PEX pipe comes in handy in home improvement projects


Thanks to its growing popularity, PEX is now available through many retail building supply stores. If the retailers closest to you don’t carry PEX, look for a plumbing supply wholesaler, who may be willing to sell directly to you - even if you don’t have a contractor’s license. The same seller who carries PEX pipe should also be able to provide the fittings you need.

Sizes from a quarter of an inch to 1 inch are common; larger diameters are available, but most of the time only as special-order items. The sizes of PEX pipe are given in copper tube size (CTS) numbers, based on the sizes of comparable copper tubing. All sizes should have the same pressure ratings, because the wall thickness is proportionate to the diameter.

Shorter lengths are sold as straight pipes up to 20 feet long, while coils of up to 1000 feet provide enough length for many separate lines. Some manufacturers color hot and cold lines differently; make sure the pipe you buy is rated for its intended use.

From lower material costs to easier installations to reduced maintenance, PEX can help you save money, time, and effort. If you install a manifold at the source, with cold lines running directly from the municipal water supply and hot lines from the water heater, you can set up separate water lines for each room - or even each fixture. This “home run” configuration brings hot water to the fixtures more quickly, saving both water and the energy used to heat it.

Speaking of heat, you can use PEX for hydronic systems. It can be encased in concrete for use as part of an in-floor heating system. Its flexibility allows you to create a single, continuous loop of pipe with no joints or connectors. At the other end of the thermometer, you can run very cold water through PEX pipe; just don’t use it for outdoor lines above ground. Exposure to direct sunlight and severe weather can shorten the life of PEX pipe.

To connect separate pieces of PEX, installers use mechanical insert fittings, either crimp style or compression fittings. In part because of its resistance to friction, PEX should not be fastened with glue or heat. For a list of approved connectors, check with the manufacturer or review the standards ASTM F 1807 and ASTM F 1960. One advantage of mechanical fittings is that you can test them immediately, without waiting for solder to cool or glue to dry.

Before you specify or install PEX as plumbing pipe, check your local building codes. If you need to provide evidence that PEX is safe for use in home plumbing, you’ll have plenty of support. It conforms to the standards ASTM F 876 and F 877, AWWA C904, and CSA B137.5. Polyethylene pipe has been tested and approved by ASTM, ANSI/NSF International, and CSA, and all major model plumbing codes used in the US and Canada; NPC, UPC, IPC, and NSPC.

While water from polyethylene pipe is safe to drink, some people say it imparts a taste they notice and dislike. Polypropylene pipe, on the other hand, does not contain the chemical stabilizers that are common in polyethylene. Its chief advantage over polyethylene, though, is not how it’s made but that it can be recycled.

The same properties that make PEX pipe a worthy choice are also true of polypropylene. It’s flexible, economical, and easy to install, and it does not react to common household chemicals. Like polyethylene, polypropylene has a low coefficient of friction so fluid moves easily through it, and it’s slow to conduct heat, which means the water temperature won’t change much in transit. Watch for polypropylene pipe to become more common in the next few years.

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Note: This article was sent to us by: Samantha Elther at 01092011

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