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Have planned on using PEX as the fresh water plumbing system in new construction in Idaho. While visiting in Florida, I’ve been in several building material centers and noticed only a very few PEX fittings. When I asked at a Home Depot, I was told that PEX is a dinosaur–on its way out. I was told that the Palm Beach newspaper had run a lengthy article on how unsuccesful PEX has been–fittings failing, etc.
Any truth to this?
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Hahahahahahahahahhhahahahhahahhahhahahhahhaha............
Someone at Home Depot told you PEX was a dinosaur ?
Good Lord, this person didn't even know what PEX is. Perhaps they thought you meant CPVC ? I'll bet that someday once Home Depot figures out what PEX is they might even start selling this wonderful product.
*Do you know if they were referring to PEX specifically, or its forerunner poly?Poly fittings were troublesome and some pipe failures led to class actions suits. Had a poly fitting fail after only 2 or 3 years in some apartments I own.PEX is proving to be much more reliable. I've used it for six years now and have yet to see a problem. I plan to keep using it; it sure is more convenient than copper. But, I admit, only time will tell. By the way, I'm in Utah, so I would guess this info is somewhat relevant to your area as well.
*I believe the guy meant to say that " Home Depot is a dinosaur and on it's way out" . Check out Wirsbo's selection of fittings at a professional plumbing supply. They have a fitting for everything you can imagine. Our supplier stocks about 95% of what they make. I believe it's really copper that is on it's way out.
*another idiot rears his head at the lovely Home Depot.This guys incredible ignorance and stupidity boggles the mind. But then, that is normal for that place.
*Building material sales motto: If you don't know just start talking anyway. My plumber uses wirsbo. I'm thinking of getting into Plumb-Pex by RTI for all new plumbing at my own home. I believe Plumb-Pex will have a lower start up cost. One tool does multiple pipe sizes with Plumb-Pex.joe d
*joe, I am not familiar with the brand you mention. Are you aware there are different TYPES of PEX? Some are vastly superior to others. I would be happy to help you find out more if you wish. Just let me know.
*PEX is on the ascendancy - not declining.This is a great way to plumb! Some writer had his pencil up his a$% & wrote a piece of $%$t*
*Dear Wet Head,I would like to know more about PEX systems because i want to make a commitment to a PEX system for all future work on my home. Plumb-PEX is at http://www.radiant-tech.com Their pipe is pigmented to look like copper. They use a clamp system with a ratcheting clamp tightner. The clamp ratchet lets go of the clamp when the clamp is tightened correctly.Wirsbo is primarily sold here by Familian, a large plumbing supply wholesaler. I don't like Familian and their prices to non-plumbers are exorbitant.What PEX systems do you guys use and why?joe d
*Here is a link to start reading. Read it thoroughly and then make your decision acordingly. I will read up on he link you provided tonight.http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=18And I'll comment more at that time.
*What kind of tools do you need to work PEX? (After all, I'm basically in it so I can buy more tools). Any particular web sites one can recommend for tools?Ben
*Try looking into Kitec's brand of pex-al-pex. It's two layers of pex with a thin layer of aluminum in between, so it's somewhat stiff like copper piping.Check out their web site at http://www.kitec.com
*am leaving in 10 minutes to finish a radiant job with Kitec. But use compression instead of the crimp. I have already seen some problems with the crimp. I like Kitec. Not as good as Wirsbo for domestic water but it is OK. Only special tool is a reaming tool for 5 bucks.WARNING! Don't even think about using Kitec yet. Unless you see your distributor has lots of stock. It has been hell to get it. They way UNDERestimated the demand.
*I find one of the major benefits of pex to be its flexibility. IMO stiffer pipe would be less desireable. How stiff is the pex-al-pex? Can it turn 90 degrees within a 16" stud cavity?
*You can bend up to 3/4" pex-al-pex 90 degrees in a 16" stud cavity. Just use a bending spring when you do it. I put down over 6000 ft of 5/8" ketec pipe in my house on 6" centers for my radiant heat flooring system. You can bend down Kitec pipe to a radious equal to 6 times the pipe diameter, or so the literature says. Though Kitec in the larger pipe diameters can be a bit of a bear to bend in tight confines, its great for straight runs though.
*I've got Qest-Pex, 2 years and holding fine. I also used the bejeezus out of Qest Polybutylene in the past. None of that has failed. IMO all that brouhaha was from bad intallations, not bad product...
*Not all PB tube was crated equal. Other than that I agree with you.
*My local Home Depot carries Quest brand Pex stuff, and has been increasing their stock lately, not decreasing. Me thinks you got hold of an idiot at your local Home Depot. PEX is on its way to becoming a real staying power in the plumbing field. James DuHamel
*To follow up....We use Wirsbo products only. I use them in both heating and water plumbing applications.You can buy all the tools you commonly need for residential construction for less than $500. They have an excellent assortment of fittings and hardware for both heating and water plumbing. I would not use any other brand. All of their stuff is top quality and easy to use. You don't get this stuff at Home Depot or any other builders supply, you have to deal with a full time plumbing/heating supply that sells to professionals. If you can't buy there, hire somebody that does.
*Is it possible to use Pex for additions to a house done with copper or galvanized? How difficult? Any advantages?
*Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) AND Polybutylene (PB) have been used in Europe for more than 3 decades without problems. PB had problems in the US with the fitting(not pipe) formulation breaking down when exposed to heavily-chlorinated water and with inadequate crimp fasteners. Those issues were resolved when the fitting forumulations were modified and the crimp methods were changed. It was too late for the PB industry though and Shell cut their losses and stopped making it altogether. Hoechst still makes it, but the damage to PB's rep here is too great.PEX, with more than 3 decades of testing in Europe, hasn't had any serious formulation or crimp setbacks. Unlike PB, PEX has a sort of 'memory' and will return within seconds to it's original shape after expansion with a special tool. There are different grades, and oxygen-barrier PEX must be used for hydronic heating applications.With adaptor fittings, you can use PEX in an addition to a home with copper or galvanized plumbing. Just be aware that you must ensure that the metal portions of your existing plumbing system are properly bonded together and bonded back to the service, and that bonding cable is used to ensure a bond from any electrical sources, like whirlpool bath motors that aren't double-insulated, back to the panel. Lose your bonding path when the plastic plumbing is added into the system, and things could get somewhat, er....electrifying, if stray voltage caused by a fault finds it's way into your existing plumbing and/or new hot tub.ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!Mike O'HandleyBungalow Rescue, Kenmore, WA
*An excellant response my friend.
*I believe that wirsbo may be the PEX of choice for plumbers. Since Plumb-PEX uses 1 tool for several pipe sizes the initial tool outlay is around $150. Also Plumb-PEX uses a crimp tool so assembly is probably easier. Wirsbo's expand the pipe, slip in the fitting and work with the pipes natural memory, seems a better system concept than Plumb-PEX's crimp a clamp around the pipe and fitting.I'm still debating the merits of my commitment to 1 system or the other for my own home. G.LaLonde has a take on this, anybody else?joe d
*I guess I feel almost exactly the same way as G.LaLonde...Kitec would be a second choice. I am very partial to Engel method PEX. The Qest stuff is vastly inferior in my opinion. I tried it. Too brittle. I cannot say it is a bad thing. Based on my experience and what I hear from others... if PEX ever gets a bad name it will be from this stuff. Mostly opinion but I also speak from experience. I would probably use Qest before copper in my own house though. But never Qest if Wirsbo was available. I toured the Wirsbo plant. What I saw was enough to convince me. Plus I have the real life experience to back it up.PS Rehau is good too. Same tube as far as type and specs. Fitting system is good but clumsier and tools are $500.I paid less than $300 for my Wirsbo tool. I have both.In your case I would almost suggest Kitec. With compression fittings. If you want more info ask...
*An amateur's opinion: I installed PB in two houses and had no failures except a couple compression fittings i zealously over-tightened. One house had the nylon fittings and the other used copper. No problems after 16 and 7 years, respectively. It is almost impossible to find fittings other than compression fittings now, except at mobie home repair shops, hence the dinosaur comment from the HD person, though a case of mistaken identity in materials.I bought PEX for the new place i'm plumbing soon. I've done a few thousand dollars of business with my supplier and i think they get a kick out of a woman showing up in muddy overalls bearing donuts, so they will again lend me the special tools i need to install when the time comes. You may have to spend actual money, however. Another reason plastic would be a good choice for Idaho: we had a huge freeze in the early 90's that took out a lot of copper (even frost-free faucets) while my PB came through with no repairs.