Pex or Copper

[boubou]

Hi there, new house with PEX plumbing. What do you all think of this type of plumbing? How about bacterial growth into it after some time? Any specific maintnance?

[Sacramento Dave]

don't care what anybody says. Think about it what's stronger? what's going to last longer? can a Rat eat threw a piece copper? This hose piping is a disaster waiting to happen and I'm sure all the companies making it will be long gone then. It really boils down to would you rather have hose or pipe. But we do know what's cheaper. we will see how much cheaper in the long run.

[HeatMan]

I'd do it with PEX if I were to build a new house....

You'll not have to worry about any bacterial growth and there's nothing out of the ordinary about maintenance.

[SQLit]

I had a house with the plastic stuff, circa 1999. Max pressure was 40 psi, I think it is higher now. You will need a pressure regulator. Any monkey can install it with the right tools and 10 minutes of instruction. I have heard the tool is not exactly what a home owner want to buy.

As long as the 40 psi was the limit I would not be interested.

[Sacramento Dave]

thing got me thinking so I looked some information on installation, I can't find anything in English

[Greg O]

Depends on the brand, type of connections, and so on. My boss built a new house a couple of years ago. We plumbed the whole works on Wirsbo Auqapex. Tested it at 100 PSI for a few days. Great stuff! I have some plumbing to do in my house and I will be using Wirsbo

I would not use some of the pex and fittings available in a chicken coop! Greg

[Joey]

Boubou,

Try this test. Take a six inch piece of PEX and fill it with water. Cap both ends. Run a flame under it and then put it in the freezer. Take it out after a couple days and notice it didn't bust or split. Then have someone run a pressure test on it to see if it buldges where it was heated. No problem. I don't know of a mouse that would eat this type plastic so put it in the rat cage. I've seen these tests run and was amazed. NOW try this with copper. It will take the flame test OK but not the freeze test. Naturally rats can't eat it but when you develop tiny pinhole leaks in hard to get places you'll wish you never used copper. I see them all the time. PEX has been used in England for many, many years with no problems. Many people compare PEX to the old black plastic tubing that gave so many people problems and many lawsuits. You just can't compare the two. PS: I don't sell PEX or Copper, I only use them.

J

[boubou]