Water heater supply piping

[Curtis Petty]

Hello my Fellow Inspector,

I have run into this alot recently.I have seen plumbing to hot water side of water heater using cpvc 100p.s.i pipe.From the top of the water heater there has to be copper 4" tube the cpvc crumbles due to heat.It is rated for pressure not temperture.Has anyone found the specific code on this.I was talking with a master plumber who stated you CAN NOT use cpvc or pvc to screw direct into water heat due to temperture damaging the pipe making it brittle to long time heat exposer.Any comments on this or no the correct plubing code I cann't locate where this is.

Working Hard for the Money!

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by cpetty

Hello my Fellow Inspector,

I have run into this alot recently.I have seen plumbing to hot water side of water heater using cpvc 100p.s.i pipe.From the top of the water heater there has to be copper 4" tube the cpvc crumbles due to heat.It is rated for pressure not temperture.Has anyone found the specific code on this.I was talking with a master plumber who stated you CAN NOT use cpvc or pvc to screw direct into water heat due to temperture damaging the pipe making it brittle to long time heat exposer.Any comments on this or no the correct plubing code I cann't locate where this is.

Working Hard for the Money!

Please post a picture of what you are asking about if possible.
CPVC is fine for pressure plumbing on hot or cold.

[Curtis Petty]

A master plumber told me there has to be copper risor of 4" min from thread top entry at water heater.cpvc is rated for pressure not the heat at the top of water heater.I can not find this in the plumbing code at all.

[Curtis Petty]

I don't know how to upload pictures on the message board.I have my ICC certification,but I don't know everthing and never will!This plumbing issue really concerns me because in Ga.Ther flow guard pressure rated 100psi is being used alot.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by cpetty

I don't know how to upload pictures on the message board.

You can learn how here:
http://www.nachi.org/interactive-tutorials.htm#forum

[Bruce A. King]

CPVC should not be closer than 4" and probably 8" would be best.

PEX I think has the same limitations but probably is not an issue.

[homebild]

Originally Posted by cpetty

Hello my Fellow Inspector,

I have run into this alot recently.I have seen plumbing to hot water side of water heater using cpvc 100p.s.i pipe.From the top of the water heater there has to be copper 4" tube the cpvc crumbles due to heat.It is rated for pressure not temperture.Has anyone found the specific code on this.I was talking with a master plumber who stated you CAN NOT use cpvc or pvc to screw direct into water heat due to temperture damaging the pipe making it brittle to long time heat exposer.Any comments on this or no the correct plubing code I cann't locate where this is.

Working Hard for the Money!

This should be a non-issue in Georgia and elsewhere.

Georgia uses the International Resdiential Code plumbing provisions.

The plumbing provisions require that any system that has greater than 80psi innate water pressure to be reduce using a whole house pressure reducing valve.

Because you create a 'closed system' using a pressure reducing valve, the code also requires an expansion tank to be present at the water heater when a pressure reducing valve is used.

There is no limits within the IRC that prohibits CPVC from being plumbed directly into a water heater.

The only 'concern' here is that the pressure of the CPVC pipe should be equal to or greater than the pressure rating on the T&P valve from where it connects from the heater to the expansion tank, and that the temperature rating on the CPVC pipe be equal to or greater than the rating of the T&P valve.

Otherwise there is no issue.