IPEX vs PEX

May 09, 2006 3 Replies

I live in Vancouver, Canada and am planning a reno which will include a plumbing rebuild. Having done a fair amount of reading I had decided on PEX (way easier to run lines, like the home run approach, heard about many copper pin hole issues here). So off to the Home Depot I go to price stuff (nicely priced too compared to copper). I then head to Rona for comparison and get thrown a curve ball cause all they carry here is IPEX.



Seems the IPEX is a PEX-Al-PEX composite which in theory sounds like it gets rid of the expansion problems that PEX has but do other issues get introduced?



I know a little about joining different metals together (ie: CU and AL) and a red flag is raised in my head...will I have corrosion issues at the fittings? Do you need to ground the stuff?



Ive looked on IPEXAqua's web site and they dont mention anything about it, but there seemed to be a posting about problems with the stuff in Las Vegas a few years back.



Which of the two is proven? To keep those who want to suggest Copper at bay, Its not really an option because there will be a bunch of joist pulling and weaving around obstacles. (No need to complicate the issue).



Are you doing it or is a plumber?

I recommend that you go with what your plumber is suggesting. It's kinda like search for a contractor instead of a brand. The contractor you are comfortable with will install the best material he knows best.

Keeping costs low and doing it my self. Its a pretty simple system of a kitchen, 1 bath, laundry and 2 outdoor fawcets. Tools are easy to rent here and it seems pretty fool proof with the "go no go" tool. Besides how hard can it be to crimp 20 or so connections.

Thanks Gary

Hi, I am in Calgary. My cabin is drawing water from two sources, communal well which is seasonal, my own well. I switch between two. Plumbing was done with PEX and like you said it was mostly crimping job with rented tool. But I never had to use two dissimilar metal fittings. Encountered not even a single leak.

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