Brunner
Lieutenant
Menomonee Falls Fire Department
Email- [email protected]

I responded to this very interesting email with a few thoughts of my own. My first suspicion would be that the tubing acts like a lightning rod of sorts. The thin walls of CSST might not seem to handle as much of a strike as black iron. Black iron is so much thicker that it may actually take a lightning strike better.

I suggest you look up the article in the Dallas News if you want more details.

February 2007

We received a notification from Jack Tracy of Houston, TX, about the ban having been lifted. Read about it in the Dallas News Archives - Publish Date: July 16, 2003.

We have only read the title and summary and have not purchased the article from the Dallas News.

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Manufacturers of CSST Tubing

This industry is basically a newborn. The CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) material has only been approved for use since 1988! That is a blink of an eye in terms of marketing and brand/product awareness. Even though little time has passed since the debut of the unique material, there are still a significant number of players in the field. I expect this wonderful piping material to eventually knock black iron pipe on its butt. It will take a while as it always does. Plumbing distributors have to be convinced that there is a market for the material before they stock it. It is a Catch-22 type of scenario.

You find CSST at plumbing supply houses. These are wholesale stores that sell pipe and materials to plumbers. Look in your Yellow Pages under "Plumbing-Supplies". Stroll into the stores and look at the CSST displays and literature. You will be amazed at how nifty it is!

• Gastite

• OmegaFlex
• Parker Parflex
• Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.
  
• Ward Wardflex

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Cost Comparisons

You are faced with a large gas line installation project. What is the most cost effective method? Well, it depends. If you have a reasonable plumber in your area who has been trained on how to use CSST, then it might be the hands down winner. The type of job also makes a difference. If there are lots and lots of bends, twists, and turns, then CSST and soft copper might massacre black iron.

You will have to get bids and see how it all turns out. One thing is for sure. As CSST becomes more and more accepted by professionals, the cost of the material will drop and this will benefit you the consumer. You will also find that improvements will allow homeowners to install the material with relative ease. Many companies who now make CSST do not want the average homeowner to install their product. They want plumbers to attend special, and necessary, training sessions.

Following is a cost comparison of four different jobs. Look at the numbers closely, especially the material and labor differentials. There are four different situations: House A is a small house with just a furnace and hot water heater. House B is a medium-sized house with a furnace, hot water heater, and two other gas appliances. House C has mid-level pressure - 2 PSI - a furnace, hot water heater and 4 other gas appliances. House D has mid-level pressure, two furnaces, two hot water heaters and six other gas appliances. CSST will usually only save money on larger jobs. Table Data courtesy of Omegaflex: