The Super Official Homeowners Thread

[Steve85]

Also, plastic pipe is so much easier to work with than copper.

Yes, yes, yes and yes! Sweating copper in a tight space is such a huge pain in the ass. Even using a ton of gator bites would make the job you just did much more daunting (and expensive) than using plastic. Replacing old copper can be such a headache because it can be hard to find enough give in the pipe to make the proper adjustments.

Your install looks awesome! Like plumber porn.

Thanks! 

Yeah, not sure I'd want to use my torch rought around all those gas lines. The thing I did like about copper is the slip coupling so you really didn't need any play to get something in-line. I'm not sure how well a glued one would work since it seems you'd have to push the glue out of at least one side. Yeah those gator bites make it tempting for harry homeowner but they do get expensive...

dang that's a doozy project Steve.  looks like a super clean install though!  my parents run a softener, and have for years, and its really made a difference in the life of not only their water heater but also all the tubs, fittings, and basins.  you'll be surprised how much you might be able to cut back on soap and detergent use as well, the soft water will make that stuff go a long way....i don't know the science behind it but its real.

do me a favor though - don't crank that softener too high though.  my parents do that and i swear i have to rinse my hands off twice every time i wash just to get the soap film off my hands.  drives me crazy.

i put together a cheap temporary veggie garden trellis with pvc pipe last spring and can confirm, PVC cement will F you up if you get your face in it.  i'm not adventurous enough to compare it to tide pods but i don't recommend it.

Thanks! Haha, yeah, I need to see how the default setting works and go from there. I need to check the hardness using water from the outside line and set it. I remember over charging our system in the old house and I couldn't get out of the shower, just felt like I still had soap all over. Reminds me of the videos where someone keeps pouring shampoo on someones head without them knowing and they keep rinsing and rinsing...

Serious question. Why is the water so jacked up in the south? We have no issues up here and nobody has a softener.

I think it's just differences in the level of water treatment or even the source? I grew up in MoCo and our water was really good, even treated with flouride (maybe that's common) so we didn't have one. The house before this one was well fed and mys first intoduction to water softeners. I was kind of surprised to need one here on municipal water. My parents live at Bryce Resort and they never had one when it was well and don't need one now after the mountain got "city" water service. I don't think my brother in NC has one either.