PEX vs Copper

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

I just had two new shower/tubs installed in a condo and some of the lines had to be moved a couple of inches. The plumber used PEX (which I had never heard of) and connected it to the copper. Is this safe or will i have problems with leakage?

[Harold KestenholzParticipant]

There have been no known complaints about pex installations on the bulletin boards. The older polybutylene installations had problems; but they seem to have been solved with pex. I am sure someone can figure out a way to make a bad connection; so I am sure there HAD to be some problems; just as there are some leaky solder joints in copper.

[DUNBARParticipant]

This topic consistently recycles itself through numerous forums.

I wouldn’t even know where to buy it in my area. Only one builder out of a few thousand in my area allow this in their new homes.

Majority is copper which I use every day.

I am speaking for Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.

People are very sensitive to change in my area.

[DUNBARParticipant]

Your exactly right. People don’t want to think thier plumber is throwing something in the walls for conveinience. They don’t want to worry about if they leave one day and come back to a blown pipe. These issues resonate with ALL…and when new products are out there, what matters most is what happens to them years from now. That is why it’s history is so important.

[nicktheplumberParticipant]

PEX, so far as I’ve been able to determine, works well for it’s intended uses. From what I’ve read it is very inert and mechanically strong as a pipe material, and has many advantages, the main one being flexibility. If there are any problems with PEX plumbing, they seem to be that the plumber really has to understand the material, especially the joinery techniques. Being a conscientious plumber, I have studied the material and the techniques and even bought some of the stuff and experimented with it. However, I have not yet used it on any jobs…I’m probably just over-conservative, but I’ve been preferentially using copper for about a quarter century now for supply lines and I feel very comfortable with it. I’m sure there are cases, like the one you describe, where PEX might be more convenient to use to reroute pipes. On the other hand, rerouting copper pipe is really not that difficult, especially when you consider the flexible copper lines available.

NtP

[NOS Plumbing and Heating</titlParticipant]

PEX is the best thing you can find we use it all the time and so do our competitors, but i like rigid copper better, not flex copper tho, if you kink it your scrud, pex go’s bake to round and is fine, NEVER USE PVC OR IRON PIPE for your potable water supply very bad, if your plumber uses it call a different one!!

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NOS Plumbing and Heating
Tristan Novak, Pres.

[Author]

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