What's the BEST Plumbing System

What’s the best plumbing pipe system? In this video I’ll review Manifolds vs Trunk & Branch vs Uponor Logic - For more info go to www.uponor-usa.com/
Metlund DMand Pumps
gothotwater.com/
Gary Klein Articles on hot water delivery
www.garykleinassociates.com/w...
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[@jmcdonne]

I love Gary Klein's website; just straight up content without wasting half the page on irrelevant graphics. Respect.

[@OAGCougar21]

I'm working on my house plumbing with Uponor right now and trying to address this exact issue. Very helpful and confirmed some of my own speculations. Thanks Matt.

[@utubota5522]

I have used a Manibloc on my last three full house plumbs. I am very happy with it. More often, the simultaneous use is not right to each other. Pressure seems to equalize in the manifold. Also, showers and tubs usually do not have shut offs at the appliance, which means a whole system shut down for any kind of repair. I agree with your assessment regarding the wait time. For me the advantages of the manifold outweigh the disadvantages.

[@halfglassfull]

Wow super timely Matt. Just ran my first PEX-A lines (3/4 and 1/2) to bypass a slab leak. This is a 14 year old house originally piped by drunk plumber. It literally takes 4 minutes for hot water to reach the kitchen. Working out where all the manifolds are to work around the leak we figured a way to locate a water heater closer to the kitchen. Not easy to retrofit and avoid breaking into the slab so with PEX going through the attic is more realistic.

[@AriBenDavid]

There's another consideration on the cold side: In the winter in these parts, the water coming into the house is near freezing. In the summer, it is at least 30 degrees warmer. If you don't let the cold also stabilize as it traverses room temperatures, you will not mix well at faucets and showers.

[@gymjoedude]

Volume = π r² h. Less messy.

[@ckallmes1]

Here in Phoenix we DEFINITELY care about how long it takes to get cold water 😉🏜

[@0nTheGas]

Many many thanks for link to the Gary Klein articles! Really good info. Am very appreciative of the video too, of course. Nice work here!

[@saferat10K]

Matt : "20 seconds, 30 seconds, a minute to get hot water"

[@sleze]

I have a small house but when we did a partial remodel on the cheap, routing the water through existing pathways saved money and money was the name of the game. As a result, the VERY far run takes a good 20 seconds for the hot water to reach the upstairs shower. We are doing a much bigger remodel on the rest of the house and part of it will result in re-running the hot water to the shower with a re-circ pump as Mike here describes. Glad he is validating my research!

[@nathanddrews]

When we remodeled, we replaced our copper "loop" with a Manabloc and pex to each fixture. It's been super reliable and easy to change fixtures and stuff. However, I do need to get the hot water to loop back to the heater because some sinks take a WHILE to get warm.

[@imark7777777]

Interesting I'm gonna have to look forward to the next video. I was doing some research on cold region water distribution and how they avoid freezing. They use two lines unless they're serving hot then they use for lines they will loop through the town and back to the water plant. This both keeps the water from freezing and keeps the hot from losing its temperature.

[@rhoads031]

I think one thing that is always brought up in these "conservancy tactics" is what is the energy consumption of the alternative, I also wonder how this is not running risk of the "Legionella Bacteria", as you are inadvertently creating a heating loop using your water heating source; which in retrospect is why you aren't allowed to cross hydronic heating water with domestic water use. Now I know the water heating source and the system won't have fixtures like a hydronic heat system would, but then in this point why not attempt to plumb the system as both a heating and domestic hot water use, now you will have killed two birds with one stone. But back to the first point, you may save the couple gallons of water from hot water lag time, but now what is the cost of the pump circulating the hot water, and the loss of water heat through circulation causing for increased demand through the hot water system? I know water is a finite source, but at this point in time is so is energy; we haven't graduated to renewable energy dependence. I would like to see a combined system though, i think that would be the greatest benefit to all, ample or secondary heat and on demand hot water.

[@mcintosh.daughter]

Thanks Matt. I love the nerd testing and stats on volume comparison between 1/2 and 3/4. Recirc pumps are definitely on my list of epuipment to implement as standard practice. Though it's a hard sell for some reason. My last two clients declined recirc pumps, and now they regret it. I installed a Veiga Manabloc in 2009 in my first house. I loved the idea of controlling each fixture and eliminating joints. But using less pex with a trunk & branch system and the assurance of ProPex joints I've not installed one since.

[@stevepaglia4805]

Hey Matt, You missed one system - the Gravity Loop System (John Hansen also referred to it). I rehab houses, and I add this feature whenever possible. I have it in my home as well. The water heater needs to be downstairs, where most of the pipes are above it; or in a utility crawlspace. Design the Hot Out of the heater to go straight up for a foot or two. From the farthest hot faucet, bring a return line back, and at some point have it drop downhill at a slope before it gets to the bottom cleanout of the water heater. Put an inline check valve right at the water heater return. All hot water lines must be insulated, except the last 6 to 8 feet of the return. Convection and gravity create a natural slow flow, that keeps the hot charged all the time. We use natural gas water heaters, which are extremely efficient and cost effective. Since all the hot lines are insulated, once they are all charged, the heater hardly has to run to keep the temp up. No pump to turn on and off or replace, no wear from friction from the speed of a constant pump. Beautiful!

[@jlanemiller]

Installing the uponor logic multipurpose system in my new build. It makes total sense with the design layout and number of bathrooms we have.

[@tyroneedge8267]

I invested in a Gary Klein plumbing consultation before starting my renovation project. It was an absolutely amazing value. I ended up with a tight plumbing envelope, a recirc loop, and almost no wait for hot water- which means far less water waste overall as well.

[@chriz1231]

LOVE your videos! Learning so much that I want to add to the house we are planning! Could you do a break down on Wells vs Cisterns?

[@blahblah6061]

Manifold for me due to the removal of temperature fluctuations associated with water usage at other points in the trunk and branch system. My wife can do laundry, dishes, and use the bathroom all while I take a comfortable unchanging temperature shower.

[@anthonylandrum63]

Thanks for sharing both the video and the Klein article.