[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: [BULK] Re: [BULK] Re: PEX tubing

[Irina Golfman]

Andy,

I know many people on this list can reply to this in a more competent and 
technical way, but your post touched a soar point. We just had a brand new 
forced hot water system installed (cast iron Burnam radiators and 
baseboard). Alas, the installer didn't pressure test and we ended up with 
lots of small leaks and drips after a week of running the system. I am told 
that a properly administered pressure test would have avoided the problem.

Irina

At 03:54 PM 2/12/2007, Andy Foldes wrote:
>Speaking as a pool man who has no choice but to pressure test lines all the
>time, it passes my understanding why anyone would ever want to pressure test
>anything other than a fully flooded and bled line. Water being
>incompressible, any leaks show up immediately. Air on the other hand can
>leak out happily for some time before registering a significant drop on the
>usual semi-sensitive gotta-tap-it-to-see-it gauge often used for this type
>of thing. Of course I know nothing about PEX or radiant systems.
>
>Andy Foldes
>Swimergy
>
>On 1/19/07, Lawrence Lile <LLile at projsolco.com> wrote:
> >
> > The trick we finally settled on was to check the pressure in the
> > afternoon, hopefully at the same temperature as the day before.  24 hours
> > without any pressure drop ought to prove the point.
> >
> > What actually occured though, was we filled the pipes in the evening after
> > a long day's sun, then checked them in the morning after a chilly May
> > morning. Pressure was down about 5 lbs.   After a lot of running around,
> > shouting, pointing fingers, and whacking people over the head with rubber
> > chickens, the pressure was back up by afternoon all by itself.  The
> > contractor, never hearing about Boyle's law, let all the air out of the
> > pipes, checked a bunch of connections, re-pressurized them, squirted soap
> > all over them, and this sort of thing went on for a day or two until I
> > showed up on site and said "Well of course there will be less pressure on a
> > cold morning."
> >
> > --Lawrence Lile, P.E.
> >
> > ________________________________
> >
> > From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org on behalf of Chris Green
> > Sent: Thu 1/18/2007 9:11 PM
> > To: Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
> > Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: [BULK] Re: PEX tubing
> >
> >
> >
> > Lawrence Lile wrote
> > > If the temperature drops from the time you pressurize it, to the time
> > > you check the pressure in a few days, your plumbers will run around like
> > > keystone cops trying to find the nonexistent leaks.  A little drop in
> > > temperature can cause a drop in air pressure in the pipe.  We struggled
> > > with this, and delayed pouring concrete for a few days while trying to
> > > figure it out.
> > >
> > >
> > > Lawrence Lile, P.E., LEED AP
> > >
> > Thanks. I wasn't aware of this, and would probably never have thought of
> > it.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Chris Green.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Greenbuilding email list
> > List info:
> > http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_listserv.repp.org
> > List email: Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
> > Managed by BuildingGreen, Inc. http://www.buildinggreen.com <
> > http://www.buildinggreen.com/>
> >       publisher of Environmental Building News and GreenSpec(r)
> > Hosted and archived by REPP / CREST http://www.crest.org <
> > http://www.crest.org/>
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Greenbuilding email list
> > List info:
> > http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_listserv.repp.org
> > List email: Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
> > Managed by BuildingGreen, Inc. http://www.buildinggreen.com
> >       publisher of Environmental Building News and GreenSpec(r)
> > Hosted and archived by REPP / CREST http://www.crest.org
> >
>
>
>
>--
>Andy Foldes, Founder
>
>Swimergy Swim Systems
>90-01 31st Avenue
>Jackson Heights, NY 11369
>
>212-674-4567
>swimergy at gmail.com
>_______________________________________________
>Greenbuilding email list
>List info: 
>http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_listserv.repp.org
>List email: Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
>Managed by BuildingGreen, Inc. http://www.buildinggreen.com
>       publisher of Environmental Building News and GreenSpec(r)
>Hosted and archived by REPP / CREST http://www.crest.org
>
>
>__________ NOD32 2056 (20070212) Information __________
>
>This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
>http://www.eset.com

-------------------------------------------------