DIY Network

The Future of Waterworks From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-213

In this second segment host Jeff Wilson discusses home plumbing and heating options for your home. You'll see how choosing the right tubing creates better water flow and faster water heating.

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New Technology

Technological advancements have created a new kind of tubing for plumbing -- PEX tubing (figure A). It's flexible and easily bends around corners, revolutionizing the way to run plumbing lines.

Polyethylene tubing, also known as PEX, has come a long way in a short time. The product has been tested under a long-term, high-pressure, high-temperature testing that has a life span of what is estimated at more than 100 years.

PEX tubing eliminates many challenges that homeowners face with traditional piping. For example, with copper tubing the plumber has to stop every time a connection has to be made at a joint, which includes cutting and soldering. With PEX tubing the plumber just makes one connection straight to the fixture (figure B), which is an extremely efficient way to plumb a house.

Note: Also, the versatility of the polyethylene makes for an easier installation, and if a "kink" does occur it's easy to repair.

Figure A

Figure B

	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

Not only may you see a change in how the water flows to your fixture in the future, but you may also see a shift in how your water is heated. Consider the point-of-use heater (figure C). This is a small water heater designed to supply hot water at one specific point of location. It can "instantly" heat up to six gallons of water, and it's a great way to save water.

Did You Know? You can waste up to eight gallons of water waiting for your shower to heat up.

The traditional water heater, supplying hot water for your entire home, may be replaced in the future with the energy-efficient tankless water heater (figure D). Instead of storing hot water, it heats the water as you use it. The nice thing about a tankless water heater is that it turns on as soon as you turn the water on, and it can be either gas or electric. The water goes through the unit and is heated, so as soon as you turn the unit off the water goes off as well.

Installation of a tankless water heater is somewhat more costly, but the convenience again and the energy efficiency and saved space (tankless water heaters are smaller than the traditional ones) are things that most homeowners can appreciate.

The radiant heat flooring system (figure E) is another new technology that's energy efficient and convenient for homeowners. This is a system that utilizes hydronics -- water going through the PEX tubing in the floor. The water in the tubing radiates the heat into the structure. The tubing is actually buried in the concrete, and the hot water flows through -- heating the concrete and the whole surface, which in turn helps to heat the whole room.

This "clean" form of heating is quiet and there's no dust or allergens blowing around.

In the next segment Jeff talks about getting wired for the home of the future.

GUESTS :

Benjamin Clavan
Architect, AIA
E-mail: benjamic@earthink.net

Greg Allen
Site Supervisor
Hendolhurst Homes
955 Markman Park Rd.
Baden, PA 15005
Phone: 724-935-5658
Fax: 724-935-0884
E-mail: gcrbs@adelphia.net

John Holton
Senior Architect
Ibacos
Website: www.ibacos.com

Kirk Vigil
Regional Sales Mgr.
Wirsbo Co.
5925 148th St. W.
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Toll-free: 800-321-4739
Phone: 952-891-2000
Fax: 952-891-2008
Website: www.wirsbo.com

Duncan Prahl
R.A., Senior Building Scientist
IBACOS Website: www.ibacos.com

Bob Balzar
Director
Nevada Power Co.
6226 W. Sahara
E-mail: bbalzar@nevp.com

Gale Tedhams
Insulation Products Manager
Owens Corning
3000 Hasty Rd.
Toledo, OH 43615
Phone: 419-248-8978
E-mail: gale.tedhams@owenscorning.com

Al Sain
Homeowner
7117 Fairway Dr.
Butler, PA 16001
Phone: 724-865-3056
E-mail: alsain@zbzoom.net

Regina Zernay
CMTS, Inc.
Phone: 310-390-9558

John Gilmore
President
Elite Custom Audio and Video
5505 Moreno St.
#104
Montclair, CA 91763
Phone: 909-931-2835
E-mail: john@elitecustomaudiovideo.com
Website: www.elitecustomaudiovideo.com

Mills Pierre
Urban Planner
E-mail: mills@millspierre.com

Steve Soberoff
5510 Lincoln Blvd, Suite 100
Buena Vista, CA 90094
Phone: 310-448-4601
E-mail: Ssoboroff@playavista.com

Jerry Axelrod
1306 Kingsdale Ave.
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Phone: 310-370-8575
E-mail: sdgav@aol.com