The Power of PEX Tubing

What is so special about PEX tubing? Isn’t it just a plastic plumbing pipe? Wait a minute, is it Polybutylene tubing that I heard about so many class-action lawsuits about? Slow down. It is not the Polybutylene that took a bad rap a few years ago. This is a hybrid, and it is a cross-linked Polybutylene tubing. Yes, it is plastic, but it offers numerous advantages to metallic water-distribution piping systems.

Polybutylene is grey in color. PEX comes in white, blue, and red colors. This is advantageous in that cold water can be piped with blue tubing and hot water can be piped with red tubing. PEX can expand up to one-third of its own diameter before bursting when it is frozen. Compare this to copper tubing and you will see instant advantages.

Copper tubing, which is common in most homes that people now live in, is subject to chemical reactions that can create leaks. Acid is one such chemical reaction. Too much acid in copper tubing will create pinholes. The holes may be tiny, but the water damage can be disastrous. This is not a problem when PEX tubing is used.

PEX installations require less time for a plumber’s labor. Most of us know how much plumbers charge for their time, so this is a no-brainer. No flame is required to install PEX tubing. This is another difference between PEX and copper. Go with the PEX!

Check the price of copper. Compare it with PEX. Again, you have a no-brainer. PEX fittings are more expensive than copper fittings, but fewer are needed and the additional cost of the fittings doesn’t amount to much when you compare the cost of the tubing itself.
I used Polybutylene (PB) back in the 1970’s and for many years following with no problems. However, the installation procedure required some precise work. Personally, I feel that PB got a bad rap, but PEX is installed with essentially the same procedures and it is great.

As an old-school master plumber with over 30 years of experience, I am probably supposed to support copper, but I don’t. For general residential applications, PEX is the player. It is cheaper, faster to install, and in many ways it offers superior service.

PEX joints are made in two ways. There are crimping tools and crimp rings. This is the system that I use. Another system, and it is equally good, uses an expansion tool on the tubing that opens the tubing and then allows it to grip onto fittings. These are the two professional means of installation.

Homeowners can use compression fittings to make easy connections with PEX. All you need to make a leak-proof joint is two adjustable wrenches and a compression fitting. The tubing is cut professionally with a sharp cutting tool, but a homeowner can cut the tubing with a knife or a hacksaw. There are also new fittings available that allow homeowners to basically jab the pipe into the fitting for a solid fit.

If you want to repipe your house, repair a section of piping, or add to your plumbing system, I strongly recommend a PEX tubing connection. The compression fittings that I spoke of earlier allow you to transition from copper to PEX. You can do it, and you don’t need super skills or pro tools. Go for it!

Tubing and Casing