Has PEX plumbing issues been solved????

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JDseller

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

I have two different plumbing projects coming up this winter: remodel on my son's old farm house, and new install on an upstairs bathroom in my house.

I used PEX on a rental house about six years ago. Within two years I had leaks all over the place. I used the brass fittings and crimps to install it. I finally replaced all of the plumbing with copper and was done with it.

I have not used PEX since. The issue has become cost. Copper pipe has gone sky high. 3/4 x 10 foot pipe is $27.75 each. On the Son's house it will cost $2000 dollars more to use copper. Also on the bathroom in my house there is an old unused heat duct that I could run PEX to the upstairs easily. The cost of the pipe in this case is secondary to installation ease.

On line I find older reports and reviews on PEX but not much in the last few years. What kind of results have you had with PEX plumbing lately.

 

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Billy Shafer

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

Not sure. But I thought the stuff was banned. After all the problems it caused.

 

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Greenday

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

PEX is used all over the place around here(NW Missouri) and most of the plumbers swear by it. I have never used it myself Im still kinda old school.

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

We changed a friend's 18yr. old copper that was starting to leak to pex last year. plummer told us it would out last us. Was he talking about us or the plumming??

 

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Jon Hagen

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

You might check the story in the Oct 11 issue of Handyman Magazine, page 53. They speak highly of it, claiming that all the problems were from inferior fittings and crimp bands of years ago.

They claim there are 30 year old Pex systems in Europe that have never had a problem.

 

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RickSVt

Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

Had a house built 3 years ago. Used pex and I have not had a single problem. The stuff is easy to work with. Watts Pex tubing was used
Watts Pex

 

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Dean Olson

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

Cross Linked Polyethylene/PEX never had any issues. The issue was operator error. Crimping tools not adjusted properly causing crimps not tight enough or too tight. Also needed some training to develop a "feel" to get it right.

I went to the Wirsbo Aqua Pex that uses a expansion tool and bands. It's fool proof and allows a visual inspection to insure it's done correctly. The only failure I ever had was a Wirsbo brass fitting split. Probably due to over tightening.

It made it easy to get a new plumber productive right away.

Back in the day Polybutelyne tubing was a disaster. Not the same as PEX.

 

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DScott

Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

Five years ago I built a new house and used PEX. I have not had one problem with it. It seems to be pretty common around here.

 

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da bees

Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

The fact plumbers use it probably indicates they expect future work repairing/replaceing it. Case of point,one piece angle stops with ribbed supply. You can't disconnect one after a couple of years without cracking it. Even if the homeowner has nessary knowledge and tools to solder,how many know about dutch fingers much less own one? Did I mention every plumber I know chases cars and licks themselves?

 

Goose

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

I didn't know there were problems.

My own house is 12 years old, has all PEX, and nary a problem. In fact, it made it a whole lot simpler when I replaced the stool in one bathroom with one that was taller.

As an insurance inspector, I see a lot of PEX, both in new construction and remodeling. Haven't heard any complaints.

As others have said, any problems are most likely installer error rather than product defect. Any product is only as good as the person installing it.

 

M

Mark-Mi

Well-known Member

Location

S.E. Mi.

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

The plumbing company that plumbed my house. A large one for my area told me they quit using the expansion tool method. Too many leaks. They now use the crimp ring method.
Also told me they have not done A new house in copper for five years.
I have run some pex with crimp rings, not one leak.
I have never used the cinch clamps on pex.

 

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atlarge54

Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

I've used copper, cpvc, and pex before. I wouldn't hesitate to use pex or cpvc for water supply lines.

 

omahagreg

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

Last I heard, Omaha will NOT allow it! But, they tend to want to keep the tradesmen busy, so making it harder for the homeowner would make sense!

 

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shaun wallace

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

What they "banned" is Quest. There was a lawsuit on the plastic fittings/alumium crimp rings.By time lawyers got thru they got the whole system. I have used the quick tite and brass fittings for years and have had very few leaks. Most I caused messing with something close to it. I have hundreds feet of Quest in several sizes and now to use have to use sharkbit fittings

 

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RwEny

Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

You just need to use the right crimpjng system and do it right.

 

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pat sublett

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

PEX is being used under slabs around here. Should be cased in poly pipe if used under slab to prevent damage during construction. It withstands freezing better than any other pipe. Don't put any connections under slab, same as copper. Never been a problem with PEX. A lot of law suits several years ago with Quest fittings.I think the problem with Quest was instalation workmanship.

 

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El Toro

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

My sister-in law had pex installed about 3 years ago. Her original plumbing started leaking and every house in the development had their plumbing replaced free over the years. For some reason she she was never aware of all the piping failure. She was the last home to get new plumbing. She had to get 3 estimates and it cost someone $7000.00. She hasn't had any problems so far. I used pex on my water filter using sharkbite fittings. Hal

 

J

just another old geezer

Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

plumbed a bathroom with all pex with snap couplers 4 years ago, not one leak yet

 

M

MSD

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

I only specify copper in any house bid I let. Never had problems with it. Kinda funny how the pricing of it varies. One plumber that wanted to do Pex said the cost of copper would be $700 more than Pex. The plumber that didn"t want to use it said there was only a $200 difference and he would sooner use copper. The one I am using now said he quit using Pex because leaks with some of the connectors. Plumbing inspector always smiles in approval when he looks at the copper lines in my houses and has no time for Pex run lines.

 

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Justin SE IOWA

Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

I work in the water works industry and pex is junk. It will leak sooner or later. Alot of plumbers are using it because the home owner wants it but they all agree that it is junk. I would spend the money once on copper and know it is good forever.

 

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CWL

Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

House we're in has PEX plumbing that is 10 years old with no issues. I tend to approve of it.

 

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chevytaHOE5674

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

Have pex installed for my outdoor wood boiler system. Been there for more than 10 years and haven't had a single problem. Used brass fittings with stainless crimp rings and the proper crimping pliers.

 

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David G

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

There was an issue with PEX about 6 years ago. I think the older ones were alright, and the newer ones too. I do not know the specifics of it.

My house is 8 years old, PEX and no issues.

 

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fixerupper

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

In a town a few miles from me the water was eating through the COPPER pipes in homes so I guess nothing is fool-proof. Jim

 

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PJH

Well-known Member

• Oct 9, 2011

• #1

The only PEX that I've ever installed was for the water heater loop in my outdoor boiler, and it's been leak-free for 13 years. Don't know the name of the fittings, but they're 3/4" brass with a crimp ring. It'd be mighty interesting to use copper in place of PEX to feed this boiler loop. It would take a better plumber than me to get copper through the UG conduit without kinking it.

You have a range of answers from likers to haters. . .

 

MarkB_MI

Well-known Member

Location

Motown USA

• Oct 10, 2011

• #1

In the urban areas here in Michigan, no builder in their right mind would use copper. Scrap metal thieves will steal copper plumbing as fast as you can install it.

I've had limited experience with PEX, but I know several people who've used it extensively. None of them have had problems like you describe, and none has said they regret using PEX.

 

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john in la

Well-known Member

Location

What part of in La do you not understand

• Oct 10, 2011

• #1

They do not recommend copper pipe in my area so its pex or cpvc.
I had concerns about using pex when I added a bath. The inspector for my area told me all the problems he has seen with pex was from operator error and the fittings compatibility with the pipe used. You can not mix and match parts from different suppliers.

What I wound up doing was using pex for the long run to the bath (because it could be done with one piece and no fittings) and then converting to cpvc via a sharkbite push on fitting at the bath room. It worked great for me and no leaks so far.

 

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dhermesc

Well-known Member

• Oct 10, 2011

• #1

Wrong stuff.

Polybutylene pipe was banned and lawsuits are still being paid of on it.

I have PEX in my home - about 7 years old with no leaks. This Old House uses it all the time - and they operate as if money is not a consideration on any of their projects.

 

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Errin OH

Member

• Oct 10, 2011

• #1

I have a ten year old home full of it and have suffered a leak just about every year. The leak itself is cheap, it’s all the water damage that follows that sucks. You can Google "Zurn class action" and read all about it.

My research shows that the problem lies in the crimp type fittings. To keep the flow going the inserts are very thin. When you crimp the band it tends to micro fracture the sleeve next to the body of the fitting. At some point it fails. If I recall right Zurn made the majority of the brass crimp fittings in question. Oh and they still make them. I think they changed the type of brass but they still make crimp fittings.

I have since heard that if you use the non crimp fittings you will not have issues. I think shark bite is of this type.

Only other thing I dug up on it was a manufacture's process that failed to seal / create the tube properly. This was limited to that manufacture and resolved pretty quick.

 

1

1130Leo

Member

• Oct 10, 2011

• #1

My biggest question and concern about pex, cpvc, etc... What do these pipes do to our drinking water? I've avoided these over the years only due to concern of cancerous chemicals being put into my water.