# PEX plumbing review



## BigAl RIP

Over the years , I have used just about every type of house plumbing that they use . Galv pipe, Copper , PVC and now the newest which is called Pex plumbing . This is rolls of plastic pipe that you crimp the end fitting on with a special tool . The crimping tool cost about $150 . The end fittings can be a little pricey but I installed it where we got down to 25 degrees below many times . It froze the water but nothing broke !!!! 
 My opinion ????? BUY IT !!! I will never use anything else again !


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## snow dog

The only down side is draining. Many cabins around here are drained for the winter, the ones with copper pipe drain easier than the Pex ones. The pex can have little bellies in the pipe runs.


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## tommu56

snow dog said:


> The only down side is draining. Many cabins around here are drained for the winter, the ones with copper pipe drain easier than the Pex ones. The pex can have little bellies in the pipe runs.




As long as the pipe isn't full it isn't a problem the ice can expand in the belly.
We got a early frost one year and the pipe was full I had had an elbow pushed out of the tube and crimp.
I cut it back and re crimped no big deal because I had enough slack 

tom


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## Doc

Thanks for the PEX info Al.  I have a little plumbing to do and I might try it out.  Good to hear that from someone who has used copper and pvc but you prefer PEX.

As for winterizing a cabin or trailer we always got a compressor and blew the lines out.  Never had a problem with freeze breaks at all.  I've done that in places with PVC and other places with Copper  No problem.  I figure PEX would be the same in that respect.


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## BigAl RIP

snow dog said:


> The only down side is draining. Many cabins around here are drained for the winter, the ones with copper pipe drain easier than the Pex ones. The pex can have little bellies in the pipe runs.


 
 Yes you are right and the first year I tried to drain the Pex by opening a outside water bib before winter hit last year . The Pex pipe  froze but nothing busted . I was very impressed at how well it handles the cold . I do not even worry about no heat in the barn section as the exposed Pex does not seem  brust like copper or PVC .


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## EastTexFrank

I love the stuff.  When we had 2 bathrooms remodeled about 3 years ago I had the whole house redone in Pex.  I also had a manifold installed where, if there is a leak somewhere in the system you can shut off the hot or cold water to that particular faucet/shower/toilet and still have water in the rest of the house.  I don't think that you could do that easily with anything other than Pex.  

Just as an experiment, I had a length of Pex filled with water and capped.  I stuck it in the freezer and thawed it out and refroze it every day for a week.  Never a problem.  It's great stuff.


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## muleman RIP

The only drawback to pex is they have jacked the price of fittings almost 300% in the last 4 years. The pipe and bands for crimping have remained about the same. And you do have to use more hangers than rigid pipe.


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## BRGTold

Pex..will expand ..10 times its size..with know problems..you can run it like pulling wire..its well worth the price of fittings/ends....in labor...


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## BigAl RIP

Another point to make is that Pex does not require as many fittings creating a smoother less fiction loss flow of water . I only used fittings as I branched off to each water fixture . The saving in labor time and fittings more than makes up for any higher cost of the brass fittings. I did not go with the special pipe angling fastners . I just put a gentle bend in the pipe and secured it with a cheap pipe c clamp . It took me about 4 hours to do all the water pipe in the barn/apartment . I used the red color pipe for hot and blue for cold . It makes plumbing wayyyyyy to easy !!!! All my main lines are 3/4 inch and then 1/2 inch to each point of use . Plenty of water !!!!!!!!!


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## thcri RIP

We give our customers the option to go with PEX or copper.  Copper is less expensive material wise but more labor intensive.  PEX material is more expensive but less labor.  They come out to be about the same after install.

Keep in mind though, PEX makes the water taste funny.  As for freezing you don't have to worry about the pipe but the fittings can break.  If draining I would still run RV fluid in the system.


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