question for the plumbers

[Dan]

Hi silvertails plumbers,

I neer to move my hot water system as it currently sits right outside what will be the new kitchen window and on what will become the deck.

I havr a mate doing the wiring and I am just going to use the pex plastic pipe. I am going to keep the current entry point as these pipes will be hidden under a bench top. I was then going to use the plastic push together pipe to take the pipes straight down to deck level then run them 90 degdees along the wall for 3m under a pipe and back into the heater.

All of this is simple enough. Now its fairly warm up here year round, however I was sondering whether j should insulate the hotwater return pipe or whether the plastic really needs this like the copper pipe? I assume it doesbt conduct heat and xold as much as copper and therefore there wont be much heat loss and likewise they shouldnt be too hot to touch.

I am eventually going to hide them behind conduit and was thinking oc spraying spray foam indside the conduit.

More or less my question is do I need insulation and is this setup ok?

 

[manlyfan76]

Oc spraying will not help.

 

[Dan]

I cant really see any major need to even insulate the return pipe, those plastic pipes are fairly well insulated as is. Im just wondering if it is required or if there will be much heat loss? If there is I will use the foam sponge insulation wrap things and put them around the return pipe

 

[Chip and Chase]

I'd say that this would covered by the building code ?? Pe pipe isn't a great conductor of heat but it will still get warm to touch at hot water temperatures. I'd ask the plumbing supply shop where you are buying pex pipe from for their recommendation.

 

[Dan]

But I want the advice of random people on the internet C&C

Im doing some ebay shopping, trying to keep the entire task under $100, bunnings will see me above $100

 

[Chip and Chase]

Ok I should qualify my comments by stating that I am not a plumber.

However AFAIK you need a special tool to install the fittings on PEX pipe. It's not a hand "push together" system.

For the insulation see if you can get hold of some second hand lagging that you can sleeve over the pipe and cable tie.