Author Topic: DIY plumbing with PEX  (Read 14268 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline fatboy

  • Does this gun make me look fat?
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2339
  • Reputation: +535/-54
  • skinnier than the average primitive
DIY plumbing with PEX
« on: May 04, 2017, 10:34:10 AM »
Anyone use PEX? I have to replace some copper and so I'm going to use PEX to replace. Never used it before.

I guess I'm going to use stainless steel cinch bands.
"We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth - and we will bring back our dreams!" -President Donald J. Trump 1/20/17

Offline thundley4

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 40571
  • Reputation: +2222/-127
Re: DIY plumbing with PEX
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2017, 01:46:25 PM »
Is it cheaper or just easier to work with?

Offline fatboy

  • Does this gun make me look fat?
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2339
  • Reputation: +535/-54
  • skinnier than the average primitive
Re: DIY plumbing with PEX
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2017, 08:06:20 PM »
Cheaper than copper. Not sure about CPVC.

I had the day off today so I ran new hot and cold from the basement to the main bathroom. A lot of turns and connections but the plumbing is complete now just have to fix the drywall.

I was trying to decide how to make the connections as there are several way to do this. I went with stainless steel crimp bands. I am so happy that this job is over, the copper has been giving me fits for years and about twice a year I had to fix a leak or two. My bathroom water supply pipes are in a very tight and awkward space to access.
"We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth - and we will bring back our dreams!" -President Donald J. Trump 1/20/17

Offline DumbAss Tanker

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 28493
  • Reputation: +1707/-151
Re: DIY plumbing with PEX
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2017, 10:11:57 AM »
I bought a place that had it installed, I had never worked with it before.  The black bands (Copper) seem to work just fine.  Borrowed a higher-end crimp tool kit from a plumber friend, it's the one thing you don't want to go cheap with.  Seems to be somewhat more reliable than PVC, which seems to have a way of not necessarily staying glued 100% of the time.  My own house is much older and all copper.  Can't say I have anything negative about PEX to date, a couple of years after my first adventures with it.
Go and tell the Spartans, O traveler passing by
That here, obedient to their law, we lie.

Anything worth shooting once is worth shooting at least twice.