Major plumbing question, need advice

[ronny]

It can be done. I wish I had been there when they did my friends (I said he did it, but actually it was a plumber). He said he didn't suffer that much pressure loss, either.

 

[JonDough]

We had Pex run through a bad line in my parents old house when a line in the slab was leaking. Worked great and never had any more problems out of it.

 

[oneof79]

There should be no solder joints under the slab. Depending on how tight the sweeping bends are one should be able to push pex thru them.

 

[Shadowrider]

Ive had one tell me that he could sometimes depending on the circumstance and length solder new line to the old and pull it through the slab with the old line somehow. Sounded like horse$h!+ to me. Luckily I've not had to find out yet.

 

[criticalbass]

It can be done. I wish I had been there when they did my friends (I said he did it, but actually it was a plumber). He said he didn't suffer that much pressure loss, either.

Pressure isn't the real issue--it's volume, but limited volume is usually described as a pressure issue. Fortunately Plex is real slick and the smaller diameter will carry nearly as much volume as larger older pipe, giving an acceptable flow rate.

 

[Viper16]

I know they have ultrasonic detectors that they can almost pinpoint where the leak is in the slabs, reducing error,...although I have seen an inexperienced plumber could pick up the wrong signals and be on the other opposite end of the pipe.

 

[ronny]

When I had my leak, the first thing I did (after a walk-through and walk-around didn't produce anything) was to shut off the water to the water heater. When I did, I could no longer hear the leak so I knew it was in the hot water line. Then I took off my shoes and socks and walked around inside my house. Sure enough, as it was under a tiled area, at one point I went from a cold floor to a toasty one. Pinpointed it precisely. Had it been a cold water line, I'd have been up a creek.