Water Supply Lines In Exterior Wall

Does the IRC code or any plumbing code prohibit installation of water and drain lines in an exterior wall.

Water supply lines in exterior wall. Wrap the nipple threads with pipe-thread tape and install a tee. Recirculating the water would help guard against freezing but it would be a very big waste of energy. I put insulation between the outside wall.

Having a water line in a chilly exterior wall is generally a recipe for disaster. But less risk is not the same as no risk. Ive wrestled with shallow-soil building situations since the mid-1980s Ive tried a number of different approaches and some of the best freeze-protection plumbing solutions Ive found come from a small Canadian company in the land of rocks and.

The last time we discussed this at Breaktime just a week or two back several people told about drains in exterior walls freezing. All hot and cold water supply pipes should be insulated. On the coldest days it will freeze.

The water line will be between the drywall and the insulation. I ran copper to a set of valves and used sharkbites to connect the pex. Cut pipe squarely with a hacksaw if needed to achieve proper dimensions.

Screw stop valves onto the nipples. This means you need to caulk the gaps between the wall studs and the exterior sheathing and any penetrations or holes in the top and bottom wall plates must be completely sealed. For a shower it is even more important because you want easy access to the valve if something goes wrong.

Bottom line DONT put water lines. The most important role of water lines is to supply hot and cold water to all your fixtures and the second is to act as a drain and vent system. Had one period where it was below zero for over 48 hrs and the line froze.