Replies

1. 
   cameraman | Mar 18, 2009 02:31pm | #1

   Pex-al-pex holds it's shape better and has less expantion & contraction. Some use dabs of silicon to hold the pex in place. A grade of pex will fit suggly in warmboard, use might even have to set it in with a rubber mallet.

   Any good heating supply house will handle  pex-al-pex, not a big box item.

1. 
   mmoogie | Mar 19, 2009 07:11pm | #4

   >>Any good heating supply house will handle pex-al-pex<<I went to every wholesale supply house in our area, and none had it. I ordered it from Warmboard directly. 300 dollars for 500 feet.Steve

   Edited 3/19/2009 12:12 pm by mmoogie

1. 
   cameraman | Mar 19, 2009 07:21pm | #5

   That's suprising, you must be in a scorched air area like me, hot water heat not very comman!

    

   I have used these folks, very helpful, fast, and fair prices.

   pexsupply.com

    

2. 
   Doobz26 | Mar 20, 2009 05:18am | #6

   http://www.pexsupply.com/Categories.asp?cID=389&brandid=

    

    

2. 
   BoJangles | Mar 18, 2009 03:31pm | #2

   pex-al-pex has vastly different rate of expansion.  (much less)  Don't use anything else.

3. 
   cic317 | Mar 18, 2009 11:26pm | #3

   less expansion & contraction = less noise. stay w/ p.a.p or you'll regret it next heating season

4. 
   shelternerd | Mar 20, 2009 05:42am | #7

   I've used PEX with warm board without problem but you need to bed it in silicone and roll it in with a 100 pound flooring roller and if you put too much silicone in there it sets it up proud of the floor and makes it hard to lay oak over it. Probably easier and safer to pay the extra $$$ for PEX-AL-PEX.

   Here's a scan from the WarmBoard install for PEX
   http://www.chandlerdesignbuild.com/blog/PEX.jpg just so you know that they do support its use, albeit with cautions. If you discover a problem it's too late to do anything about it. (We did run hot water through the PEX for a week before we covered it with oak and tile, It's more of an issue with oak than with tile due to the full embeddment of the tubing in the thinset under the backer board.

   Here's my description of using the product on a house with solar/water furnace/Rinnai combi-fuel water heating and a huge collection of oriental carpets that forced us to get creative on pushing the heat into the building.

   http://chandlerdesignbuild.blogspot.com/2008/03/warmboard.html

   That stuff is brutally expensive and the embodied energy content of all that aluminum is atrocious but it does work.

   m

   ------------------

   "You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."

1. 
   BoJangles | Mar 20, 2009 03:14pm | #8

   117938.8 in reply to 117938.1 

   I've used PEX with warm board without problem but you need to bed it in silicone and roll it in with a 100 pound flooring roller and if you put too much silicone in there it sets it up proud of the floor and makes it hard to lay oak over it.

    

   I'm not sure I'd say that was "without problem".  That's part of the problem!  That is a huge hassle for a compromised method of installation.  I don't understand why anybody would go that route.  I'm sure that after that experience you wouldn't do it again.

   There are certain ways to do things properly and certain methods to avoid.  Your post pointed out the pitfalls of doing it the silicone way.

   I don't think Warmboard should even suggest doing it that way.

1. 
   Haystax | Mar 20, 2009 10:12pm | #9

   I am currently in the process of installing the tubing into my Warmboard. I am using Uponor products for the radiant and domestic water systems and have used all three types of Uponor PEX in my house.I would hate to deal with hePEX in the Warmboard the MLC pex-al-pex is so much better for holding curves and general work-ablility that there is no comparison really in my mind.What is your location? The newer install guides for Warmboard pretty much state that you should use only P-A-P and that silicone is not necessary.I still have to use electrical protection plates to hold the tubing in some grooves but after a few days the memory of the tubing is set and there hasn't been any loops jumping out of the groovesI use a rubber mallet and a scrap 2x4 to snap the tubing in the grooves. If you have a helper to hold the tubing in line with the grooves and help pull off the spool it goes really, really quickly.pexsupply.com or radiantheatproducts.com should stock the materials.What type of manifolds are you using? I have been very, very happy with the Wirsbo/Uponor products.Let me know if there is anything I missed. good luck

1. 
   pebble | Mar 20, 2009 10:40pm | #10

    

   Enter D-1K5H20CMHH24H12D4 as the coupon code when checking out and save $10 on all orders over $100 from PexSupply.com <!----><!----><!---->

   Enter D-2S5Q20KVQQ31Q6L16 asthe coupon code when checking out andsave $50on all orders over $500 fromPexSupply.com <!----><!---->

    

    

   Feel free to use one of these.  It came in my email. 

   I second getting the pex al pex from these guys.  Although I got mine from eBay from NRT Rob.  Not sure if he is still around though.  He posts here sometimes.

2. 
   BoJangles | Mar 20, 2009 10:44pm | #11

   We deal with the Warmboard reps out of the Minneapolis area.  They tell you flat out not to use hePex with Warmboard.

   We use Wirsbo products almost exclusively in our homes.  They make some great stuff!