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shark bite

mrfixitusa | Posted in General Discussion on May 30, 2009 06:07am

I talked to a master plumber this morning and told him about the house we’re remodeling.

We’re redoing the kitchen and two bathrooms and we’ve replaced the main shut off valve, the shut off valve to the H 2 0 heater, and the wash machine faucets

I told him how I’m using a lot of shark bite couplers etc and he said “too bad you’re not a real plumber”

I said “how so?”

He said a real plumber would not use shark bites fittings.

A real plumber would fix things the right way with soldered fittings etc

I guess I didn’t see it that way and we’re getting a lot of use out of shark bite fittings.

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Replies

  1. spindrift67 | May 30, 2009 06:50pm | #1

    The master plumber at my job doesn't normally use it but thinks it's very useful in many applications like temporary fittings or caps for testing or maybe small jobs. Your M.P. is fearful of you/ others  taking work from him. If it works then why not. It cost more but then again labor isn't cheap either. 

    1. mrfixitusa | May 30, 2009 07:24pm | #2

      We're working on a house where we have done a lot of plumbingWe've fixed leaky 1/2 copper pipesReplaced bathtub and shower valvesReplaced the main shut off and the shut off valve for the water heaterWe were looking at just using the shark bite connections in situations which would allow us to avoid soldering a pipe with water in itBut it's so much easier and faster to use the shark bites that we are just using them for everything.It has saved me from standing in a fiberglass shower pan and worrying about dripping hot solder onto the fiberglassIt has saved us a lot of time.But we did use one where we probably shouldn't haveWe used one to connect the 1/2 copper for the bathtub spout (we threaded a shark bite connector to the bathtub valve) Shark bites have a certain amount of play or movement and we didn't use a strap to secure the 1/2 pipe for the spout and so as a result it had some movement and it wasn't secured in place like it should beOther than that they have saved us a lot of time and trouble.

      1. spindrift67 | May 30, 2009 07:39pm | #3

        I know how frusterating it can be to sweat pipe with water in it. Not use to freezing pipes I had to fix many leaks under a house after a very cold winter night. Work at night in the cold stuffing bread up there, turning on valve  to test, just to do it all over again cause the water would not stay put. I finally quit. And a plumber told me to use compression fittings. WOW that was so easy and I didn't care how much it cost extra! Most people just think about material cost and don't think how much time you can save.

        That's why I like this forum. There are so many different ideas and opinions you just have to match your situation with what makes sense to you.

      2. jayzog | May 31, 2009 02:06am | #12

        Sweat joints are rigid, sharkbites are not. Whatever time saved fitting the pipes is lost trying to strap things to stay in place. Add the cost of the fittings.... won't be selling my torch anytime soon.

  2. 9ENGEL | May 30, 2009 07:50pm | #4

    I'm sure somewhere there is an old retired plumber who considers current plumbers use of ABS/PVC drains to be hack work.

    Times change

    1. User avater
      BillHartmann | May 30, 2009 08:59pm | #5

      They don't have to be retired.Talk to almost any where the code does not allow it, such as in Chicago, but is in some of the outlying areas.And of course it is sold at HD and is "used" inside the city..
      William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe

  3. User avater
    rjw | May 30, 2009 10:19pm | #6

    It's my understanding that a "real plumber" can sweat a fitting for a lot less per fitting than installing a shark bite.

    Depending on the situation, I can too, but I make a lot less per hr than a plumber when I do work for hire.

    If I didn't know how to sweat a fitting, shark bites might be a more economical way ti go (if the investment in time learning to sweat one wouldn't pay off in the future.)


    "Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

    Howard Thurman


    http://rjw-progressive.blogspot.com/

  4. Biff_Loman | May 30, 2009 10:54pm | #7

    I had a 'real plumber' helping me in his off time, roughing in some drains in my basement. But as soon I asked if he'd help me move some supply lines, he said:

    "I don't do copper."

    Think of that.

    Anyways, I just tried using a Sharkbite for the first time a couple weeks ago, doing a plumbing repair in my rental. I wouldn't bury them in any walls, but I pretty much fell in love with sharkbites and will use them as much as possible for rework.

    1. User avater
      Sphere | May 31, 2009 01:26am | #11

      I just added a garden hose bib today to my existing copper I did 5 yrs ago. It took me longer to find the tubing cutter than to run a 10' pex off a sharkbite T to a Female thread on the bib.

      I love it.  20 mins maybe to do the whole thing, no waiting for dry pipes, no fussing with els and straights, just plug and play.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

      Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

      "If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt

      View Image

    2. rez | Jun 01, 2009 05:41pm | #13

      Wondering if the term 'Sharkbite' is becoming the generic term for the fittings much as Kleenex became the term for facial tissue

      or if Sharkbite name fittings are becoming the go-to guy much as VHS pushed out beta tapes and cassettes beat out the 8-track?And now he could feel it- that inevitable craving for cookies! It happened every time he left his firewall down.          -Heck '02Elvis had all that he could take from Raven fans, both of them!                                                                              -Crash '02

  5. bobtim | May 30, 2009 11:23pm | #8

    one of the biggest plumbing outfits ( and without a doubt, the most expensive) uses, almost exculisvy, copper fittings with an internal rubber o ring. They use a crimper machine to install them.  They say the company warrents the fittings fo 30 years.

    I would guess this saves them lots of money, no fire risk, less possible damage, works on wet pipes, etc.

    I still have my doubts about the life of a rubber o-ring, but lots of people seem to trust them

    1. User avater
      rjw | May 30, 2009 11:55pm | #9

      >>They say the company warrents the [o-ring] fittings fo 30 years.Fuuny, I see lots of copper fitting more than 60 years old.....

      "Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

      Howard Thurmanhttp://rjw-progressive.blogspot.com/

      1. bobtim | May 31, 2009 12:18am | #10

        Yea, I guess those are the "new and improved" fittings!

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