Construction practices question

[RCH99]

Look up your account on HCAD and click the ' ownership history ' button.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by RCH99

Look up your account on HCAD and click the ' ownership history ' button.

I didn't know that ! Thanks.

[usc619]

Originally Posted by atlantis7

There are many other examples of sheer DUMBTH in building in Houston (perhaps all over Texas). Another is putting the main breaker panel on the side of your house outside. Hey, that makes me feel safe! NEVER, Had I ever seen that until I came to Texas

Welcome to Texas where the politicians are bought and sold by developers and builders

[EasilyAmused]

A lot of the older homes in Houston have the hot water heaters in the attic because they have DETACHED garages in the back of the house. The water would have to travel very far to get to the masters which are usually on the other side of the house.

I would never buy one of these new builds with a hot water heater in the attic if the garage was attached. Being that I have had a hot water heater give way and flood the area below it, I think it's unacceptable for the tract homes to do it that way. But I'm more than willing to deal with the risk to not have the garage at the front of the house.

My electric panel is in the detached garage...a much safer option. I don't understand having the panel on the outside of the house either. Pretty easy to mess with those things.

[1751texan]

Could it be that the builder didnt lay the copper pipe in the concrete slab as is normal, but is reaching the hot spouts by a drop in the wall method? I hope he isnt using PVC tubing...

[CoderGeek]

Originally Posted by 1751texan

Could it be that the builder didnt lay the copper pipe in the concrete slab as is normal, but is reaching the hot spouts by a drop in the wall method? I hope he isnt using PVC tubing...

My house, built about 7 months ago now, uses that plastic coiled stuff (not any PVC I am familiar with, definitely not copper) and my hot water heater is in the (attached) garage. Across from my hot water heater is my water panel (essentially a breaker panel, but for water to individual water "pipes" - separate switches for hot and cold).

My electric breaker panel is also inside my garage as well.

I never quite understood why anyone would want to have a breaker panel for their electric outside the house where anyone can just turn it off as a prank.

[RCH99]

^ You have what is called a PEX plumbing system. It's polyethylene tubing. It comes in red and blue coils and is installed using mechanical compression fittings only. It's use is becoming popular by primarly high volume production builders because it can be installed quickly and therefore, cheaper.
The "breaker" box you're referring to is called the manifold. It receives the main service line and distributes water to every fixture, toilet, or tub in the house via it's own dedicated hot and cold line. This piping has been around for many years. It's use in new home construction is relatively new. Time will tell whether or not it performs as designed long term. It would be nice if the manifold itself wasn't entirely made out of the cheapest plastic material known to man.

[CoderGeek]

Originally Posted by RCH99

^ You have what is called a PEX plumbing system. It's polyethylene tubing. It comes in red and blue coils and is installed using mechanical compression fittings only. It's use is becoming popular by primarly high volume production builders because it can be installed quickly and therefore, cheaper.
The "breaker" box you're referring to is called the manifold. It receives the main service line and distributes water to every fixture, toilet, or tub in the house via it's own dedicated hot and cold line. This piping has been around for many years. It's use in new home construction is relatively new. Time will tell whether or not it performs as designed long term. It would be nice if the manifold itself wasn't entirely made out of the cheapest plastic material known to man.

Yeah, my builder (DR Horton) noted they had major issues with the early manifolds, having to replace many of them under warranty, and they installed a newer generation manifold in my house that hopefully wouldn't break as easily.