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PEX Tubing - any experience?


RXX

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I am having a shower stall tiled & the guy told me he would use PEX tubing instead of copper for the little plumbing that is required. I had never heard of it, so I went online. Seems good enough.

Any of you know the pros & cons??

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Proper installation of the fittings is critical. There's a specialized tool that crimps the bands at each fitting. If it's worn out or not calibrated correctly the bands can and do fail. Guess what happens next.

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Builder here used the stuff in all their houses when they were building in the 80's. I know they got sued over it a number of times and I think closed their doors over it.

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Proper installation of the fittings is critical. There's a specialized tool that crimps the bands at each fitting. If it's worn out or not calibrated correctly the bands can and do fail. Guess what happens next.

Not all fitting types use a band and properly installed it is just as, if not more, reliable than copper and there way less fittings buried in the walls so less chance for concealed leaks. I'd have no problem using PEX.

commonly used for radiant heat flooring applications. The plumber probably has extra on hand & taking the short way out.

Go with copper & forget about it

So it's OK to run water around in your floor or wall or ceiling for heat but not OK to get water to you shower? :icon_think:

Builder here used the stuff in all their houses when they were building in the 80's. I know they got sued over it a number of times and I think closed their doors over it.

Unless they were very early adopters, it seems unlikely that they were using PEX. It's been used in Europe for 4-ish decades, but much less time here.

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Builder here used the stuff in all their houses when they were building in the 80's. I know they got sued over it a number of times and I think closed their doors over it.

Unless they were very early adopters, it seems unlikely that they were using PEX. It's been used in Europe for 4-ish decades, but much less time here.

They were using PEX.

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In the 80's they used polybutylene, a completely different product. An Oxygen molecule was left out of the poly formula and the piping and plastic fittings both failed. Shell and Celanese were the component suppleirs, and 2 class-action suits at nearly 2 billion settled the problem. PEX works.

I also have Master Plumber License #5 in my County. FWIW

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Not all fitting types use a band and properly installed it is just as, if not more, reliable than copper and there way less fittings buried in the walls so less chance for concealed leaks. I'd have no problem using PEX.

My neighbor is a plumber by trade, and he agrees with the above statement.. FWIW

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  • 2 months later...

Replumbed my entire house about 8 years ago. Zero problems.

As already been mentioned, you need the expanding tool to properly

install the fittings. Lucky for me, I have friend that owns a Plumbing business.

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A friend just bought and remodeled his Grandparents house with PEX. Neat product. It made retro fitting a lot easier.

Most I talked to say good things about it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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