LESLIE: Lonny in California has a question about plumbing. What can we help you with?
LONNY: Yeah, copper versus PVC. OK, I’m up in the Nevada City area. A lot of iron in the water. I have a well. And what makes the – it’s acidic with your iron in there. Well, I have a filtration system. I have a water softener and all that. But I add the chemicals into my filtration system to compensate for the acidity of the iron, but what happens, when it gets to the point where it gets too acid, it actually attacks the copper.
TOM: Yeah, and you start getting sort of pin holes in the copper.
LONNY: Well, what happens is I get this green in my sink and stuff like that …
TOM: Right.
LONNY: … and stuff like I’ve said; (INAUDIBLE). You know, it’s good for three or four months. And my question is copper versus PVC. Would I be better off with PVC instead of copper in that situation?
TOM: You know what I think the best choice is, Lonny, is neither copper nor PVC but something called PEX, which is cross-linked polyethylene. And that’s a new type of pipe that’s getting a lot of rave reviews right now, both for domestic hot water and for heating systems.
LONNY: You buy that through regular – what? – plumbing outlets?
TOM: Plumbing supply houses, yes. Yep, absolutely.
LONNY: OK, well I appreciate that. Thank you very much.
TOM: You’re welcome, Lonny. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. 888-666-3974.
