PEX vs. Copper Plumbing

Copper, CPVC, and PEX - Benefits and Disadvantages on todays Build Show!
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[@slicedpage]

I asked myself why I watched this video all the way through to the end when I have zero interest in plumbing . The answer was simple. This guy is a natural teacher. He knows the subject inside out and has that rare ability to communicate that knowledge to an audience in a clear and non patronising way.

[@sheepherder3737]

That's true, and you're quite astute to have made such an accurate assessment of his talents.

[@robertcoleman9225]

Don't buy this bull

[@jjjames6861]

So how long have yall been married

[@TheJonnyblond]

Too bad most men don’t realize that if you are energized and confidently talk around women the same way this lad talks about plumbing..it would be an easy score. There’s nothing worse then having a dumb ass journeyman who thinks he’s a god and acts all superior when all he has going for him is being an educated laborer but bores you to death with his monotone voice and could put any apprentice to sleep with his explanations or instructions. I tell apprentices,.its not the work or job that sucks..it’s the journeymen. It always seems like the best journeymen want to teach and pass on their trade secrets and the worst ones just complain how much their life sucks and take it out on anyone that will be forced to listen.

[@tuknchuk]

Agreed... Great Presentation.

[@dynamicenergysolutions180]

One thing Matt should have mentioned was the difference between the oxygen barrier and non oxygen barrier PEX. The non-oxygen barrier PEX is what you use for fresh water and the oxygen barrier PEX is what is required for closed loop hydronic heating systems. The O2 barrier is necessary in hydronic systems which contain ferrous metals such as non stainless steel circulators or cast iron or steel boilers. Standard non O2 barrier pex will absorb oxygen from the ambient air and within a short time rust out those components. I am amazed how many people are concerned about a plastic taste with PEX. PEX is cross linked High Density Polyethylene (HDPE #2 recyclable plastic) It is commonly used in the food industry from 1 gallon plastic jugs containing spring water and milk to 55 gallon drums containing everything from juice concentrates to vinegar. As far as resiliency to chemicals and petroleum based solvents, ever look to see what your portable plastic gasoline, Kerosene, and diesel fuel containers are made out of? HDPE has been around a long time and has never leached BPA. As far as PVC and CPVC, it leaches all kinds of nasty chemicals when heated so I would personally never use it for drinking water. Copper is the best unless your water is acidic, in that case the water etches the copper pipe and you are consuming copper in your drinking water. In high doses can cause copper poisoning. Most pipe for water wells or water lines buried underground between buildings on farms has been black poly pipe since at least the 1960's. The black poly pipe contains "carbon black" which makes the pipe black and prevents damage from UV. It has an estimated lifespan of 50 to 100 years exposed to sunlight. Understand what the pipe is and the history of HDPE in our water systems before you make out PEX to be a bad plumbing alternative. Like Matt Risinger I prefer the "pro pex" PEX A product by Uponor and have been using it since the mid 90's when it was sold as Uponor/Wirsbo. On a side note HDPE is also used now in replacement hips and knees as the wearing surface since HDPE particles in the body are not as dangerous as teflon and other materials used in the past.

[@AttilioDiMarco]

Good information. Thanx

[@mkrnissen]

Dynamic Energy Solutions nice to see a comment from someone who has some facts and not just speculation. Here in the UK PEX is pretty commonly used, you get those who prefer copper but to my mind pex has more advantages, some that weren’t mentioned here, less heat loss etc. The US fittings are very different, it’s mainly push fit on pex in the UK, not tools needed, even quicker instal.

[@brainndamage]

Pex-AL-Pex is most common for drinking water in Slovenia and I think most central Europe, Germany etc. (Pex with aluminum vapor barrier)

[@MAXAREUOS]

Neither, the aluminum layer is in the middle, pressed between two layers of PEX.

[@dynamicenergysolutions180]

Shadow light In the USA you can get pex with a polymer o2 barrier, so there is no aluminum. The aluminum center layer was common here 25 or 30 years ago.

[@arbeeex]

I switched (Set 2019) recently from PEX B system to PEX A. The B with copper crimp rings and manual crimp tool works well most of the time if you hold the crimp tool perpendicular to the fitting. But trying to crimp a brass fitting in a tight space is difficult and sometimes must be done more than once to get a good square crimp that does not leak. Finally got tired of those leaks and switched to Uponor PEX A. Supply House salesperson told me there is a competitor to Uponor which is also manufacturers PEX A. Using a used Milwaukee expander tool, I replumbed my two story house ( two bathrooms, two kitchens, one washing machine, and water heater) in several hours and I was not rushing.

[@ArcticFlies56]

I used Uponor PEX pipes for my house construction too. A tip for anyone using PEX pipes and fittings. Temperature has a lot to do with installing PEX pipes. If your installing during the Spring, Summer and early Fall you rarely have problems with leaks around fittings. If you’re installing in the Winter in cold climates the PEX pipes takes longer to seat around the fittings. Here’s the tip, keep a heat gun handy and give the PEX and fitting a shot of heat evenly around the fitting and the PEX pipe. The PEX and fitting will seat quickly and stop any leaks you may have had around the fitting. We used brass fittings with PEX pipes and the heat gun solved the problem.

[@larryt7001]

The biggest reason to go to Pex, especially in low income housing. They're FAR less likely to tear out your plumbing to sell as scrap metal for drugs.

[@oldman39040]

YES

[@mauricebaskerville4912]

That's what I'm going through now.

[@jodymontez693]

OMG, Lord please forgive the ignorant.

[@rts3613]

I have a little lake cabin that was plumbed with copper that was stolen. It was then plumbed with CPVC that froze and shattered. Then flexible copper that was again stolen. I finally plumbed it with Pex A with only plastic fittings (no brass) and it solved all the issues. I work in the home building industry in Texas. I'm in 10-12 new builds every day, and haven't seen anything but pex in years. Much better than having some meth-head do thousands of dollars in damage for $20 of copper, and it's easy to work with to boot.

[@harrypouncey9218]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@billvilla7799]

Good video Matt. Here are other things to consider: 1) PEX can expand when it freezes, but is harder to thaw. 2) PEX can be chewed on by mice creating leaks...I have had clients with that issue. 3) Copper is a natural antimicrobial material, PEX is not. On projects with well water we have seen microbial slime growth in PEX pipe. 4) As far as expanding the pipe to get full flow fittings...Uponor had a patent that has expired. Most PEX manufacturers now offer an equal at lower prices.

[@brianhanna7913]

Very true about rodents! They love this stuff. My parents live in the country and have had nothing but problems with PEX. I would never use it where this could be a problem.

[@SparkyMcBiff]

Thank You! I had never considered the fact that microbiological growth will be uninhibited with PEX! (I live out in the country, and am on well water, and I regularly have to take my table-top ice maker apart every few months in order to clean the goop that grows inside the thin plastic tubing, simply because there is no chlorine in my well water). I will continue to do any plumbing with copper. (Which I enjoy doing anyways).

[@tonysitko2540]

Copper is great until the water company treats water with copper eating chemicals our area has endless list of people re piping due to this .

[@billvilla7799]

@@tonysitko2540 I would check with your water company. Generally, it is a ph problem with the water that eats the pipe. If it is ph, there are many ways to adjust the ph to stop the issue.

[@tonysitko2540]

@@billvilla7799 to late repipe time yes the water company should of considered this it is like cancer in our area.

[@svenkikals-hallstrom6200]

I've used copper almost exclusively with some Pex a few times. I'm really impressed by Pex A. Great video, clear explanation.

[@timely9121]

I'm glad you talked about the burst resistance. Two years ago I walked into second home in Vermont where every piece of baseboard heat has froze and split. After fixing all the heat we turned the domestic water back on and found zero breaks because they had Uponor pex.

[@Thatmattdoe]

I'm a plumber, and I'm already working on a 2nd repair, Pex leak due to rats eating the pex. Yeah it's a quick fix, throw a sharkbite (pricy) or cut and use rings and couplings with a replacement pex pipe. Copper, however, is durable and cannot be chewed through by rats, yeah it's expensive, and dealing with solder and flux, but hey, you get what you pay for.

[@1992jamo]

@@douganderson7002 Rats don't exist in the developed world? lol.

[@Inquisitor6321]

I'm old school so I'm copper man. I also use pex for special situations like pre-existing pex; corrosive well water and freeze hazards. I only use Uponor pex-a for the ID of the fittings and the pressure that it can stand without bursting. Awesome system!

[@MrDomitian]

If you are a really old school guy what not using steel pipes?

[@MaximC]

Still, you prefer copper, right?

[@arkypaularky]

The title was PEX vs. Copper but this video was really all about PEX. Should have discussed the pros and cons of cooper as well and the complexities of sweating, routing, etc. It was interesting, though.

[@Efferheim]

pauldhaney He didn't because the only downsides to copper is the expense and ever so slightly more difficult installation. It would have been too obvious he's just being cheap with the plumbing.

[@Berelore]

There are plenty of disadvantages of copper, and he listed several. Expense, installation difficulty, sweating toxicity, copper corrodes with ph, scale builds on copper, flow reduction from bends/limits to number of bends, copper pipes are more prone to freezing/bursting, copper has high thermal conductivity so your hot water has to heat the pipes and surrounding area before getting hot at the tap, ect.

[@216trixie]

Domminign I can install Pex in 25%of the time to install copper. lol.

[@dougphillips4516]

216trixie, you're being paid so i want whatever time it takes. I just had a plumber try to use cheap pex when i Clearly said copper.

[@216trixie]

Doug Phillips Sure, I'll install whatever you want. If you're the lone wolf who will insist on copper, I'll be glad to install. I miss running pipe.....But in ten years of doing pex, I haven't had one pereson go with copper after the price difference is shown. And I've been enjoying saving my customers money on a pipe job. Run hot and cold for a bath, kitchen, w.heater and laundry in 2 to 3 hours? Yep. Fun . I miss copper though, so if you live anywhere near the San Joaquin valley , let me know and I'll do your piping!!

[@alexbarie4812]

Uponor is a great system. Much fewer fittings are needed with this system. Once did an entire repipe using 7 fittings total

[@garyvallone5393]

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son in that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life John 3:16

[@rjc1945]

"Discovered" PEX via RV repair. Great stuff and now use whenever I can in home and on the road. There are adapters out there for any type pipe you can encounter to get to PEX for great repairs in older homes.

[@DeadKoby]

Nice to learn about Pex. As a home-owner of a 70's house, I learned how to fix/solder copper... so Pex is a new thing for me to see.

[@Robyrob7771]

Used PEX for the first floor laundry ten years ago. I used a manual crimper with a “go/no go” profile. Very easy install and, of course, no leaks!👍🏻

[@CubasAutomotive]

PEX is safe from junkies. Time & time again, I have to reinstall plumbing due to the junkies stealing the copper tubing from homes. Thankful to the PEX to save the day. Easier to cut & to install.

[@jpian0923]

Pretty good point you got there. Well said.

[@levihall3550]

Unless you use brass fittings

[@yagousera]

Lame excuse because they can't be much of "Junkies" if they left the kitchen sink.

[@dh66]

Yago Usera or your engine block

[@yagousera]

Dh66- Your problem ? English Grammar here.

[@KellyBurnham]

Hey Matt - I learned the plumbing trade using copper so I'm more than comfortable installing hard copper waterlines. I think you should have included the PEX 'Copper Ring Crimp' system since it's by far more popular than A or B. My biggest complaint about PEX over Copper is that it's hard to make a neat looking install with plastic, Oh and Copper has natural antiseptic qualities and will kill some microbes when exposed long enough - can't do that with plastic! Thanks for posting.

[@ViolentKisses87]

I use a micro system of Roman aqueducts in my walls to supply water.

[@annoythefish]

How is it? I've been meaning to upgrade from my Assyrian irrigation canals.

[@ausintune9014]

Violent Kisses pfft, my chinese rice irrigation system is better.

[@ohger1]

I tried the aqueduct system but we get frost heaves and I just can't keep the house level enough to get the correct flow. Back to Pex.

[@counterfit5]

Ausintune terraced fields on the wall is definitely the best method

[@wesfrazier5739]

Your arches are works of art. FACT

[@schuholzjohn3625]

excellent video - have used this product for 20 years with excellent results. still amazed how some ignorant plumbers still berate this system. can also be used for air piping systems - works perfectly and lasts. another plus is less chance of torching the building down !

[@TopDedCenter]

Thanks to PEX, i was able to avoid burst pipes in the great texas freeze of 2021. Although the pex lines in the attic did freeze, i was able to locate the portion of frozen line and warm it up with just my hands which allowed the ice to break free just enough and re-supply the house with water. Now I'm living in a 1975 build in north Texas and looking for ways to frost proof my copper water lines. Matt, if you're reading this, I would love to pick your brain about a few things.

[@Natedoc808]

No griping from me about this video, just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to make it and the clearly presented information.

[@terryzammit7605]

Very informative. I would of liked to hear about connections to the toilets and sinks. I find plastics systems are flimsy at the shut off valves. I usually transitions copper behind walls or in the floor

[@BrianKrahmer]

i've built two houses with pex, and what i use on the toilets is a brass drop elbow, and for sinks, crimp on an NPT adapter and connect straight to your braided stainless. there are easy solutions for every situation

[@TomsVids4You]

Built my new house with Uponor PEX-A. Great system. When I was designing the house, I asked several plumbers in the Detroit area: PEX or Copper. Best answer I got was "PEX, because I don't want to plumb my house twice with copper - once on rough-in, and a second time after someone walks away with all my Copper!!" We did use about 10% copper. When it sweats, it is great, but the occasional fitting leaks, and drying it out to repair it is a real pain. Tested all my PEX with air. Only leak I had was when I re-used a fitting on my pressure test manifold, and nicked the barb with a razor. Re-work is always harder than getting it right the first time, but with PEX, if you make a mistake, hope you have some slack - there are no re-dos, cut the tube and replace the fitting (you can use a torch to remove PEX from brass fittings - I wouldn't try to re-use a plastic PEX fitting). Reworking Copper is always tricky, but it is possible.

[@oliverburke]

I like that for 3/4" size in California in 2024, PEX-A is $0.60/ft vs copper at $3/ft. 5 x difference. This helped me do a few plumbing projects at my residential co-op under budget! Love the Risinger explanations!

[@georgedistel1203]

I just last June replaced all of my 60 year old galvanized water lines with pex A the tool was a bit pricey but friends saw how easy it was and we have saved each other hundreds if not several thousand dollars replacing piping in our houses. And we are actually doing more than most local plumbers would do. We have a few good ones in my town but an awful lot of loonies that shouldn't be allowed to practice plumbing.

[@sidior12]

Great blog, and I loved the readers' comments. Very insightful. One think you didn't mention is Shark Bite fittings. That's all I use for my connections. Simply snap together.

[@robertbeirne9813]

sidior12 shark bite fittings really add to the expense

[@garyvallone5393]

I've been plumbing 20 years and I finally did my first pex recipe last month. I was always sceptical. It was super easy to install and no leaks initially.

[@rgenericson5361]

Lol, initally

[@robertbeirne9813]

R Genericson, in Italy 🇮🇹

[@curtisfernau4441]

Excellent presentation!! Being an old retired plumber, and a few years before PEX was introduced, I have had several opportunities in the use of type "A", which I like. The only leak I have had, besides a small piece of wood chip a fitting (my error) was learning that when using the expander you have to rotate the tool as you expand the PEX or there will be a slight ridge in the PEX resulting in a leak. I also change to copper for stubbing out of the walls.

[@truthsmiles]

The tool he used seemed to rotate on its own, but I can definitely see it as a problem if you're doing it manually.

[@rlicon1970]

As a formally licensed Texas plumber (drive a truck now way more money) who has done many houses in midland /Odessa area I would recommend Uponor brand for a few reasons myself which you covered like freeze ability. According to a Uponor report is almost impossible to break by freezing. Personally never seen it happen in fact we the guys tried to do that very thing by doing a small model and throwing it into a freezer and the pipe just swelled up and went back to normal after being it back to room temperature. Next with Permian basin area having the hardest water in Texas seeing a house copper plumbing system destroyed by water hardness. I have done dozens of rep repipes and we always used PexA. It also is extremely easy to use a loop system which prefer because of using a recirculation pump and having almost instant hot water always. I believe you vaguely touched on the subject referring on somebody else. Lastly the ease and speed of doing the house in PexA is incredibly fast. Basically 3 days to do a whole house and rough, top out and final or finish. A plumber and one helper can do it all. Personally I like putting all my plumbing in the ceiling but we rarely did that unless it was a relipe or on a new custom home the owner or custom builder specifically asked for it in the ceiling. Otherwise we did it below grade. Thera is my 2 pennies. I like your show. By the way we me and my wife just had a home built in Mexico for us. And wow what a difference. We spent 3.1 million pesos. Roughly 165k in dollars. Very nice but homes in Texas are built better.

[@chuckmartin3775]

I plumbed in Odessain the seventies and man you are right. Rheem water heaters gone after five years and tub spouts rotted off after three. Popular bumper sticker said; "Odessa Tx isn't the a-hole of the world, but you can see it from there". Another one said, "whatever you do, don't tell my folks I work in the oilfields. They think I'm a piano player in a whorehouse" Lol. I always thought the oil industry wrecked the water supply.

[@CB-fr6pi]

In the UK, this stuff comes with a 25 or 50 year guarantee. With inserts installed, standard copper compression fittings work great and give great results every time. Best of both worlds.

[@troyezell5841]

Great video! I've always like the Pex Tubing. Good anecdote here: My Dad, may he rest in peace with Lord now, built a Jim Walter home in 1981. No need to say anything about Jim Walter, I fully understand. Lol. Anyway, copper pipe was installed with well water; we had zero problems for almost 17 years. Around 1997 city water was piped in to our rural community and we hooked up to it. Within 15 years the chlorinated water began deteriorating the copper pipes and my Dad had many problems after that. There are many houses with Pex where I live and none have had problems with chlorinated water with one exception. Trailers that had the old metal "pinch crimp" connectors on Gray Poly, the connector was crimped or pinched on one side. Those type of connectors began to leak and eventually corrode and blow apart because they could not handle the pressure of city water. There was a huge lawsuit about that. Nonetheless, all the houses have done very well that used Pex tubing. Great video and thanks!

[@hardys.5763]

Kitec, oh the sorrow of Kitec. Just to let you know, Kitec is one of in foe the worst plumbing products ever created. First off, it's not just the fittings that fail. If we think about it, does anyone know why it was invented? well, I do. this all goes back to underground plumbing. Pex is a great product. It's water tight, but not gas tight. So waht happened is, someone thought that this Pex, a very easy to work with material could replace lead, steal, copper, and black poly. all of which are gas tight. Unfortunately there are toxic gases in the ground, that can and do penetrate pex. So, someone started thinking as to how they could stop these gases from doing so. Well here comes pex with a twist. Pex is a cross linked polymer, and as such performs well at designed thicknesses to withstand pressures and temps at these thicknesses. So what some, supposedly educated, engineer thought up was to take pex at two layers of half the thickness that would normally be used, and sandwich a thin layer of aluminum between them. An attempt at forming a gas tight barrier. Thus creating the unstable matrix we call Kitec today. The neat thing is, if this Engineer had thought, just a little but, about thermodynamics, and the expansion differential of both products they were attempting to merge , just a little bit mind you, they would have understood right from the beginning that this stuff was no good. Pex likes to move, aluminum does not. Not to mention bonding these completely different materials. So because of the varying expansion rates, and the fact that once you stretch aluminum it wants to stay that way, the "bond" between them eventually breaks down. Also the aluminum has a seam. Anyway, another facet to this wonderful stuff was the way they extruded it. The thickness of the pex often was not consistent. The over all thickness was, but the layers of the pex was often not so. So, if there was a thin spot, it could crack, since the cross linked matrix is designed to work at certain thicknesses. So once this crack would form, the bond would fail, and then blisters form, further weakening it. And then once on layer fails, remember, designed to work at specific thicknesses at pressure, subsequent failure in the local structure is just a matter of time. Leading to a overall rupture. But now on to another problem. Once the aluminum is exposed to a ionic solution, aka city water, a galvanic reaction begins to form between the zinc in the brass fittings and the aluminum. so, now you have pipe that gets weakened from repeated hot and cold cycles. And the brass fittings that form micro fissures in it's structure. Sounds like a wonderfully mind-blowing thing, doesn't it? Well I guess it's like everything else, where there is money to be made, let the hosing begin!! There is allot on Kitec on the internet. I have worked replacing this stuff with regular pex. And have seen just about every failure there is with this stuff. It's not just the fittings. It's the entire concept of the stuff. In Canada Ipex are the ones who produced it here. Not too sure about if they were exporting to the US. But I am aware of a class action in the state of Nevada. Anyhow, hope that sheds some light.

[@hardys.5763]

Found a link as to Who made the struff. www.thomasinspections.com/files/KITEC_DETAILS.pdf

[@pbrown6097]

I liked your video, I'm hard of hearing and I was able to hear every word clearly. Also I liked your lighting, you can easily see everything that is being talked about and finally you took your time in explaining the differences. Thanks

[@chriswilson7138]

Matt, as always, great video. I had a slab leak on my 50 year old home in Dallas back in 2015. After talking to neighbors, it was evident that my copper pipes under the slab were end of life. I did a ton of research and asked for Uponor Aquapex (PEX-A) by name because i wanted the pipe to be more flexible to run in my small attic (and also more flexible in freezing conditions) as well as allow for better water flow compared to Pex B. I had a permit pulled and had a plumber re-pipe the house through the attic in a trunk and branch configuration. I already had a D'mand recirculation pump, so we simply had a proper pump return loop added. Pros: - Almost instant hot water - Hot water pump (ACT D'Mand pump) takes only 30 seconds to deliver hot water over 100 ft across 3/4 inch pipe. the hot water is fully distributed through the entire hot water trunk quickly. -Water & energy savings - After the D'mand pump runs, I only need to open the hot water valve on the bath or shower for 5-8 seconds before getting hot water. The insulated hot water lines stay warm for around 15 mins (great for kitchens and laundry rooms where the water has to be turned on and off minutes apart). This really cuts down on having to run the faucet to get hot water again. -Relatively easy installation - some drywall repair work was needed to re-pipe my house, but overall, not a horrible process. -Piece of mind - I know that another slab leak from water pipes will never occur (common in my neighborhood). -Even if a pipe freezes, the pipe won't burst - I have not had my pipes in the attic freeze even when the temperature was in the low-20's, so that has been good. -Flame Free Installation - A huge plus in confined spaces -No Digging Under house & No tearing up flooring for a repair Cons: - Temperature Extremes - Even though pipes are insulated in the attic, they make the water more susceptible to higher temperature swings throughout the year. In the summer, the water can be around 100 degrees until cooler water from underground flows through (because the attic is about 125 degrees). The warmer days fool my D'Mand pump into thinking hot water has been delivered throughout the house, so it stops early when we press our hot water button. In colder months, water temps from the pipes in the attic can be 40-50 degrees during cold snaps outside, once flushed out, the water is normal ground temperature (55-60 degrees). The initial temperatures are a bit cold when you just need to wash your hands. This is only noticeable about 3 months of the year. -Construction & Drywall repair - every plumbing fixture in the house had to have new pipes run in the walls. Hollow core interior walls were much easier to run piping but a few walls were exterior walls and required more effort.

[@DaddyBear3000]

Chris Wilson great comment. Thanks for sharing.

[@elbuggo]

Uponor AquaPEX tubing is the best answer. Expensive tools but most fool resistant system.

[@Hp2G1]

Chris Wilson, D'Mand pump in cold climate certainly don't save energies. We installed one in my friend house, and he deactivate it mid-winter after he realized that his water heater was almost running full time. Yes the pipes were insulated. Saved on heating though... ;-)

[@chriswilson7138]

No re-circulation pump is designed to save overall energy (because energy is lost recirculating hot water in pipes, even with insulation). It is designed to reduce water waste and deliver hot water quickly to a remote part of a house's plumbing fixtures (such as a far bedroom or remote laundry room). D'mand pumps do use less energy to run than most recirculation pumps on the market because they only run when a user pushes a button instead of running for hours during a set schedule or 24/7 like other pumps (more energy is wasted when a motor is running for hours and hot water is being recirculated in a cold environment). Once the D'mand pump gets hot water (less than a minute), a temperature sensor turns the pump off until a user pushes the button again. A great application for the D'mand pump is when a laundry room is located at the end of the hot water branch. Most HE washers only use about 5-7 gallons per fill cycle (wash, rinse, etc), so when a user wants a hot water cycle, the water ends up being mostly cold unless the user flushes out the cold water in the hot water pipe through a nearby sink or other plumbing fixture. Without this flush, the washer will be full of mostly cold water by the time the actual hot water gets to the laundry room. By the time the washer needs another fill cycle for rinse, the hot water that got to the laundry room will be cool again over the 20 minutes that it sits in the pipe. The D'mand pump installed as close to the end of the branch will allow the fill water to be mostly hot water. It is an item of convenience that I have gotten very used to and it would be hard to go back. Anytime I want to take a shower, I press the button 30 seconds before turning on the shower. The pump runs for about 1 minute to circulate hot water over 100ft of 3/4 inch hot water pipe in my house but the hot water gets to the end of the house in the first 30 seconds (the pump shuts off once hot water reaches the pump at the end of the loop (about 1 minute). The faucet has hot water within 7 seconds of turning it on, so very little water is wasted. My brother visited recently and turned on the shower for a full 5 minutes before using it because he was used to his apartment taking a long time for hot water to get to his bathroom (this is his daily routine). Does the pump offset the cost of energy loss by saving more water? Not in my area but it might in places that water is expensive. I personally hate dumping 5-10 gallons down the drain every time i need hot water at the kitchen sink, laundry room or my master bathroom (all located on the far end of the house away from the water heater).

[@chriswilson7138]

They were wrapped in poly at the slab penetration but nothing else. Pinhole leaks are common in my neighborhood (Fox & Jacobs DFW mass builder from the 60's). Most mass builders do not pay attention to quality. One of my neighbors is an electrician and he says that the houses in our neighborhood had no electrical ground rod installed when the houses were built, thus they used the copper piping as the grounding mechanism. Over the years, nearby lightning strikes and electrical shunts to ground have cause pinhole leaks to develop. A few months back, we had a lightning strike a nearby electrical pole. Within 2 weeks, we had 5 neighbors in the vicinity of the electrical pole need slab leak repairs (2 decided to go to PEX-A). Coincidence? Maybe... Truth is most houses in our area are starting to get pinhole leaks and replacing with PEX is a more viable option compared to tunneling to replace all copper pipes (one neighbor told me he has done 14 slab leak repairs in his copper lines).

[@wedgeantilles1953]

Thanks for the good info. A couple of years ago, I replaced a five foot section of a copper, hot water line in my basement bathroom, with PEX and Sharkbite fittings. The project took less than five minutes! Love both products.

[@stevenmoomey2115]

In Maryland I have a 385 foot deep well, the water eats holes in Copper and Terminal Brass fittings. It doesn’t eat holes in the PEX Brass Crimp Fittings. All my Valves have been replaced multiple times. My Water Heater piping has been replaced three times. Last time I used “K” Copper. Also I brazed a #8 copper wire between the Hot and Cold Water Heater Pipes, in addition to the Copper wire that is wrapped around the a Silver Fittings coming out of the Water Heater. BTW I’m on my original Electric Water Heater, at 30 years old.

[@danlangston1321]

I used PEX-b to repipe my house. Glad Matt pointed out pex -b is smaller diameter it really does affect flow. My water meter at the street was 3/4" and i used 3/4 pex pipe from the meter to the manifold. I do notice a pressure drop when more than one tap is open. Not a big deal in a small house but consider sizing up if you have long runs or a big family using water at the same time Also If you have a tankless water heater they suggest i think 15" of alternative pipe before you transition to pex due to the heat transfer from the coils

[@natedog724]

its not a pressure drop... you just have less volume.... you cant change yer pressure unless you have a pressure reducing valve... just wanted to clear that up

[@niceguy2171]

As a industrial Master Plumber who switched over to residential after 38 yrs. I can tell you that you never use less than 1" to feed even a single family residence, and have never seen a valve or meter from the towns supply that small as you said, but even if I did it would be 1" that I would run.

[@elbuggo]

You need about 1" PEX for the same volume as Cu 3/4". PEX pipes have much thicker walls.

[@peterstubler1515]

If Matt was accurate with losing about a 1/8 inch diameter with PEX-B on a 3/4 inch line, then the difference in cross sectional area is a factor of 1.44. That implies that at the same pressure, the PEX-A fitting could pass almost half again more water.

[@johnbecich9540]

Niceguy217/master_plumber: My city meter (at the curb) is merely 5/8". It's been working fine for 60 years. In 1991 I re-fresh-water-piped my entire house with L copper, all the way from every shower head back to the street. The main is 1 inch, and it's quite long, probably 60 feet before first tap in the house. I have 68psi static pressure and awesome flow everywhere. Two people shower simultaneously with no inconvenience, no temperature shock, etc.

[@johnbecich9540]

Thank you for the primer on PEX. I've seen it around, never used it, and never before realized there are types "A" and a "B." I hear the caveats against "rats" and would accept that challenge, as modern houses are full of "chewables" (like Romex) anyway. But what intimidates me (as an engineer, who formerly designed production electronics) is the danger of swearing allegiance to anything that is single-sourced. So if those PEX fittings are not manufactured by more than one company, I'd raise my red flag and stop, before the first hole was drilled, before the first tube was laid. Matt Risinger touched upon this subject only momentarily, and it deserves full exposure, full diligence. Single sourced parts require the sign-off of a Chief Technology Office, or similar, in properly-run engineering corporations. Take a lesson from those people who push paper all day... and sleep well at night, knowing they have multiple sources for critical components.

[@camprocketsound2601]

For what it's worth...one year later...I'm re-doing my house with PEX-A, and there are now at least two different manufacturers: Uponor/Wirsbo/ProPex, and Apollo, which is distributed by the big-box stores. It seems like the system is taking off, and I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes the new standard. Copper seems great at first, but almost all of mine has completely corroded.

[@cedrdar]

There are alternatives even using single-source components. For example with PEX, if the company goes belly up, you can always cut out sections and replace with other types or other manufacturers. It isn't like the system goes in and you would have to replace the whole system if a single-source goes out of business. It is somewhat modular in that way.

[@bobgarr6246]

Read this guys analysis of PEX boys and girls. This is how to correctly and present a position in a written format. Very well structured and thought out. All points of concern that would matter are asked and answered. Very little is left unanswered by the end of the post. And many good points are brought up, such as red flag issues. Well done, now if only more people could be as accurate and concise.

[@kevinfisher1345]

There are many manufacturers and has been for quite awhile. Now what all can be found in your local areas might not be the case. He mentioned Viega and Upanor in the video. But there are many others such as Ipex, Rehau, EvoPex, Auspex and Duopex that I have seen. And have heard of Vanguard and Zurn as well. There are also many other types of fittings that can be used with PEX not mentioned in the video. Also not mentioned in the video is a 'C' type as well, but it is the stiffest and more prone to kinking and freezing, although also the cheapest. So is no red flags needed, as stated in the video PEX has been around for many decades and has many manufacturers making this product as a result.

[@robbiedw1495]

I've got a mix of copper and pvc. It acts as a timeline of when projects were done in this house (Built in 1920s). Eventually I would like to replace with PEX. A friend recently showed me his PEX system and I loved the control valve setup. It was just like a breaker panel to control each circuit.

[@buildshow]

+RobbieDW that is a cool feature I never mentioned

[@JordanCataldo65]

my parent's house has radiant floor heat using PEX, and also have a manifold like that. Its quite interesting!

[@johnkaufmann1905]

Only problem with a manifold setup is when you turn on a hot water fixture you only fill that line then you turn on a different fixture you have to fill that line. A trunk setup allows water flow in the trunk so time is cut way down

[@KentuckyRanger]

I had my old house converted from the crumbling galvanized pipe to PEX back in 2015, as well as replaced the water heater with a tank-less unit. So far I've had zero problems! While I have to flush the heater every 6 months, I can see the tank-less water heater lasting much longer than the tank version it replaced. I've also noticed that it doesn't take much longer than the old tank to get hot water, and it lasts as long as the water is running. Because it doesn't run unless hot water is needed, it's paid fr itself in the last 5 years in cost savings!

[@toddr8992]

older plumbers will never stop using cpvc... the new generation loves uponor.

[@jasonconklin8172]

No GOOD PLUMBER USES CPVC!

[@dustdrop]

I was able to replumb the majority of my house in 1 day and get the water back on using PEX-a. I recommend it for the great ease of installation. I do taste a plastic taint of the water in the mornings when water has been sitting in the pipes all night. Run the water for a bit and the taste is completely gone.

[@joshuaharrison8113]

Thanks, I’m having the same thing done at this very moment. Seems that most like it 👍

[@purenupe1]

It's easy to say PEX is better due to use of new construction with it. Because the developers have long disappeared when the plastic has started to fail, leach, worn, or damaged.

[@IsaacCarrizal]

Lemme tell ya, if you don't properly support those pex lines, noise will still be an issue. It's slightly different from true water hammer, but those lines will flop around in any space you give them and the noise from them smacking into things will sound virtually the same. Regardless, loved that install. Loved working with that product. I prefer the Uponor. Worth the expense, IMO.

[@buildshow]

+Isaac Carrizal thanks for the tip

[@OOpSjm]

That's why you use anti-hammer devices, but aren't those required pretty much everywhere now?

[@briancnc]

Good to note. I think pex is like anything else, installed poorly and you will get poor results. Copper is loud too when hammering happens and nails pull over time from straps or too few were used.

[@matt_b...]

Indeed. Too much slack in the system or a run that's not snugged down near the drywall will cause hammering. Source: My walls. Live & Learn I guess.

[@jlgrizzly7972]

Yes you are so right, after they built our new house which has pex through out the home I started noticing a rattling sound every time a commode was flushed. Come to find out the line in the wall going to the valve for the supply line of the refrigerator ice-maker was not properly supported in the wall and would rattle around.

[@Ali-Rida]

That side-by-side comparison of type A & B joints was the excellent point of the video! Watched a few videos until saw it here! Thanks

[@karlkepper7945]

In 2014 I had my home built, and the contractor asked me what type of plumbing I want to use in my new home? He gave me the choice of copper, CPVC and PEX. I knew about copper and CPVC, but absolutely nothing about PEX. I talked to a few plumbers who said PEX was the way to go; plus I did a lot of research on the Internet and finally decided on PEX. That was 7 years ago, and to this day I have never regretted my decision. PEX is the way to go!

[@APRIL2862]

As an old timer (76) I'm open to new ideas and really like the Pex system!

[@goucho3986]

The PEX A has a full 1/2 3/4 etc flow. The others lose volume due to the fittings which inside diameter is 1/8 in thick. So for a 1/2 pipe you lose over 40% of your volume.

[@MrDmadness]

6/8 = 3/4 so 25% less, and you suck at math

[@bldlightpainting]

This is one of the reasons why I plumbed my last custom home entirely (including in-floor hydronic heating) with PEX instead of copper. I love it!

[@emotionz3]

I've never used anything BUT PEX for hydronic heating, solid pipe would be a nightmare to make a nice grid without some sort of jig.

[@cps2715]

I repiped a house yesterday in PEX A using the Milwaukee pipe expansion tool. I absolutely love using this material just because it's flexible and no heat is needed. It's also color coded Blue and Red and not expensive.

[@countrysoul2592]

I have used copper, plastic PVC and now. I do like the pics Plumbing for all the same reasons as what you said and more

[@jimdrewty]

Uponor all the way up here in Michigan. Cost drove us to switch from copper to PEX B, the pressure drop moved us from PEX B to Uponor. Price difference between copper and Uponor is not huge but ease of installation is a big part as well as resistance to breaking from freezing. Good call on the mineral build up on the inside of copper. I've seen many copper pipes reduced by half it's original size or they get super thin over time. Keep up the good work!!!

[@buildshow]

+Jim Kandell thank Jim. Interesting to hear your moves in the plumbing world. Best, Matt

[@bahopik]

And then when you spend a day piping, your work will be there tomorrow, not just the holes if you ran copper

[@davidweeres797]

Hey Jim, I actually work for Uponor in the mixing and tooling department. Just wanted to say thank you for the support! We work very hard to make sure we send out a great product.

[@ausintune9014]

Wish plumbing was easier to replace :/

[@GTSN38]

No price difference in Michigan? Wow ! Here in Illinois copper costs way more than plastic . We have people who steal copper, but not plastic.

[@tubewatcher5012]

I'm a property inspector, and have seen time and time again how well copper holds up over time. The plastic issues of algae buildup and chlorine corrosion over time are what I am looking at. It appears as if everybody forgot about the Polybutylene (PB) issues, a plastic manufactured between 1978 and mid-1995 that resulted in class action lawsuits. Only time will tell. Copper does have it's weaknesses, but lets face it...it's proven to last in MOST cases.

[@TennSeven]

"Only time will tell." PEX has been around since the 60s.

[@sysublime5091]

Also rodent and attic critters love to chew on pex.. pex is great in Boats and Rv's but thats about it

[@barrryyy]

I remember the PB piping and for that reason I would never use PEX.

[@jasonrobinson8919]

Polybutelene(aka big blue for exterior water services or qest gray pipe for interior distribution systems) was manufactured by shell oil co, tested with distilled water, and primarily installed in chlorinated water systems(municipalities). Absolutely prone to leaks since chlorine directly reacts with butelene, unless you're on well water(naturally no chlorine). As a result, a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit. Polyethylene expansion type(wirsbo or uponor) is perfectly OK, city or well water, when installed correctly. Crimp style is for the unlicensed or Home Depot rookies!!(My licensed contractor opinion) P.S.-the first five letters of plumber or plumbing is "plumb". This means straight lines, properly positioned tee's, and true 90° bends! Take pride in your installation!! Long sweeping loops are for lazy bums looking for quick pay. This can cause "water hammer". I know being the expert that goes behind these new construction installers, sometimes needing to cut drywall, and securing the rattling pipe. Also, the "excessive bends or 90's & tee's making less pressure" theory is BS when you follow your state code. Main lines and interior distribution lines are sized based on fixture units, exactly like the drainage sysyem. Plumb the system efficiently(least fittings necessary), size the pipe properly, and the fitting count WILL NOT REDUCE the pressure, even with all fixtures running simultaneously. The plumber protects the health of the nation, word!

[@jasonrobinson8919]

Btw, algae forms with stagnient water such as an unused R/O system, not with moving water.

[@DayforNightProd]

used uponor to replace a 30 foot run of copper pipe that started leaking..the copper had 4 turns in it. Used one straight piece of pex...very easy to use

[@mattalbrecht7471]

I guess in an old fashioned sense I'm still a little partial to copper pipe, but I will admit that I almost use exclusively PEX now just because the cost! I mean when you're building or remodeling a house if it's allowed by code I've never had any leakage problems with PEX tubing... And the difference in doing an entire house in copper if you have a loop system like with a circulation pump, and doing that same installation with PEX is absolutely astonishing

[@hawkofthenorth4829]

1st experience with pex was the well driller installed a PEX pipe to plastic adapter and it blew off and had water hitting the floor of my daughters room from the pump in the basement. Glad we were home to here the Pop and stop the flood.

[@jefferyfishback56]

I have used it all. I am a fan of PEX, for most situations for several reasons. First, the material is less than half the cost of copper to buy. Second the labor is less than half the cost of copper, to install. Third, the speed of water flow is much better with PEX. Forth, break ins and robberies are almost non existent, with a PEX install. Finally, repairs and upgrades to a system are much easier with PEX.

[@jeffhack6839]

So other than theft copper is still the way to go overall using proper fittings, correct!

[@jim7smith]

So how does a potential copper thief know that you do not have copper?

[@ratbagley]

6:53 - Um, you are supposed to rotate the expander 45 degrees every time you expand it so it is even or it can leak. It's in the Uponor manual and on their website. Also, it shrinks for much longer than a few seconds. 1/2 hour if its cold. Its also in the manual. I bought the hand operated expander and its a pain but it works. Strong joint.

[@scottcraig1047]

The Milwaukee tool automatically rotates. You only need to rotate the piece if you're using the manual expanding tool.

[@ratbagley]

@@scottcraig1047 Thank you, I stand corrected.

[@DriveCarToBar]

Some of the PEX horror stories came from the KITEC fittings, rather than the PEX tubing itself. The hard water here in Las Vegas leeched the zinc from the improperly made fittings and caused leaks. The PEX tubing itself was fine. However, you need to watch out for rodents. They can and will eat your piping. Also, make sure you have the sticker in your breaker panel warning that the house doesn't have conductive plumbing and that it shouldn't be used as a ground.

[@americathefree3708]

Thanks Mike. I live the Valley as well. My home has copper, but as I have been renovating certain areas of plumbing, I have used PEX with shark bite. The oldest going on 5 years, no problems.

[@RockHudrock]

Mike McKeen yes, exactly, the kitek manifolds and connectors. But the copper pipes also corroded - at least the hot water side. Either due to little grit inside drilling holes at vortices, and/or if H and C were too close together under slab, it became a “battery” and the Cold stayed nice and bright copper, while the Hot corroded to failure.

[@ZZZRSC]

Although metallic plumbing systems are required to be grounded to prevent them from becoming accidentally energized, they can only be used as the main service grounding electrode by the NEC, but no other grounding purposes. Most cities and inspectors won't even allow that since a lot of the underground piping supplying the house has been replaced with plastic, and the code requires 5' of steel pipe in contact with the earth.

[@OGCONSUMER]

Mike McKeen i believe you’re confused with “Apex” the maker of Kitec plumbing

[@chuckbailey6835]

You shouldn't ground your electric to your water line to begin with in the last 25 years I have fixed/replaced hundreds of under ground water lines that were leaking due to electrolysis

[@johnslaughter5475]

I've got a 20 year old manufactured home that uses CPVC. I've never been happy with it. Ever since I heard of PEX I've been saving money to simply run the PEX in and cap off all the CPVC. I like the difference you've shown and I'll go with the PEX-A. I'll also be adding a tankless water heater. Thank you for this video.

[@BeerBumBuzz]

In Denmark it's required to use "pipe in pipe" when using pex for cold/hot water installations. This is to prevent water damage in walls etc and you can see which pex connection is leaking at the connected end. Hidden connections are also illegal of course.

[@joshuaharrison8113]

You all seem to have it together, over there 😊

[@barkbarkatthemoon]

Matt, I am a homeowner that pulled all the 20 year old copper out of my house because our well water is acidic and the copper pipes were suffering pin hole leaks. In the last 7 years there have been about 5 leaks. We do not have a water softener and prefer not to have one. I have replaced all my plumbing with Uponor ProPex using brass fittings only. I do not think the Uponor plastic fittings can stand for 30 to 50 years like the Pex tubing and the brass fittings can. I use the Milwaukee tool that you show and have never had a single leak or failure. With the brass fittings the ProPex system is not cheaper than traditional copper. Those fittings are expensive. Finally I would like to agree with you that the total pressure drop of the ProPex system is much less than any other system and its resistance to freeze is very good. One disadvantage to any plastic system relative to copper is that they can be chewed by rodents. One disadvantage to type B Pex is that the crimping tool has to be calibrated or they will fail to provide the proper crimp. I prefer ProPex over all other systems.

[@ohger1]

@barkbarkattemoon: can you cite something as to the reliability of the brass vs the poly Uponor fittings regarding low ph water conditions? I'm just about to rip out all the copper in my house because of low ph and was planning on using the poly fittings. Are the brass ones immune to low ph?

[@josephskulj8643]

Still love good ol copper and it’s a good skill to have to know how to run copper, but that rehau sure is some good shit

[@walterbrunswick]

Knowing how to repair vacuum tube computers is also a 'good skill' to have

[@Sailor376also]

I do all home runs. Set manifolds in the utility space,, ideally with a shut off for each. Zero fittings. or fittings only at the point of use. No fittings,, no leaks.

[@DanielRichards644]

slightly more expensive, but totally the way to go, no reason to have to shut down the whole damn house just to service a bathroom

[@antv38]

Home runs are code in CA. 😃

[@robertd.fisherjr.2875]

I at least wish everyone had a shutoff at each point of use.

[@antv38]

@@robertd.fisherjr.2875 we do. Use bullets for the exits. The angle stop or shut off valves and Bam.

[@Garth2011]

Good idea for those who do not want to have water volume issues when something else is using water. Trac houses built today seem to be mostly junk craftsmanship in all areas.

[@petec6690]

Few years ago I stripped out all the copper half inch and replaced it with Pex-B. The main driver behind the decision to change was the number of elbows from the moment the plumbing passed the main shut off valve. There were about 30 elbows before the water split to the water heater and the rest of the house. There HAD been a water softener at one time, hence the number of turns. A secondary driver was that everything in the house was half inch. Flush the toilet while someone was showering - that was grounds for divorce. I upgraded to 3/4 inch with half inch side out tee's to supply toilets, sinks, tubs/showers. Also installed a water softener without having to add more than just one tee. Everything else was sweeping turns, not elbows. I have great water pressure and flow. Often people confuse pressure with flow. Typical pressure in my house is around 65 PSI. Better than some places for pressure. But flow had been an issue from the first day I owned this 1962 built house. Which may have originally been built with galvanized plumbing, one type of plumbing Matt Risinger did not mention. The leader pipe from the water meter to the house is galvanized pipe, and one day I'll have to dig up the line. But even after all these years, I still have pretty good flow. No issues with water sprinkler systems, toilets or tub filling. In short - I like Pex.

[@mikemaifeld6280]

I have had Red PEX( a) fail at the connector twice . Uponor is what I have with the hot fittings. They were very slow leaks but did a lot of damage.

[@mikejoyce9235]

I would actually like to correct you in the beginning around the two and a half minute Mark where you say that there is less pressure drop because I can tell you that there's more friction loss in CPVC versus copper. I personally wouldn't have used the PEX for a rain head, and I certainly wouldn't use it for a main branch because of those friction losses. Also, Type L copper is actually pretty resistant to freezing as well and the CPVC well fatigue if it keeps freezing and unfreezing. Anyways, copper is 10 times better and the only reason that it's not better right now is because of the price. But at the end of the day everyone is going to be using this stuff because other ridiculous price the copper is.

[@readmore3634]

Pipe size has nothing to do with pressure, only volume. You can have 200 lbs of pressure... but if the piping is narrowed anywhere to a pin hole, you won't have much volume. I have 30 lbs of street pressure to my home. The water system is slightly over sized and there are zero problems with water volume during heavy use. (2 people showering and the like) I've installed 1000's of feet of Uponor Aqua Pex. (no metal bands, just the expanding Pex Rings) so it's all one material. The biggest advantage in comparing to copper is no more ELECTROLYSIS ! (too hard to explain, look it up) Also it's clean....no acid flux in the system, just run the water for a few minutes and then drink if you want. Easy to repair too. (nail hole, accidentally drilled and the like) Water hammer happens when you shut off the water, at any fixture, very quickly. (Push/pull valves and solenoid valves on refrigerators and clothes washers, toilets are usually the culprit) Water is heavy, (carry a bucket of water sometime) pipe holds a surprisingly large amount of water....get it moving real fast and then suddenly shut it off it's going to make noise in any system. Shock absorbers are very effective in strategic areas and rather easy to install. Pex is cheaper by the foot but you generally use a lot more liner feet....a LOT. The real savings is in labor costs. Most rodents leave pipe alone if its not leaking.....but if there is a very small leak, they will lick it and begin to chew it to get more. I've seen holes as big as golf balls in black ABS waste pipe that started out as a hairline crack. When installing Pex be sure it will never see the light of day or the light of can lights. If its installed close to a can light just insulate with foam, (Very easy). As for turning on the cold water and it's warm due to attic temp, so what....who drinks tap water anymore? It won't affect RO water or charcoal filtered water from the fridge.....both have reservoirs. Shark Bite is an O-ring dependent seal....exposed to the atmosphere....it will eventually dry out...and disintegrate. Yes....I do know just about everything about residential plumbing....I been doing it since Junior High. I'm 58 now... Go ahead....ask me something.

[@my2cents0]

Averageskill OK , I have a question. What size hole should I drill through my floor when using 1/2 pex-A? I'm going to replumb my house, it has very old galvanized. I don't want to leave to much room for critters to get through.

[@jimbo2629]

Averageskill Flow rate is proportional to the 4th power of the radius. Small changes of diameter have a large effect. Pressure distal to a constriction falls.

[@kevinq9988]

Good points and information but I don't agree with saying "who drinks tap water anymore". The water from the tap should be potable and I grew up drinking it. I don't want to be afraid to drink the water from the tap.

[@Garth2011]

"Shock absorbers are very effective in strategic areas". Yes, they should be standard equipment in every plumb job

[@barbarazylema3584]

@@kevinq9988 I still drink water from the tap also. I am not afraid.

[@robertgiunta8812]

Yes, PEX is a great product - when discussing construction. It's important to mention that many decide to go with copper because of the much-reported risks regarding chemical leaching in PEX and PVC's.

[@MaximC]

Very true.

[@michaellehto1697]

Source please. Not just anecdotes.

[@MaximC]

@@michaellehto1697 Is there evidence that it doesn't?

[@kodkid]

@@MaximC Is there evidence that it does?

[@MaximC]

@@kodkid It's a new thing, so it's reasonable to be sceptical about the use of it, not vice versa, to be sceptical about non use of it. I think we can create and use "old"/"natural" non-toxic materials in most of the scenarios where we use petrol derived ones, probably the main reason why we use them so widely, is because it's cheaper to produce them - but we pay more for that anyway, with our health and with pollution of our environment/air/water/food/etc.

[@johnanderson8865]

Excellent comparison on the pex products. I have seen a number of CPVC products fail here in the mountains due to breaks in the elbows over time. I still feel copper is the best bet as that I have not seen Pex in action yet. But you did make a great case for Pex A.

[@leighsheppard8614]

Another advantage of PEX is its light weight, making it ideal for RVs and Motorhomes. We live full-time in our Fifth Wheel and I love being able to maintain, modify, move or repair my RV plumbing so easily. And its ability to withstand freezing temperatures is also a a huge benefit for RVers

[@t.d.mich.7064]

My experience with PEX is limited, but I have tasted water from PEX systems, and it's not as good tasting as a system made with copper. I see advantages to install PEX, and copper is much more expensive, but I can't believe PEX will last as long as copper. Just my opinion, which is worth what it cost you.

[@tonysitko2540]

Copper here in Florida with the water treatment eats it up I have to have a 70's home repiped with PEX .

[@jordan2735]

I prefer lead piping. Makes the water taste gooder.

[@prestonbowden]

I agre! No drain bramage here

[@BeavisFireFire]

"water taste gooder"? You meant "water taste more gooder". Sorry I just had to correct you english.

[@keithschill2427]

There is another down side to this piping, rodents love chewing through it. I have repaired 7 leaks so far. It was a sudden burst of rodents and they went to town on my pluming

[@harrypouncey9218]

Yikes!!! 🤯

[@allencolvin656]

I started watching these because I have to replace a water line after our recent freeze. My trade is carpentry. As an observation of what all the plumbers have been doing, I have seen this newer pex with the expandable locking collars that self seal around the fittings. pretty cool stuff! I just wish I could get it for myself.

[@vikingofengland]

I have used compression fittings with PEX (SpeedFit) using the inserts, and I think for *me* is the best system. I am not a plumber but am gutting and redoing my bathrooms.

[@cdoublejj]

i wanna see a video of someone crimping 20 year old pex tubes. i work in the electronics and auto field and ALL plastics get brittle after 15 years, sure no UV in the wall will help but, copper can last 50+ years. you can do curves with copper too.

[@dozdeshabb]

As much as i enjoyed your video ,I wonder why you left out Crimp fitting on your comparison.

[@canucanoe2861]

He didn't leave that out. He even showed how the crimp fittings restrict the flow more than the expansion tool fittings did. Who cares? Copper is king.

[@dejorgensen10]

PEX is great, but do take note. That if there is exposed PEX during the installation of closed cell spray foam, it'll mess it up. I've been told from builders, that spray foam changes the PEX and compromises it. So when when water pressure is applied, it leaks and you have to tear out the wall/foam for replacement.

[@rigovilla8506]

Very helpful and super detail on PEX With your video I made my choice on what to material to use on my plumbing which needs to be replace

[@philipguarnieri2822]

I build a log cabin upstate New York I used Pex tubing on my whole house what a beautiful product nice feature with that is once the fittings are fitted to the tubing you could rotate them.

[@vidajordan9803]

Rats and mice ate my pex pipes. They ate the red piping like candy. Water was off during the work. They ate it because they liked the flavor not to get water as there was no wayer on. They ate holes in the white pipes also. Back to copper.....

[@jdtown6585]

Wow and pex is hard as heck.

[@bay9876]

I heard this is the Pex downfall especially in the countryside.

[@packerpnp]

I find it healthier to avoid allowing rodents to live with me. I'm sure covering the Pex with foam pluming insulation is not that much of a hassle.

[@alford1742]

An excellent little known reason for using PEX is those on an acidic well supply can (within reason) throw away the calcite tanks and water softener. Acidic water in copper will make you sick and years later have pinhole leaks. Some entire regions have somewhat acidic well water and "city water" too.

[@ausintune9014]

You shouldn't be drinking water below 6 pH

[@readmore3634]

Drop in volume, not pressure drop.... The metal clamps begin to rust when building near the ocean. You are supposed to slightly rotate the "expander tool" as you use it so there are no grooves in the inside of the pipe. Careful bending too tight of turn...it may kink later after drywall....especially when hot water is introduced....then try to find it. I transition to copper when getting close to in-wall brass (tub/shower valves) so it can be changed out later.... much easier. I had to take a Pex class and carry a Licence in California. I have overseen 1000's of houses pexed...it's the best system. Read More

[@tyedazole1690]

The Milwaukee tool automatically rotates

[@readmore3634]

@@tyedazole1690That's cool...my boss never kicked down electric Pex tools. I went into business for myself in 2008 with 2 manual tools. In 30 yrs of Pexing only 2 joints leaked due to wood shavings getting in.....fixed in seconds.....it's the best option by far. Thx for the info...semi-retired now. Plumbing's been good to me.

[@thomashakonsen3778]

Matt. In Norway the most used piping system is Sanipex. Its been on the market for 25 years and is very reliable. Its a pipe-in-pipe system with a distributing "central" placed in a wetroom. Each outtake comes directly from the central. Its structure is very similar to an electric central. And the double pipe also helps if theres a leakage. It will be lead back to the central and then in to a water drain in your wetroom. And if its leaking the innerpipe can be replaced. It takes a bit of elbowgrease. But doable. Would absolutly recommend the product.

[@seapanther53]

My concern is chemicals getting into the water via whatever pex is made out of. You dont have to worry about that with copper bc the benefit of copper is it's a water purifier.

[@murraycowie9234]

cu itself is the hazardous element. I am not endorsing plastic though!

[@andriyshapovalov8886]

Then, you have to educate yourself on what it's made of and whether it bad for your health. Something we call due diligence...Same goes for copper pipe. And you got to use multiple sources of info, because this guy doesn't know what he's talking about in some of his videos. PS. Copper ions kills some bacteria, but by no means it purify the water...

[@seapanther53]

@@andriyshapovalov8886 thanks ass hole, that's why I'm watching these videos.

[@andriyshapovalov8886]

@@seapanther53 I was honestly trying to address your concern. So don't insult me. Tells more about your emotional maturity, kid.

[@thesoutherntrust2310]

Love this! Very informative as a home inspector!

[@mrsparex]

Pex is fun to work with... 😃 ...kinda like "Lincoln Logs" for adults!

[@jamiebrierly3107]

I'm building in ripley ohio, having a hard time deciding from copper or pex after this I am doing pex I believe! Not a huge price difference between the two, the copper pipe compared to pex pipe is way more but the per fittings are 8 or 10 bucks a piece but u don't need as many with pex! I believe that's what I'm doing now! Thanks!

[@buildshow]

+Jamie Brierly how about that timing! Welcome

[@alec4672]

Jamie Brierly You know what would actually be very interesting is to use your house as a experiment. Get a quote for both and get back to us if you feel like it! It would be really interesting.

[@jamiebrierly3107]

Alec Ver Bunker the copper was 1200 more for completed job by licensed plumber, that includes all plumbing materials plus rough in and final hook up! Basically everything minus fixture! This is a 5,000 sq ft home 2 story full basement 4 bed 3.5 bath including badement!

[@alec4672]

Jamie Brierly it must really come down to those fittings! Appreciate your info thank you!

[@Jeff-xy7fv]

Do you need an electrician? I'm licensed for Ohio and Tennessee.

[@tavares523]

I love using PEX Plumbing. Did a small house by my self in a couple days. Two bathrooms and a kitchen. Great product.

[@smurfkilla420]

I would like to mention. Copper comes in rolls to. It is harder to bend but you can do the same bends. But you don't have expansion it all depends on the connection. We just switched to rehau

[@MultiOhioman]

Makes sense ! My issue with insert connectors has always been loss of diameter. Pex a is better!

[@theberrybest]

I use pex A. I've run a lot of 2" and 11/2" for commercial use. So much easier than copper.

[@brandonnelson5021]

Matt: I wish I knew about half of what you share and discuss when I built my home back in 2001

[@kennethcoffey5776]

I used pet with shark bite fittings super easy and have had no issues and great pressures

[@ImDanimal85]

No reason why pex A doesnt take over the market so easy to use and a awesome system!! Replumb my whole rental house with zero experience in plumbing! Love the stuff, saved me so much money.

[@elvisneedsboatsbennett2455]

I am hoping this video will convince my husband to finally switch to pex after 8 years of nagging. He swears by cpvc even though he has to replace at least 1 pipe every winter.

[@elbuggo]

He should convert to Uponor AquaPEX tubing.

[@elvisneedsboatsbennett2455]

We live in southern Alabama, so it rarely gets below freezing for very long, but we live in a house built in 1895 and we are rebuilding it as we live here. There is zero insulation anywhere in this house and our fireplaces are non-functional. And no central heat or air. We just have little space heaters and lots of blankets.

[@ausintune9014]

You should spend a little more money on copper, copper lasts 70 years at min.

[@GTSN38]

You live in Alabama ? Just go down to the crick for some water

[@schuholzjohn3625]

@@ausintune9014 you have no idea of what your talking about. I've had more than 30 leaks with type L copper pipes in the last 10 years. PIN HOLES from city water supplies that have bad PH levels.

[@paulristow9066]

Built new house 2016 difference between PEX and copper $1000. Had the house done in copper.

[@troyb.4101]

A mistake you will regret, as most believe Pex is superior to copper!

[@brettbarker9394]

Depending on the install, if done correctly they should both last for decades. But I have seen terrible jobs done in both systems. Pex looks hideous if you dont support it in the walls and joist spaces. Unfortunately the place I live they didn't care about supporting it in the wall or making anything look decent. Just ran the pipe and ran away. Wondering how long before leaks occur. My buddy also worked for a company where they didn't properly protect pex while going through steel studs. You guessed it, new build and a rush job. So a matter of I say 4 years before leaks occur for the poor renters of that apartment complex

[@bffaris]

So many positives with the pex systems. The only thing I worry about is rodents. My sister had a rat chew through a pex line and destroy her end grain Douglas fir floor. Nice video as always.

[@brianphillips4115]

great info, i have experienced a problem with pressure drop using pex "b" between the shower faucet and the spout causing the shower to constantly run, the manufacturer even mentions it in the install instructions. looks as though pex "a" may solve that problem. thanks again