5 ms·

> I like PEX, but I know opinions vary What’s not to like about PEX?

by cmclaughlin 4y ago

radlad 4y ago
I believe it's less durable than alternatives.
- Scoundreller 4y ago
  There’s definitely a “right” way and a “wrong” way to do it. Having each fixture connection being a “home run” without any fittings between source and destination really reduces a lot of vulnerabilities. Having a central manifold that lets you easily turn off any tap is nice too. A condo building I lived in did something wrong (I suspect) either a bad batch of PEX, or more likely, a batch that sat in the sun for a while, leading to multiple failures of hot water return lines in few years that were a mystery to pin down.
  - frosted-flakes 4y ago
    Home run plumbing also means a lot of pipes in the walls, so you end up with 20x more pipes in the walls and ceiling than is actually necessary, and 20+ valves, which are often made of plastic instead of brass because otherwise costs would balloon. In any case, the fittings aren't the weak point, the pipe is; a properly crimped joint or expansion joint will never leak. And often it's impossible to have no fittings on a run of pipe anyway. In my opinion, traditional trunk and branch plumbing is far more flexible and just as reliable. It also allows for a hot water recirculation loop, which is impossible with home-run plumbing.
  - iancmceachern 4y ago
    Also using the compression fittings with a good crimping tool, not the push to connect fittings IMO is more durable and reliable.
- bluGill 4y ago
  Actually pex is probably the most durable. Water is corrosive and will slowly dissolve metal pipes . Pex has zero UV resistance though, sp if exposed to sun at all it is the least durable.
mindslight 4y ago
Thinking about a system a half-step up from hose clamps holding 100psi of pressure, which if it pulls apart will rapidly release hundreds of gallons of water does not inspire confidence. And since the house is already plumbed with copper and I know how to sweat joints, I might as well continue that. I'm about to use PEX for the first time on my hydronic heating system, which is only ~20psi and limited volume (autofill valves are an anti-pattern). Maybe I'll fall in love, who knows.
- blincoln 4y ago
  One of the things I like about it is that because it's flexible, if you route it carefully you can avoid using connectors in a lot of areas that rigid pipe would require a joint. The way I saw it used, the only joints were in areas like cleanout access and crawlspaces, so even if a joint went bad, it wouldn't require opening up a wall to fix. I'm not a pro, so maybe rigid pipe is supposed to only have joints in accessible areas too, but that certainly wasn't the case with the century-old plumbing I saw. It's still relatively new compared to other pipe material, so there may be some other surprises that crop up with long term use, but I'm really impressed with its ease of installation.
  - jimnotgym 4y ago
    One thing about plastic pipe is that it is susceptible to rodent damage, unlike copper. Seen it a few times.
- D13Fd 4y ago
  I haven’t seen 100 psi in household applications
  - mindslight 4y ago
    My city water pressure was around there, with few ill effects. I've since installed a pressure regular to drop it to around 60psi. But I liked it better before, especially on the silcocks. It's not really the pressure that has me worried, but rather the potential flow rate. I've dealt with a flooded basement before, and I'd rather not do it again. I don't see many people complaining that PEX fails by completely pulling apart, but it's hard for my intuition to accept that.
mildchalupa 4y ago
Nearly all homes built in Tucson AZ had a type of plastic that degrades over time resulting in catastrophic failure eventually.
- Gibbon1 4y ago
  Polybutylene Pipe was used in the 1970's into the mid 1980's when it was discovered that chlorine degrades it.

> I like PEX, but I know opinions vary What’s not to like about PEX?

radlad 4y ago

I believe it's less durable than alternatives.

Scoundreller 4y ago
There’s definitely a “right” way and a “wrong” way to do it. Having each fixture connection being a “home run” without any fittings between source and destination really reduces a lot of vulnerabilities. Having a central manifold that lets you easily turn off any tap is nice too. A condo building I lived in did something wrong (I suspect) either a bad batch of PEX, or more likely, a batch that sat in the sun for a while, leading to multiple failures of hot water return lines in few years that were a mystery to pin down.
- frosted-flakes 4y ago
  Home run plumbing also means a lot of pipes in the walls, so you end up with 20x more pipes in the walls and ceiling than is actually necessary, and 20+ valves, which are often made of plastic instead of brass because otherwise costs would balloon. In any case, the fittings aren't the weak point, the pipe is; a properly crimped joint or expansion joint will never leak. And often it's impossible to have no fittings on a run of pipe anyway. In my opinion, traditional trunk and branch plumbing is far more flexible and just as reliable. It also allows for a hot water recirculation loop, which is impossible with home-run plumbing.
- iancmceachern 4y ago
  Also using the compression fittings with a good crimping tool, not the push to connect fittings IMO is more durable and reliable.
bluGill 4y ago
Actually pex is probably the most durable. Water is corrosive and will slowly dissolve metal pipes . Pex has zero UV resistance though, sp if exposed to sun at all it is the least durable.

mindslight 4y ago

Thinking about a system a half-step up from hose clamps holding 100psi of pressure, which if it pulls apart will rapidly release hundreds of gallons of water does not inspire confidence. And since the house is already plumbed with copper and I know how to sweat joints, I might as well continue that. I'm about to use PEX for the first time on my hydronic heating system, which is only ~20psi and limited volume (autofill valves are an anti-pattern). Maybe I'll fall in love, who knows.

blincoln 4y ago
One of the things I like about it is that because it's flexible, if you route it carefully you can avoid using connectors in a lot of areas that rigid pipe would require a joint. The way I saw it used, the only joints were in areas like cleanout access and crawlspaces, so even if a joint went bad, it wouldn't require opening up a wall to fix. I'm not a pro, so maybe rigid pipe is supposed to only have joints in accessible areas too, but that certainly wasn't the case with the century-old plumbing I saw. It's still relatively new compared to other pipe material, so there may be some other surprises that crop up with long term use, but I'm really impressed with its ease of installation.
- jimnotgym 4y ago
  One thing about plastic pipe is that it is susceptible to rodent damage, unlike copper. Seen it a few times.
D13Fd 4y ago
I haven’t seen 100 psi in household applications
- mindslight 4y ago
  My city water pressure was around there, with few ill effects. I've since installed a pressure regular to drop it to around 60psi. But I liked it better before, especially on the silcocks. It's not really the pressure that has me worried, but rather the potential flow rate. I've dealt with a flooded basement before, and I'd rather not do it again. I don't see many people complaining that PEX fails by completely pulling apart, but it's hard for my intuition to accept that.

mildchalupa 4y ago

Nearly all homes built in Tucson AZ had a type of plastic that degrades over time resulting in catastrophic failure eventually.

Gibbon1 4y ago
Polybutylene Pipe was used in the 1970's into the mid 1980's when it was discovered that chlorine degrades it.