Pex Plumbing

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

Does anyone live in a house where Pex Plumbing was installed? They are building some new houses in town that look nice & not as expensive. They have the pex plumbing. I don't know much about it but think it's a disaster waiting to happen. They say you can have it in the attic & it does not have to insulated because it expands/contracts. I would think after doing that winter after winter you would end up with a flooded house eventually? DH wants to look into them but I'm leary. I feel like if we bought one & started having problems with the plumbing you would never be able to sell it & out all that money to buy it.

If it goes to leaking it's not like a pin hole leak you get with copper.

Anyone know much about Pex or anyone that has it or anyone that has had problems?

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Are you talking about plastic pipe? I think that is all they use to build homes these days.I don't think they use old fashioned copper pipes anymore unless maybe if you are custom building you could have it at a high cost - copper isn't cheap anymore.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

Just a personal preference here from someone with no real knowledge, but my experience with various plastics and copper...I'll always take the copper.

More costly, but much longer lasting. I base this simply on having homes with both, and preferring good old standby copper.

Never had the actual Pex though.

Nomorebirthdays · ‎06-10-2015

We have and have had no problems, 10 years, all the contractors that we contacted used this when we picking a contractor. This is not new technology.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Actually, I believe that homes that have the old copper inside probably have lead pipes from the house out to the main - if you have copper pipes you should have your water tested for lead.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@Nightowlz If you google PEX pipes it says that you have to use the same care with them as you do any other plumbing substance in regard to freezing. They have to be in a heated area and insulated. Why would you put pipes in your attic - I've never heard of doing that. When homes don't have attics the pipes come in thru the ground then up from the foundation. Second story plumbing runs vertically.

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

@151949 wrote:
Actually, I believe that homes that have the old copper inside probably have lead pipes from the house out to the main - if you have copper pipes you should have your water tested for lead.

@151949 Our house has copper but the line from the house to the meter is pvc.

They stopped using galvanized in the 60's. If you purchase a house built before1970 it would need to be checked out. Not all houses in the 60's have it.

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

@151949 wrote:
@Nightowlz If you google PEX pipes it says that you have to use the same care with them as you do any other plumbing substance in regard to freezing. They have to be in a heated area and insulated. Why would you put pipes in your attic - I've never heard of doing that. When homes don't have attics the pipes come in thru the ground then up from the foundation. Second story plumbing runs vertically.

@151949 That's just what I read not sure where they are putting the plumbing on these homes. They did put plumbing in the attics of all the new homes they built out at the base. The installers did not know it got so cold here in the winter. All those homes pipes burst. Big Mess.

I would never buy a home with the plumbing in the attic, or any part of the central heat/ac or a hot water heater as I have seen. That's all just crazy IMO.

We are on foundation & that's where the plumbing is.

DH says they need to build houses with the plumbing in a central hallway with access for repairs. That would be nice.

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

@Nomorebirthdays wrote:
We have and have had no problems, 10 years, all the contractors that we contacted used this when we picking a contractor. This is not new technology.

@Nomorebirthdays I know it's not new technology. Just don't think it's been around long enough to know how it's going to last.