PEX or Copper Pipe?

[jjb4900]

I'm redoing a bathroom in my house, after opening it up, the plumbing (hot and cold water to upstairs bath and one of the baseboard radiators) looks like a disaster and it needs to be replaced......real tight area and sweating copper in those close quarters makes me a little uneasy.........has anyone used PEX for a project like this?

[Rack Attack]

PEX all the way, the only down side is you need to buy some tools if you want to use crimp fittings.  If you don't plan on doing a lot of plumbing in the near future I would recommend sharkbite fittings (no tools required).  If you plan on doing any amount of plumbing then I would go the crimp route.  If you do that I would recommend the ratchet type crimp rings instead of the solid type.  The solid type require a tool that looks about like a bolt cutter with different dies for each size pipe and they are hard to get into tight places.

[virgil]

I have, many times. Pex is the best thing ever. Easy to work with, especially for non-professionals.

[jjb4900]

PEX all the way, the only down side is you need to buy some tools if you want to use crimp fittings.  If you don't plan on doing a lot of plumbing in the near future I would recommend sharkbite fittings (no tools required).  If you plan on doing any amount of plumbing then I would go the crimp route.  If you do that I would recommend the ratchet type crimp rings instead of the solid type.  The solid type require a tool that looks about like a bolt cutter with different dies for each size pipe and they are hard to get into tight places.

I'd rather do it the best way possible so cost of buying the tools is not a problem........how does it hold up if you have to attach it to a copper pipe for a repair, any leak concerns?

[virgil]

I have used both. I'd definitely recommend buying the pex tool and using the crimp rings. It costs about sixty bucks and is worth every penny.

[wooly]

Save yourself a ton of time, hassle, and money with CPVC.

It ain't pretty or impressive to work with, but it's cheap and simple and does what it supposed to do.

If you can glue it..... you can do it!

 

Oh, if I had to only choose from one of the above... I'd go with PEX.

[jjb4900]

looks like pex is the way to go.............the tool is probably pennies compared to the price of copper anyway, I couldn't believe how much it went up in price.

[stoneam2006]

I've done alot of pex and only use shark bite fittings they work good but need to be straight when pushed on or will leak. But sounds like your going to buy crimp tool so that's not a problen

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[Rack Attack]

You may still need to use a sharkbit type fitting to connect the pex to the copper, otherwise I believe you will need to sweet a fitting with a barb onto the copper to use the crimp connections.  Witht he sharkbit fitting you can directly connect the copper to the pex.

[jjb4900]

tell you what, I did a google search, andreally can't find any complaints about any of the connectors......

[stoneam2006]

tell you what, I did a google search, andreally can't find any complaints about any of the connectors......

Yea they work great just gotta push them on straight and if you happen to go on crooked and it leaks only way to get off is cut it

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[jjb4900]

this is the crammed together mess they had hidden inside a wall.

Edited July 6, 2016 by jjb4900

[philoshop]

I use PEX 100% of the time now, with Sharkbite-type fittings to existing copper where necessary.

My inventory of over 100# of copper fittings recently went to a local hardware store for scrap prices, and my torch is now used only to light my wood stove.

[ncountry]

Pex for sure..highly recommend the one handed crimpers for ease of use and accessibility in tight spots..

Something like these.http://m.lowes.com/pd/Apollo-PEX-One-Hand-Cinch-Clamp-Tool/3396092

My only complaint with pex is that it is ugly compared to copper. Harder to keep everything straight ,plumb and level..lol

[reeltime]

use pex as long as it falls within the temps and pressures that it will carry.

 

get the sharkbite release tool with out it they are a pita to get released.

 

as has been stated make sure it goes on straight and is fully seated. also make sure the pipe is clean, ie not gobbed up with solder/flux.

 

do not buy the rolls of pex, yes its cheaper but for short runs it has a memory and can put enough stress on a fitting for it to leak.  just get the 20 foot straight sticks  if you have to lay it out on the driveway with bricks on it and allow the sun to take some of the memory out of it from rolling it to get it home. 

 

if you buy the crimp tool  make sure its for the crimps that are most readily available, don't be sticker shocked at the price of the crimps as they are not cheap. btw they can be a real pain to cut off if they don't crimp down right.

 

[jjb4900]

Thanks for all the advice, the walls are gonna be open for a week or so after the plumbing is fixed so I'll have a chance to watch for leaks.

[mlammerhirt]

Sorry to hijack the thread a little but I had a hose bib crap the bed on me this week and was gonna replace by cutting the copper pipe in the basement and reinstalling using pex....will i be able to connect a new hose bib to pex??

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Edited July 7, 2016 by mlammerhirt

[ncountry]

Sorry to hijack the thread a little but I had a hose bib crap the bed on me this week and was gonna replace by cutting the copper pipe in the basement and reinstalling using pex....will i be able to connect a new hose bib to pex??

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Yes, a ( 1/2" npt by 1/2" barbed pex fitting) will fit most hose bibs.

FYI...A pro-pex fitting is not the same as a regular pex fitting that use crimp rings.

[Fishon]

I would use pex pipe. They sell an adapter that you solder on the copper and crimp the pex onto the other side. I know sharkbites have been around but i dont trust them unless you have access to it.  Pex comes in straight lengths if you want to put pex in your basement and want it to look nice and neat.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Pex is the shizzle

[The_Real_TCIII]

My cousin is a plumber, he told

me as long as you don't have hard water shark bites are good forever

[Big Indian]

Both my dad and brother are HVAC/plumbers, my Dad is old school, and prefers copper.

 

My brother did my new heat in basement few years back and used pex, I am happy with the pex and it was cheaper than copper. I am fortunate to only have to pay for parts, labor always free, or maybe a restaurant tab

 

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[G-Man]

Pex by far if your town allows it..

[Uptown Redneck]

I recently ran a 125 ft supply line for a neighbor's garden using Pex, rolled it out into trench, added connection for garden hose and was done.

[First-light]

Did my whole cabin index and loved it. Used the tool that closes the clamp on the fitting.