PEX Installation Methods

[@johnl1357]

Perfect video. That seriousness on your face at the end of your video, it brings out the the profesionalism in you. Thank you.

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Wow, thank you!

[@adisharr]

Great video! Looking at redoing an old house and going all PEX A. These new distribution manifolds with individual shutoffs look really nice :)

[@hopelessnerd6677]

I wish my plumbing looked that good. Mine looks like a firecracker went off in a bowl of spaghetti. When I found the empty Crown bottle under the garage floor, it all became clear.

[@alpharemoval2046]

Lol. One hell of a comment

[@johnchu210]

LoL I admire your imagination

[@86FxBdyCpe]

🤣

[@almccallie4314]

Hilarious

[@maxwellmcauliff160]

LMAO. I feel you, my house was caving in everywhere due to the worst workage that I had to watch happen as a kid. I was mad at my parents because I could see Iwas more qualified to do what they were doing for a lot of reasons. They just left all trash under there cans of food n hats n rags n a wrench they got from our stash. They did not care about much. Load bearing whatever. Ac condensation drain grades or safety switch who cares. Leaving flux on stressed n even overbent copper. No respect actually disrespect in a few ways. I wish anything looked that clean or effective or supported. They lucky they old now. Drunk looks good now

[@five-forty3431]

Excellent explanation of the differences between each system. Thank you!

[@CountyLineCarvings]

Trying to learn about the Pex Systems for a small home im building... this just helping me understand way more about the layout Thanks for sharing !

[@jandshatton331]

Have to say, for a plumber double white is okay but for homeowners they never can figure out which side is hot and they screw up when they install new faucets and tub cartridges and what not. Color coding just helps people know what they are hooking up. Agree white looks better though

[@Mote78]

I can rarely see the pex lines even when I reach for something under the sink. I like the idea that if work is done there’s no doubt which line is hot and which is cold.

[@maddierosemusic]

Really only the toilet line or the lines under a pedestal sink are seen. That makes it easy. Who cares if there's red or blue inside a cabinet?

[@richdobbs6595]

Interesting! When I installed a radiant heating system during a basement finishing, I used PEX and each loop was a single run. The only connections were in the mechanical room. I also used PEX to replace a line that failed due to a freeze rupture. In that case, I used SharkBite fittings and left in place access panels. In other places where I've seen PEX used in new homes, it was always done with a manifold. I hadn't even considered that anybody used branch and trunk with PEX. I guess if I was ever going to use PEX for plumbing, I would use a manifold, with at most branches in the bathroom from under the vanity to the toilet, with no fittings where they can't be accessed.

[@five-forty3431]

Excellent comparison of the different methods, thank you!

[@damonmccray85]

Omg, this dude is a legend! The only thing I'm wondering is where I'd have to place the PEX. We had a freeze in Texas a few months ago and almost all of my mom's pipes burst. Her manufactured home is 35 years old and it seems easier to just replace them all. I wanted to use PEX but I'm not too crazy about crawling around under the house all day. Is it cool to run the "Trunk" line around the base of the house instead of down the middle? Like still underneath the house just closer to the edge of the foundation. I'm thinking it would use more pipe but be good for future repairs but I'm not sure if this affects the water pressure or something.. If anyone could help me out that would be awesome.

[@nova31337]

Also consider using PEX A, not B. PEX A can expand (which is how the fittings are attached) this means if you have another freeze, the PEX A pipe will expand when frozen, but return to normal once the ice inside thaws.

[@scottsatterthwaite4073]

@@nova31337 Guess what: both will expand and are resistant to burst from freezing. The difference is that PEX-A can expand more and still contract to original size. PEX-B has a lower burst rating. Both A and B (specifically Zurn-B) can be installed with expansion fittings and/or compression rings.

[@bigglilwayne7050]

I'm a plumber in Texas and the freeze you spoke of revealed several things to me about pex, with the most important being Pex A expanding to the point of rupturing, whereas i never saw it with Pex B, Pex C, or Polybutalene....

[@BOHICA_]

@@bigglilwayne7050 So don't use PEX A?

[@jamesshannon88]

If someone were to plumb 3/4 to 3/4 on the trunk and branch would they likely have pressure issues? I'm plumbing a small cabin and everything is within 20ft of the pressure tank and I figured it would be fine...

[@mannydrives]

It would be awesome to automate the block. I could see water sensors in different parts of a house communicating with the block. If there’s a flood, it would automatically shut off water to that specific area. I could also see this working with pressure drops if rodents chew through the pex.

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

There are devices that do that. just not as a whole block.

[@devonteforeman]

Another thing to denote with the manifold systems is they are largely incompatible with recirculating pumps, whereas even old trunk and branch systems can be easily converted to work with recirculating systems.

[@seekerstan]

If you use Pex A for trunk and branch, there are no pinch points because Pex A fittings retain the full inside diameter for full flow, 20 % better than Pex B

[@samtaylor8734]

I replaced 3/4 ancient galvanized withv1/2 pex and have had 0 problems. At a lot of spots I have more psi than before. Gotta take stock st what you're ripping out. Old pipe rots from the inside and you can sometimes not fit even a pencil through it.

[@robertblahnik]

The R&B color coming out of the wall for angle stops is better for a repairman so there is no question about what a pipe is. Blue? Cold Red? Hot. And who cares what it looks like in the back of the cabinet?

[@destijl7414]

Excellent tutorial, thanks for sharing!

[@bman6502]

I’m surprised you did not mention the Tennessee reverse crisscross method… I think it’s one of the best methods to use for pet…

[@mustanghunts]

Excellent demo....Thanks

[@jgt5642]

Valuable information, thx.

[@jwb0323]

This is great - I wanted to isolate my master bath because the lines run above a garage and froze. Having to re-pipe and switch to pex from copper. Are there any issues branching of my cold and water lines to go to a different section of the house and then branching off for each of those fixtures in the master bath? So there be essentially two “zones”

[@Lugenfabrik]

If I was building a new home it seems like the distribution manifold configuration is a no-brainer.

[@seanm3226]

Not necessarily. A manifold system is costlier, requires significant wall space, and may actually be unnecessary. I’m not saying it never happens, but homeowners rarely turn off water supply lines in their house.

[@sodapuffs]

great video. thanks for posting.

[@ghettohey2388]

How is your water pressures with the distribution block vs the traditional crimp way that you say have choke points. Wouldnt you still have loss of water pressure with the distribution block cause you have to reduce down in pipe size as well.

[@johnbalogna803]

New Subscriber here !!! Great video can you provide links to the manifold systems shown?? I've searched and most only show the crimp systems and way more ports than would needed in the house were re doing.

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Our rep gave me that one. It's a manabloc . You should be able to get however many you want, it's modular.

[@bryanhunter1927]

Awesome explanation Thanks

[@tommills9753]

Great video! Is pex easy to install for the average homeowner?

[@joek5161]

Very. Depending on the system you decide to go with - there may be some specialized tools to pick up, but the learning curve is a heck of a lot lower then what you have for doing any other plumbing solution.

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

yes but you have to buy the crimpers or an expander tool .

[@Pure3nrg]

Excellent video!

[@cedarparkguy1364]

Great Video !

[@lionxing5084]

pretty detail explain thanks!

[@robertruppert3436]

Can I use 3/4” pex in and out of the distribution block?

[@nebulousJames12345]

I don't understand why I'd install a tubbing that lasts 25-50 years. I'm building a house to last a lot longer than that......I can't figure out why people are going with pex. someone please explain.

[@alwinjohns7707]

It will last 4x that kinda like expiration dates...highly suggested

[@abdorakeebnaji1527]

Great job...

[@johnbalogna9]

Do you have a link to the manifolds your using. ?? Most of the ones that come up on my searches have way too many ports for the house we're going to redo

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

it's called a manabloc . you should be able to get it in any size

[@steemo1385]

Hello thx for the video, where can I get that 8 port manabloc it will work perfect for my boat. I can’t find it anywhere

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

A Rep gave me that one as a demo, but it is supposed to be modular . but, I haven't tried to take one apart yet.

[@johnfetzer2027]

Is there anybody that can do a plumbing layout for a new house off a floor plan.

[@ChrisLoew]

solid thanks

[@mikefranks4528]

Can you share the model name/number of that manifold block? it has the perfect number of ports I need for my application.

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

It's a ManaBloc , A rep gave me that one it doesn't have a model number. Most of them are much bigger

[@beardedgaming1337]

if im running lines up two stories through a central wet wall. do i need to tear out walls to add supports or can i anchor it at the top and bottom and be good?

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Code says you have to have anchor it every ten feet . you could try but it might knock in the wall.

[@beardedgaming1337]

@@PlumbingSolutionsLLC its all plaster and lath so i dont think it would knock in the wall... maybe a small hole to access the studs and go from there. could probably do this in the kitchen

[@maddierosemusic]

@@beardedgaming1337 To clarify he means the pipes could knock around inside the wall and make noise and be annoying - not knock the wall apart!

[@dawnramiza9424]

in the distribution block where does you hot water hook in? does the block feed the cold to water heater heater or does it feed before block

[@gregr.3886]

I like the system without all the fittins

[@Jamarkus_Delvonte]

My method: hiring an legal immigrant to do it for a fraction of the cost

[@rivernet62]

When I saw the thumbnail I said "why would you use 8 90 degree reliefs when you could have used two?

[@MrOrgasmatron6669]

Fitins!

[@TheReal1953]

You guys using Type B&C PEX need to understand how restrictive it is, especially 1/2". The inserts go inside the 1/2" ID piping.....unlike AquaPEX where the fitting are all full flow 1/2", for example. So in sizing your runs, you'll need to go to the next size pipe in order to account for the friction/restriction loss of the Type B&C PEX insert fittings. I've seen houses with less flow than the copper they had after they re-piped with Type B&C PEX, because they didn't take into account the restrictions from the insert fittings.

[@realzeti]

Yeah, a plumber is missing an important detail. Either because they are using cheap pex, at least offer the client a choice between pex type.

[@losferwords100]

I've been using Pex B for years and never had issues with flow. As long as your trunk line is big enough to compensate the volume of water necessary, you'll be fine. For most residential houses, a 3/4" trunk line will suffice and reduce to 1/2" for fixtures. Bigger houses with more fixtures? Bump it up to a 1" trunk. You also need to be mindful of not overusing fittings. Bend the pex to make turns instead of using an elbow whenever possible. Less is better in this instance.

[@jimyeats]

Yep, the gentleman in this video mentions that at least 2-3 times.

[@cmmartti]

But if everything is home-run plumbed to a manifold, each run only has two fittings (the manifold, and at the fixture), so it really doesn't matter.

[@tyneshaanthony5768]

Best video on the PEX systems. And they do make Manifolds with shut off valves too. Used these in my own home with PEX A, and I drain my outside spigots every winter just because I remember frozen water lines as a kid. And extra upside is if you go on vacation or leave your home for an extended period of time, it is easy to shut the water off to everything in your home so you don't come home to a flood. To me the piece of mind is worth an extra 200-300 bucks in hardware.

[@martingarza3383]

I purge with 50 psi air my system bypassing the waterheater. Only drawback is air is not "pure" air. I use an ordinary air compressor. Yeah I know of the drawbacks but I flush the lines thoroughly.

[@hshcjekxh2995]

Never thought about using the white stub outs, great idea!

[@steveocvirek6671]

Great video and thank you for explaining the differences between the fittings manifolds and PEX types. Really appreciate you making this.

[@daveo.5479]

great video! love how clean that wall is!

[@nosonfontenot3072]

Thank you for the lesson. Very educational! Just learning about PEX.

[@TheOCMarc]

Great explanations and very informative. You answered questions that I didn’t even know I had 😁👍

[@texasrox2010]

this is the exact intro to PEX that I needed

[@melvinceasar2727]

Installed a manablock system after the freeze. Easy......$1000 all pex lines and new water heater

[@Biker65]

I learn more useful info on KZbin than I ever did in school. Truth.

[@ferdinandgarcia2634]

I call KZbin a virtual school...😆

[@twincamcoupe]

do they not produce that 8 port manabloc anymore? cant seem to find it. would be perfect for my tiny house

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

That was a demo the Rep gave me . they're supposed to be modular, but I can't figure out how it comes apart. go to a supplier that sells them they might could have one built.

[@twincamcoupe]

@@PlumbingSolutionsLLC thanks for the reply!

[@eagdhj]

as an electrician by trade i kinda have to say i like the third one most =D

[@jamesburgess3628]

With the manifold system. Do you still need to step it down to 1/2 inch from 3/4 at the manifold to achieve additional water pressure at your connection points. Or can you use 3/4 though out the house from the manifold and just step it down at the connection of each connection?

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

it comes out the manifold as 1/2 inch.

[@robertocardona1967]

Thanks thanks good video God bless you

[@shadowfox_117]

Thank you for the lesson! I really need to change out my galvanize pipes and was thinking of going with CPVC, now I'm going to go with PEX-A if I can find it, the local Menards and lowes seem to only carry PEX-B.

[@kenbagwell8551]

I found a local plumbing supply place that would sell to retail customers. I pay a little more, but they have good stock, and know what they are doing a little more.

[@straight_to_finish]

Trunk + Branch is ideal for hot water recirculation. That part wasn’t mentioned.

[@no1isabovegod532]

Well done...

[@homecraftsolutions3506]

Nice job. Looks organized and neat. I will say one thing that I have had troubles with are the brackets that bend the pex to a 90 degree. In hot and arid climates like I am in with the Phoenix area, over time the bends tend to crack on the outside bend. Thanks for taking the time to put this mockup together and the explanation of the different types of systems.

[@alialabbas1982]

Great video , thanks for sharing it 👍🏻

[@scottrogers2831]

I use the pex type A and really love it.

[@DR.PLUMBING]

Nice 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Thanks

[@21gonza21]

Trunk and branch will be better when it comes to the hot water because once you are done with a shower you know you have instant hot water in your sink, vise versa, will save you water and heating bills...

[@KDddd203]

ExActly. With the other system you use the vanity and have to wait for hot water to come through, then jump in the shower and have to wait again. It’s not economical. Trunk and branch is fine if you pipe size correctly and have a good mains pressure hot supply

[@nova31337]

Do a combined manifold/branch approach. Hot line from a manifold to a bathroom that then branches to both the shower and sink.

[@maddierosemusic]

People are saying have the hot line recirculating - I don't know how to do that...

[@ThickCutBacon]

Really informative. Thank you!

[@michaelgiovanniello3230]

this is a great and very helpful video. the dude seems really cool, too.

[@Macky4941]

I'm building my own little pex manifold system with ball valves, should cost under $80 for system and $40 for all of the pex. I have 3 sinks in the house, two toilets, two showers, a tub, 1 exterior hose bib. Then when I sell all the copper it should bring the cost down a good bit.

[@benbuckley2738]

"fittens" Great explanation vid!

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Haha , yea my southern accent slips out for time to time. Thank for watching!

[@rowdygilbert260]

Manafolding with pex b on underground roughing is the only cost effective way to go...

[@howdyjim]

Thanks! Helpful for my plumbing re-do project.

[@edwarddemedeiros3607]

Well done! You explained that so clearly. Thanks!

[@PatrickBlack-v9i]

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[@bigglilwayne7050]

You missed the best method which is looping it under the slab

[@RicardoTorres-d2i]

Does the pressure of the water decrease with the manifold when both showers are in use?

[@saltrue1555]

Thank you for your teaching. Very good video. God bless.

[@bigglilwayne7050]

After seeing several different Pex A expand to the point of rupturing during last years Artic Blast down here in Texas, I can confidently say that Pex B, Pex C, and even Polybutalene(lol) are better options

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Y'all had a mess!!

[@jabberwaukee1930]

Total amateur here trying to learn a bit about Pex before I install my own so I'm sorry if this is a dumb question but: What I've come to understand from the videos I've watched so far is that Pex A, because of it's expansion/memory properties, can take a greater psi than Pex B or C. So wouldn't that mean if you were seeing Pex A burst then the Pex B or C would have also burst? Am I missing something about Pex B?

[@Lukester44]

@@jabberwaukee1930 That's what I think as well.

[@markhoffman]

Just build and setup your homes like in Canada and you won’t have an issue 😊

[@maddierosemusic]

How about don't let your lines freeze? Or if you have no other option crack open the lines and let them drip during a deep freeze.

[@quegemo]

Not everybody uses this now days, it’s based on region

[@jimyeats]

I think the best compromise is a modified manifold system that combines a small manifold with smaller trunk and branch sections. Less fittings, less piping, still easy to isolate and fix if there are any issues.

[@SunnyKumar-hj4iy]

yeah..like a ¾" trunk & branch for the East section fixtures and one for the west and so on..all arising from a small manifold of 1"

[@bmfitzgerald3]

Great info, thanks!

[@lgb6110]

wow... 7x wasted unnecessary brass 90's when you got bend supports below

[@steveh7108]

The problem with this video isThe problem with this video is that that the manifold block system he appears to have their does not have the option to use it with PEX A And PEX A is the preferred high-quality pipe to use if your investing in a good system

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

They gave it to me it has a lot of connections

[@DonaldKHoaty]

Much appreciated! I learned a lot from your video.

[@NelsonClick]

Wow! Great video dude. Very clear, thorough and informative. You're showing us and not just telling us. All new home buyers should see this.

[@3nertia]

I doubt I get a response but it's worth a shot. I live in an "apartment" building (converted motel) and there are 8 apartments. 3 of which share a water heater and I'm assuming the rest do too. How would you run a manifold system to something like that?

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Well it would be best for each unit to have its own heater, Or one large commercial with a recirculatory pump or tankless.

[@OntarioMiner]

Any trick to bending the pex in those black 90° bend brackets. I'm using 1-in pipe and I find it real difficult to make the beds. Can we warm or heat the pipe to aid in the bent in those plastic 90 supports

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

There is a heating blanket for Pex that you can use. The larger pipes are hard to get in the brackets we use the 90° fittings instead.

[@soundsgalactic]

Excellent video! Thanks a bunch.

[@vsar1938]

I think this video was very well done. Nice

[@jdm19731]

Very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

[@lillithjones993]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I am wanting to know, If I added the same size Pex A as I have in copper, would the pressure be lessened due to the thicker walls in the Pex A than the M Copper?

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

It is not enough to matter.

[@VASYL198]

Круто

[@rjskum688]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@truesimplicity]

Awesome clear and informative

[@wattjock]

Viewing this two years after the video was published... thanks for posting! I have a question... what are your opinions of a combination of the two... running a manifold at the water source, with a trunk to each local, branching off to the fixtures at the local? For example: A trunk line from the manifold @ the water source to the Master Bath with branches to the tub, shower, and toilet? The same for the kitchen, each spare bath etc... This is the form that the electrical circuitry works... run an electrical home run out to say... a bedroom and then branch wiring to the individual receps in the bedroom area. Seems that this would reduce the amount of pipes at the manifold as well as the SIZE of the manifold, but would increase the number of fittings needed for the Master Bath piping. I would think the trade off would be shutting down the Master Bath as a whole to repair any leak at the bath.

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

You can do that

[@Keeps-]

Will the Water flow will be the same ?

[@Oneofmany1s]

On the distribution system; would you still use shut off valves again near the toilet or vanity ? Thanks

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Yes, you still need stops at the fixtures

[@johnmilton2077]

great vid - thanks much

[@JCU84]

How would it work on a house that has baseboard heating

[@rafaelfelix9898]

Will PEX-A work with the distribution block? If so, what fitting should be used ?

[@PlumbingSolutionsLLC]

Yes, you can get the blocks for any type of tubing.

[@burtnolan]

Nicely done. Thank you.

[@Everythingisgoingtobealright]

Thanks