Pex under a slab?

[Robert Olin]

As I prepare to plumb my new house, I've been stopping to check out new installations done by professional plumbers. I notice that they run the pex under the slab. I know this is discouraged with other types of plumbing, but with a pex tube there are no joints or splices and it would save me a bit of work.

Any opinions about running pex under a slap?

Thanks, RO

[ironmike]

I've never used pex pipe, so I hesitated to answer. I assume it's rated for use underground. Plumbers have been doing this with soft copper for years. Especially where winters are rough, how else would you pipe in a slab house? The key is to have no joints underground, but always loop up into a wall.