Rental Property Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2012 · 161 posts · 75 votes
I'm interested on what folks think of PEX. I love the stuff and find myself pulling out perfectly good copper pipes and replacing with PEX. For those of you who have it in use, how long has it been in place? Have you ever had a pipe burst from freezing.
For those of you installing PEX, do you run it using a manifold system or is it more of a traditional branch system?
I've currently use PEX b and have never had a pipe burst. I've done freeze test as well and not been able to burst the pipes. However, I'm always skeptical of the so called "tests" that freeze pipes that aren't under pressure.
Even though I haven't had any issue with the PEXb piping, I'm probably going to switch over to PEXa. I've read that PEXa is even more resistant to bursting.
Rental Property Investor · Cypress, CA · Member since 2014 · 229 posts · 47 votes
11y
I personally also love pex and when ever possible i will use it rather than traditional piping. In regards to the freezing i live in southern California and that is not really something that i have no experience with.
Residential Real Estate Broker · Antioch, IL · Member since 2013 · 87 posts · 34 votes
11y
I like the idea of PEX, haven't had a chance to use it yet. Unfortunately in unincorporated Lake County IL, water lines are required to be copper pipe.
Investor · SE, MI · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 461 votes
11y
We love pex, and from what I understand it can freeze but won't break- it has the ability to expand up to 3x in size which will accommodate the ice. We put it in our own house in 2007 and haven't had an issue yet, will replace piping whenever we have repairs to do on our rental homes with Pex. Ease of installation can't be beat- flexible and no glue, pipe dope or sweating involved!
General Contractor · Midland, TX · Member since 2008 · 160 posts · 24 votes
11y
I love PEX. I especially love that is comes in blue and red, so in addition to being easy to install, it makes is harder to accidentally run hot water to a toilet. (I have seen this happen on 3 different homes run with copper)
Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
11y
We use it on our houses. For us, we are doing new construction and have open trusses and floor joists, and it's very easy to weave it through to reach any location.
Investor · Portland, OR · Member since 2013 · 143 posts · 105 votes
11y
Where do I start... I have done under pressure freeze/thaw tests with PEX and different types of fittings. I used to work for a plumber that hated the "new fangled stuff" and we set out during a slow week to test the claims along with the 4 main types of fittings. Those being cinch rings, crimp rings, SharkBite, and expansion fittings.
This was our test: Each test piece consisted of a brass valve with a 1/2" pex adapter soldered on, a few sections of 1/2" PEX, and various types of fittings. The valve was attached to a 1 foot piece of PEX which went to an 90 degree elbow, then another foot of PEX that ended in a T with a 6" PEX stub on either side, each ending in a plug.
We attached them each to a garden hose (around 40psi if I remember right), filled them to capacity, got as much air as possible out, then closed the valve to retain pressure. All valves went into a deep freezer for 48 hours. Then they were removed and thawed at room temp for another 24 hours before hooking them back up to the hose and checking for leaks.
Upon removing them from the freezer we were surprised to find that not even the brass fittings (or brass SharkBite) fittings had cracked. We assumed this was because the PEX expanded and relieved enough pressure to keep them from cracking. That being said, when the pieces were re-pressurized we found that the cinch rings had expanded enough that the lines were now leaking at 2 of the fittings. The rig with the crimp rings on it had a minor leak around one fitting, and the SharkBite fittings, although not leaking, had moved out about 1/8" up the line from where they started. The real winner was the expansion fittings. Nothing moved, nothing leaked, everything expanded and then shrank right back to what it was supposed to be.
Later on (another slow week) we put together a half dozen 3/4" and 1/2" stubs with a plug on either side and water in the middle. We dipped them in liquid nitrogen (his brother was a science teacher) and then let them thaw. Only one of them leaked. From then on we used PEX and expansion fittings wherever possible.
I personally like copper for my own stuff but if you're rehabbing or re-piping a rental PEX is the way to go.
I'm interested on what folks think of PEX. I love the stuff and find myself pulling out perfectly good copper pipes and replacing with PEX. For those of you who have it in use, how long has it been in place? Have you ever had a pipe burst from freezing.
For those of you installing PEX, do you run it using a manifold system or is it more of a traditional branch system?
I've currently use PEX b and have never had a pipe burst. I've done freeze test as well and not been able to burst the pipes. However, I'm always skeptical of the so called "tests" that freeze pipes that aren't under pressure.
Even though I haven't had any issue with the PEXb piping, I'm probably going to switch over to PEXa. I've read that PEXa is even more resistant to bursting.
We use the Uponor system, (formerly known as Wirsbo, expansion version, no crimp rings). Copper has it's place and so does PEX.
Installing PEX we never install it any differently than we would copper in regards to freeze protection, and I wouldn't advise anybody installing PEX to install it with any less precautions than they would copper, just because it has more resistance to destruction and leaking if it freezes that is no reason to lower standards below standard building practices.
We don't uses PEX-B, there simply isn't enough price difference to overcome the ease of use of PEX-A compared to B to justify it. Only install white PEX, we never mess with the blue and red, there is no requirement for it and the white is less expensive anyways.
My advice - install PEX with no difference than you would copper in regard to freeze protection, understand throughly the issues with reduced volumes that 1/2 PEX has compared to 1/2 copper. Avoid 3/8 PEX like it is the devil.
I'm interested on what folks think of PEX. I love the stuff and find myself pulling out perfectly good copper pipes and replacing with PEX. For those of you who have it in use, how long has it been in place? Have you ever had a pipe burst from freezing.
For those of you installing PEX, do you run it using a manifold system or is it more of a traditional branch system?
I've currently use PEX b and have never had a pipe burst. I've done freeze test as well and not been able to burst the pipes. However, I'm always skeptical of the so called "tests" that freeze pipes that aren't under pressure.
Even though I haven't had any issue with the PEXb piping, I'm probably going to switch over to PEXa. I've read that PEXa is even more resistant to bursting.
We use the Uponor system, (formerly known as Wirsbo, expansion version, no crimp rings). Copper has it's place and so does PEX.
Installing PEX we never install it any differently than we would copper in regards to freeze protection, and I wouldn't advise anybody installing PEX to install it with any less precautions than they would copper, just because it has more resistance to destruction and leaking if it freezes that is no reason to lower standards below standard building practices.
We don't uses PEX-B, there simply isn't enough price difference to overcome the ease of use of PEX-A compared to B to justify it. Only install white PEX, we never mess with the blue and red, there is no requirement for it and the white is less expensive anyways.
My advice - install PEX with no difference than you would copper in regard to freeze protection, understand throughly the issues with reduced volumes that 1/2 PEX has compared to 1/2 copper. Avoid 3/8 PEX like it is the devil.
Mike, thanks for the comment. I agree, just because there's more resistance to freezing, you shouldn't install any different. However, on nights like we are having tonight in SC (12 degrees tonight and 6 degrees tomorrow night) I feel much better about the properties with PEX in place.
I agree that the cost difference of PEX-A doesn't warrant going with B. I just learned that PEX-A could be crimped. Once I use up the last bit I have in stock I will be moving forward with only A. For some reason I mistakenly thought that PEX-A could only be used with expansion fittings.
I have too many of the crimp fittings in inventory to switch to the expansion system but do agree that the expansion system may create a better connection. If I run low, I may make the switch. However, at this point I don't feel that the difference warrants the investment.
I personally love the red/blue color options. I fall into the category of needing all the help I can get with keeping the hot water away from the toilet. Thanks again!
Investor · New Bern, NC · Member since 2013 · 96 posts · 29 votes
11y
Love Pex....dont have an issue with freezing once or twice...possibly multiple times could be an issue - anything will break with enough stress.
Adam Anderson - I unfortunately have seen hot water plumbed to a toilet even with Red and Blue pex being installed. LOL Plumber had his helper hooking stuff up and he plugged the toilet line into the wrong side of the manifold.
Homeowner · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2015 · 14 posts · 3 votes
11y
I love pex. Used it when finishing the basement, it made plumbing so damn easy. Just run the line, cut it, and clamp a fitting on. We have a manifold system in our house, so each fixture has it's own dedicated line.
I decided to use copper for the pipe going from the shower mixer to the shower head and tub spout, based off of anecdotal accounts of issues that arose from using pex. I'm sure with experience copper would be easier to work with, but soldering that was such a pain in the *** compared to pex. I would never choose anything else if I didn't have to.
Contractor · Valparaiso , IN · Member since 2013 · 604 posts · 327 votes
11y
When Pex first came out I refused to use it. I don't like to jump on the next new thing especially when my name and reputation are on the line. Now I use pex exclusively on all of my new construction, and rental/rehabs.
Thieves dont steal pex
Pex will not burst as easily if the water lines freeze
When I use pex in new construction we trim off all of the under cabinet areas with copper and it has a very clean look. There is also a number from Canada on you tube that has done a bunch of how to videos for the pex type supply lines. I highly recommend watching them.
We are using copper stubs - basically a long 90 with an integrated mounting flange - through the drywall on all our supply rough-ins. When your installing sinks and toilets, cut the bullet off the end and solder on your shutoff.
I decided to use copper for the pipe going from the shower mixer to the shower head and tub spout, based off of anecdotal accounts of issues that arose from using pex. I'm sure with experience copper would be easier to work with, but soldering that was such a pain in the *** compared to pex. I would never choose anything else if I didn't have to.
Adam, we do our shower risers in either. We use copper if access is limited and we need the pipe itself to manoeuvre and retain the shower spigot in-place. If we have unfettered access to the backside of the tub/shower we will use PEX.
PEX runs also have less resistance/friction as there are fewer 90 degree bends.
We are using copper stubs - basically a long 90 with an integrated mounting flange - through the drywall on all our supply rough-ins. When your installing sinks and toilets, cut the bullet off the end and solder on your shutoff.
I couldn't think if the correct name, but thats what my plumber does. I try not to do plumbing. If I went to the desert, it would leak.
Rental Property Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2012 · 161 posts · 75 votes
11y
Originally posted by @Account Closed:
I love it too...but some say that rodents also like it. I don't know if that's true or not.
Had not heard that about rodents. I will definitely stay on the look out for damage. We have a huge issue with squirrels around here. They will eat wood, wiring, and even metal. It makes sense that they would also eat PEX.