PEX plumbing
I've been researching a bit about PEX tubing for retrofitting home plumbing. It looks like a lot of positives with few drawbacks, but I'm concerned with longevity and reliability.
I'm thinking about starting a parallel installation, putting in a manifold I can expand, and re-plumbing piece meal. Would anyone care to share their experiences, good or bad? Thoughts on price, ease of installation, etc?
My pipe-sweating skills leave a lot to be desired, thus my inclination to explore the PEX.
Thanks.
justintime I've done some PEX over the past five years or so. The crimping tool was kind of pricey, but worked well (the tool is not so great in confined spaces, though.)
There were apparently some issues with the brass fittings failing in the past, but so far so good.
You can probably even buy Shark Bite fittings to connect the PEX to copper (had to pay a plumber to install a water-company-mandated check valve on my 3/4 main line and that's what his apparently barely experienced guys used.)
No sweating..... but if you do have to sweat, get a heat shield- they are handy in tight, flammable spots.
jjmonth4 The good: It's much cheaper, for the materials. Installation is easier, particularly when you need to bend it or fish it through a wall. Long-term durability is not a problem, though there have been rare instances where a rodent has chewed through a PEX line--something they can't/won't do, with copper. Apparently, PEX is better to use with acidic water, as the water doesn't corrode it as bad as it does copper.
The bad: You usually need special tools to work with it--they can seem tedious to use, but really, they're not more tedious than copper. Also, sometimes, the lack of "rigidity" doesn't appeal to me. Like when you have the lines coming out to a valve under a sink--they are kind of flopping around a bit, when compared to copper.. In addition, I don't feel as is PEX is as "safe" as copper, if it's in an area where it might be especially subjected to wear or accidental bumping--like in an exposed area in a basement, where young children might pull on it.
In sum, I use it, and most plumbers are using it, as least for most applications. however, there may be some junctions/places you may wish to connect with good ol' copper.
In addition, if you aren't aware if it, they also have the newer snap-on fittings (like the SharkBite brand carried at Home Depot). They're notably more expensive than the traditional fittings, but they are quicker and easier to use.--you can connect a junction in mere seconds, without tools. And removing/replacing junctions (such as wanting to replace a standard coupling with a T coupling) are also quicker and easier.
Finally, if you're going to work with PEX, do some good online research and maybe watch some YouTube videos. There are some tricks and quirks with it, that you should be aware of.
JerseyWolf Good info, thanks.
About the check valve, do you know if this is a local requirement (Great Meadows) when using PEX? I'm also thinking about putting the shut off valves on the manifold instead of under the sink/ behind the toilet etc, wondering if that would be an issue. I'll have to talk to the building inspector anyway but would like to be informed.
My husband has been using this for any repairs we've had to do and also in renovating our bathroom. Our home was built in 74 and due to the acidic well water we've had our share of repairs so when this stuff came out my husband was thrilled. I really can't speak as technically as the previous posters have, but I can tell you that wherever we've switched from copper up PEX that there really haven't been any issues. The only issue I can even recall had to do with a particularly small fitting - my husband said that it was a bit of a hassle to work with the PEX at that size and angle. My husband is very handy and had all the necessary tools required to work with the stuff. I think if you aren't as skilled and don't have the proper tools that you might find yourself in bind, but honestly I think it's more of a learning curve than anything else. You need yo have patience and precision to work with the stuff and that comes over time.
Antimony Thanks Antimony. I've used plenty of compression style fittings in industrial applications so I'm comfortable with the concept. I can see the crimp style being more technique, but the tool looks to be similar in action to the ratcheting electrical crimping tool I've used and I'm quite comfortable with that.
Appreciate the comments.
Pex is good stuff. Defintely had some issues with the crimps when it first came out years ago, but seem to have made them much better now. The only thing I don't like about it is that it looks cheap and not as clean of an install as copper. You will need to use about 5 times as many clamps to keep the pipe from sagging
forcefed4door I know it has been in use for years with good results but i can't help but think one day they are going to find out PEX causes cancer or autism or something. It's all copper for me. I learned how to sweat joints really well so it isn't a problem.
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