Question about Attic Plumbing

[John Paul]

Going to have a home built in the next year or so and was curious if anyone had any experience with the fresh water being plumbed through attic and walls? From what I understand so far is it is extremely less expensive. Thanks in advance.

[Mudslinger]

It is if you have enough insulation in the walls and ceiling to keep the pipes from freezing. I have seen both happen and it is not a pretty sight. If you have a pipe break in a foundation, it is expensive to fix also. It is probably less expensive, but make sure you have more than enough insulation for the pipes in the walls and ceiling.

[Dale Moser]

I wouldn't even consider it unless you have the under side of the roof, and the walls spray foamed.

[Dale Moser]

You better check on insurance too. They may have issues with having plumbing in the attic.

[Floor Man]

Most houses are plumbed with Pex now days which is ran through the attic. Don't worry about freezing it's almost impossible to bust.

[Sparkles]

We have some plumbing in our attic. Home owners insurance never asked about it.

[Todd-ty729]

I wouldn't even consider it unless you have the under side of the roof, and the walls spray foamed.

This for sure! Look very hard at the attic foam in the roof joist.

You better check on insurance too. They may have issues with having plumbing in the attic.

I am not aware of any issues that insurance companies have ever had with it.

Most houses are plumbed with Pex now days which is ran through the attic. Don't worry about freezing it's almost impossible to bust.

It is becoming standard in most new track homes and even seeing it more in spec or custom homes. Time will tell how it holds up.

[Randy]

It is becoming standard in most new track homes and even seeing it more in spec or custom homes. Time will tell how it holds up.

When I built my house I used pex in the attic with a manifold system. Its been flawless so far..

I do have one complaint. In the summer time when its 115 outside my cold water is hotter than my hot water due to the attic temperature.

It takes a good while to run all of the "hot" cold water out of the manifolds to take a shower without roasting yourself.

[Todd-ty729]

When I built my house I used pex in the attic with a manifold system. Its been flawless so far..

I do have one complaint. In the summer time when its 115 outside my cold water is hotter than my hot water due to the attic temperature.

It takes a good while to run all of the "hot" cold water out of the manifolds to take a shower without roasting yourself.

The foam in the roof joists will fix that! Nothing else you can really do about.

[clintb]

Most houses are plumbed with Pex now days which is ran through the attic. Don't worry about freezing it's almost impossible to bust.

Yes most are plumbed with pex now a days but around here they are not plumbed through the attic. I do small homes all the way up to multi million dollars homes here and none run through the attic UNLESS its an after thought on something. I personally would not run through the attic and I have seen pex bust from freezing.

[az2tx]

Yes most are plumbed with pex now a days but around here they are not plumbed through the attic. I do small homes all the way up to multi million dollars homes here and none run through the attic UNLESS its an after thought on something. I personally would not run through the attic and I have seen pex bust from freezing.

Are you running it all in the walls or underslab? If underslab what do you wrap it with?

[Johnny Dangerr]

Living in Houston I never thought about under the house. We always have it in our attics.

[pistolpete]

we average about 100 roughs a month and its all pex and 95% is run in the attic. for most places here in the DFW area if the pex is ran under the slab, the entire hot side is insulated and the cold only where it come through the slab. its just basic 3/8 thickness wall insulation. normally you will have a pex manifold in the garage which runs to the entire house in the attic. every bit of pex in the attic will\should be insulated. even with the pex insulated, the water lines will be about the same temp as your attic temp.

[Floor Man]

we average about 100 roughs a month and its all pex and 95% is run in the attic. for most places here in the DFW area if the pex is ran under the slab, the entire hot side is insulated and the cold only where it come through the slab. its just basic 3/8 thickness wall insulation. normally you will have a pex manifold in the garage which runs to the entire house in the attic. every bit of pex in the attic will\should be insulated. even with the pex insulated, the water lines will be about the same temp as your attic temp.

Yep. When Pex first came out it was mostly used on track homes. We do floors on mostly very large 20,000 sqft plus homes and almost all are now Pex overhead.

[John Paul]

Thank you everyone. Allota info..