Running Water Lines Through the Attic

Because of the size of the members in the framing wall, we needed to run the water line through the attic. The home owner wanted to run pex A, because it is more friendly than Pex B. Pex a doesn’t expand as much and the fittings are stronger and easier to install. He also wanted to have manifolds for the hot and cold-water supply to avoid the sudden temperature change of another rooms water being demanded.

              We counted the number of cold waters demands we be needing and then the hot.  Because toilets and ice makers don’t need hot supply line the cold manifold is typically larger. I started drilling the holes need for the location to the source for each line and then started running the hot water line for each location. After cutting each line I stapled the neatly into place above the Ceiling joist to keep them from adding labor to the Rafter’s mid span blocking. I also insured that all the stacks were below the top of the rafters and that they were all ending in an area where I could easily access them when needed. On this project I extended the electric 2” line, because it would have been more troublesome to place the 90% angle after the sheeting. I did not connect the to line because I need to add a box in the cabinet location because to pull wires through the lines you shouldn’t have more than 3 bends. I ran the hot water through red pex. At the end of this process, we had extra line so I asked if he’d like a hot water facet out front to clear his cars and equipment with.

I then started pulling the blue plex cold water supply lines. If you choose to use one color then I’d recommend using the white pex. I ran these line as I had the cold but I stapled them in a nearby but separate location. The are races that I snapped the plex into to add them in making their turns to the final locations. I connected them to pre-made copper ½” 90% turn lines with nailing flanges and bullet ends. I then put connected these to a block that would snugly fit between the framing members and nailed the block in place with the penetrations at 22 through 24 inches off floor for sinks. I let the tub line run wild as they will be connected to the shower tubs mixing valves and the toilets are at 8&1/4 through 10&1/4 of the floor. When possible, I like to have the valves of the sink finish 4” on each side of the drain line and a few inches hire the drain.

This project is simple to do but if you make an error, it could be costly to repair the water damage to your project. The attic was the preferred location by the home owner because of the ease of repairing if need be. I did warn of the possible danger of water damage.

Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662. He’s a member of the CRMLS and The East Valley Association of Realtors located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.