# Old School - Sweating Copper Pipe vs Sharkbite



## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

Not so much old school, a lot of professional plumbers also feel the way you do. You have the skills, experience, and knowledge needed for sweating copper pipe, which is great, others may not.

For the average homeowner sharkbite is another safe option so they can fix the leak, not get burned or possibly start a fire/burn the house down. 

Personally, I like them and have used them on many occasions. Haven't had any leaks with them yet. You have to make sure they are installed correctly or they will leak. Just my thoughts.

Stay tuned, this topic has been brought up many times on this forum, lets hear what the plumbers have to say. Thanks.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

When I see questions like this it makes me think about the first fiberglass sales person going to the local boat yards and holding up a piece of fiberglass mat and telling this is the future of boat building. They must have thought he was crazy.
Or the first PCV salesman, that's never going to work.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Tubeless tire?? :no: What in he!! will they think of next.


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

I'm still not warming up to pex. My cousin's softener & water heater connection looks like a clown's balloon animal attempt.


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## cibula11 (Jan 6, 2007)

I too have used a shark bite valve when I installed a new water heater. Very easy and no problems. I once was testing the connection at a big box store just to see how it worked....well, I connected the fitting to a pipe and there's no way that was ever coming off. If you have the tools and ability to sweat....awesome. If not, the options seem to be limitless.


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## Chris130 (Feb 3, 2014)

maltonmanor said:


> ... In the end, he offered to give me the sharkbite valve and connector for free just so that I would try it...


Note to self: Self, next time you need some SharkBite fittings, go to HD and score some free ones by playing the skeptic.

:laughing:

Cheers, Chris


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## Javiles (Dec 12, 2011)

I got four sharkbite fittings in my truck brass junk bucket,, just replaced them today all leaking..


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Javiles said:


> I got four sharkbite fittings in my truck brass junk bucket,, just replaced them today all leaking..


I told you not to use those- but you didn't listen.........:laughing:


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## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

I don't know about the sharkbite but I would use them if I had no other option. I used Rehau Pex in my home for domestic water because my wife wanted a separate line for each fixture( no tees with 2 manifolds). I think it would have cost more it I would have used copper. I use soldered copper to heat everything above ground on my solar radiant floor heat and hot potable water and Pex with ferrules and stiffener under ground. Haven't had any problems yet but its only been 6 years.


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

I had too fix so many broken pipes this winter I just used hose and hose clamps. Worked great. Have been going back and sweating everything back together. It is surprising how easy it is too solder when it is sunny and 70 outside.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

I solder it's fixed the first time. I sharkbyte god only knows how long it will last.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

mj12 said:


> I had too fix so many broken pipes this winter I just used hose and hose clamps. Worked great. Have been going back and sweating everything back together. It is surprising how easy it is too solder when it is sunny and 70 outside.


If I can get the pipe dry it's a snap but I didn't have enough money remaining after buying solder to buy a loaf of white bread.:laughing:

Two applications here at the ranch that have farmer's co-op 1" radiator hose. Both at the well pressure tanks. One has been there 35 years and the other 5. Works great.


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

contractor on the condo job were doing ...broke some lines while digging..he and his son thougth they would repair with sharkbite and not tell me.....well guess what... they are leaking....


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## sublime2 (Mar 21, 2012)

Ghostmaker said:


> I solder it's fixed the first time. I sharkbyte god only knows how long it will last.


As long as if not longer then the solder when installed correctly.


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## nards444 (Sep 14, 2012)

really copper and sweating has seen its day, it really provides no better performance than pex and shark bite items, pex is actually better as it doesnt react to water and can expand by like 30% if it freezes.

Now where I do still think copper is good is valves for showers and other like things


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

I used the Shark Bite connectors when I lacked confidence in my copper sweating skills. None of the ones I've used have failed. I prefer to use copper nowadays. The Shark Bites are pricey. If you are doing a lot of connectors, it could get expensive.


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## nards444 (Sep 14, 2012)

Jim F said:


> I used the Shark Bite connectors when I lacked confidence in my copper sweating skills. None of the ones I've used have failed. I prefer to use copper nowadays. The Shark Bites are pricey. If you are doing a lot of connectors, it could get expensive.


 
yeah thats true. If your talking a whole house or something you use the other pex ones, cant remember what they are called they are fairly cheap. But for a quick repair or adding one or two items, shark bites cant be beat.


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