I'm hiring a contractor to redo the tile in our tub/shower and I'm going to take the chance to replace some old three handle set up with a new one handle set up.

We have an access panel to the water supply for the tub and shower. It looks like the previous owners connected braided supply lines to the copper and ran that to the bath valve and up to the copper line that goes to the showerhead. Since the walls will be taken down and strip down to the studs I thought this would be a good time to replace the supply lines with PEX.

Anyways, I've read a bunch online but wanted to see what my fellow ags thought. I would like to DIY replace everything with PEX while the walls on the inside are open. Easiest way appears to be to shark bite the copper at the bottom to start PEX running up to the valve. However, is there a reliable way to rig a single handle valve to accept the braided hot and cold supply lines? So that I could use the existing hot and cold supply to the valve and then just run new PEX up to the shower?

I thought braided lines aren't allowed to be used inside a wall. Re-piping the entire house wouldn't be a bad idea looking at that picture.

Yeah for reference, I live in a very old house in Pennsylvania (built in 1900). Not sure on the exact code requirements, but I think they are allowed as long as there is a permanent access panel (which there is).

Just talked to my super handy neighbor and he said that he would guide me to replace it with PEX. So I'm going to go that route and ditch the braids.

I have no experience with them, but would not use a sharkbite fitting in this application. If installed correctly, they should last for many years but that rubber o-ring is going to give out at some point. That's ok if it was going to be a temporary installation that isn't buried in a wall, but that's not really the case here.

I wouldn't use anything that relies on a rubber gasket to seal, including braided lines or shark bite.

PEX crimps are easy to install and verify correct install with a gauge. I wouldn't use Push-to-Connect fittings. Shark bite (brand) does sell crimps and they're easy to use.

I'll vote another to ditch the braided lines and go PEX.

If you could, you might replace as much as you can with PEX to prevent 1,000 connections. But that's me.

~egon

Quailmeezy said:

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I'm hiring a contractor to redo the tile in our tub/shower and I'm going to take the chance to replace some old three handle set up with a new one handle set up.

We have an access panel to the water supply for the tub and shower. It looks like the previous owners connected braided supply lines to the copper and ran that to the bath valve and up to the copper line that goes to the showerhead. Since the walls will be taken down and strip down to the studs I thought this would be a good time to replace the supply lines with PEX.

Anyways, I've read a bunch online but wanted to see what my fellow ags thought. I would like to DIY replace everything with PEX while the walls on the inside are open. Easiest way appears to be to shark bite the copper at the bottom to start PEX running up to the valve. However, is there a reliable way to rig a single handle valve to accept the braided hot and cold supply lines? So that I could use the existing hot and cold supply to the valve and then just run new PEX up to the shower?

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Not to mention those braided lines are seriously cutting down the water flow/pressure.

Yikes. I'd Repipe as well

Those aren't making a difference in pressure at those lengths. I'd still change them. LOL. For sure.

dudeabides said:

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I have no experience with them, but would not use a sharkbite fitting in this application. If installed correctly, they should last for many years but that rubber o-ring is going to give out at some point. That's ok if it was going to be a temporary installation that isn't buried in a wall, but that's not really the case here.

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I've experienced bad situations with sharkbite fittings and have seen several failures that resulted in house floodings as a result of DIYers relying on them. Friends of ours used sharkbite caps to temporarily cap off the hot and cold supply lines for a bathtub faucet that was delayed in shipping for several days. They were away from the house for about 8 hours and when they returned, the house was flooded as one of the sharkbite caps blew off.

I only use sharkbite connectors in a pinch for a temporary fix as I don't trust them any farther than I can throw them! I had one pop of in a temporary fix as well and I did everything to make a good fit connection, but it still blew off as well. So yes, they are not the way to go as far as I'm concerned.

I use PEX all the time but I sweat a transition fitting (as seen below) on the copper line and then use a crimp clamp to connect the PEX line to the fitting.