Real Plumbers Sweat

[Robert Scott]

Impossible to find any of the new young plumbers that know how to sweat copper so I ended up doing the whole job myself and I was indeed sweating in this heat....all the guys I called said they only use Pex or sharkbite junk. Never in my house! Seems like if your contractor doesn't know what an S&H Greenstamp is then you are not going to get a quality job.

[PWC]

They must not be journeyman plumber or steamfitter. I believe the ability to fit copper is still required. Wonder if they know what oakum is?

[togor]

Yes was thinking the same thing. In electrical, Romex is common but in some applications Bx is still called for and guys have to know how to work with it. Gotta believe commercial plumbing apps still require copper. But Pex looks way faster if I ever put in that water softener.

[Sunray]

Don't know about Stateside(can't imagine it being different.), but there are very few opportunities for new apprentices in any trade, up here. The companies, including the car makers and other big manufacturers, have been whining about not being able to find employees for 30 years or more. What they mean is tradesmen with 5 to 10 years experience. They have outright refused to train or even hire new apprentices. They say training is the government's responsibility. If the government gives 'em money for training the job lasts as long as that money keeps coming in. As long as the program lasts, so does the apprentice's job.
"...know how to sweat copper..." If the guy can't do that he's not a trained plumber.

[Merc]

Pex and sharkbites are the new future of plumbing. Quick and easy. Jobs are finished in minutes instead of hours. I’ve used sharkbites in areas where sweating was impossible. Now, the question is, will either of these two still be working in 50 or 60 years? Sweated copper will.

[togor]

Now, the question is, will either of these two still be working in 50 or 60 years? Sweated copper will.

Exactly!!

[Robert Scott]

After I finished this project and crawling out from under my house last week a friend of mine was standing there. He admitted to being a firm believer in Pex until a rodent ate through the line on one of his rental properties. The water damage to the first floor ceiling was substantial. He didn't tell me what it cost to repair but I am sure it wasn't cheap.

[Allen]

My daughter bought a house about 10-11 years ago. It was a foreclosure so I had to do some light repairs including replacing the hot water heater. I discovered that since the house was built in 1994 the plumbing used is the now banned polybutylene. All the pipes I have encountered have been flexible and mostly like new though. Replacing any of it is not an option, at least not for me. What I ran into was that when I installed the new heater I could use plastic or copper from the heater but had to connect it to the old stub out pipes coming from the wall which is the water supply and exit which again is the polybutylene. W/O the special polybutylene crimping tool I was limited on how to connect the two different type pipes so I used a couple of sharkbites against my better judgment but guess what? They are holding tight w/o leaking a drop and looks as though they will last till the next WH replacement. I wouldn't hesitate using them again where a screwed or sweated connection is not possible. As far as sweating copper pipe goes I've never had any problems. I've even been able to run the solder "uphill" when soldering joints.

[Clark Howard]

My Dad, a real plumber, taught me to sweat a copper joint when I was nine years old.

[free1954]

My daughter bought a house about 10-11 years ago. It was a foreclosure so I had to do some light repairs including replacing the hot water heater. I discovered that since the house was built in 1994 the plumbing used is the now banned polybutylene. All the pipes I have encountered have been flexible and mostly like new though. Replacing any of it is not an option, at least not for me. What I ran into was that when I installed the new heater I could use plastic or copper from the heater but had to connect it to the old stub out pipes coming from the wall which is the water supply and exit which again is the polybutylene. W/O the special polybutylene crimping tool I was limited on how to connect the two different type pipes so I used a couple of sharkbites against my better judgment but guess what? They are holding tight w/o leaking a drop and looks as though they will last till the next WH replacement. I wouldn't hesitate using them again where a screwed or sweated connection is not possible. As far as sweating copper pipe goes I've never had any problems. I've even been able to run the solder "uphill" when soldering joints.

I tend to agree with you on the pex and the shark bites. even the old time plumbers agree on the pex. it doesn't fill up with corrosion as fast as copper. when it first came out there was trouble with the fittings but I think that was fixed. I've used the shark bites at home only on sink and toilet shutoffs.

[Liam]

EPDM (in Sharkbite) + chlorinated H2O (over time) = unknown. Otherwise, for the professional, ease of use makes it quite attractive.