Two years ago I replaced my galvanized pipes in my 1939 house with PEX. Absolutely great to work with. Flexibility is unbeatable. With the huge choice of fittings, very easy to retrofit onto almost anything. No fire, no flux, no solder. Was a no brainer for me. Need to splice something in, no prob. Cut, install fitting, crimp. Too simple. I even ran lines out to my garden. Can't praise this product enough.
You're relying on a rubber O ring at every coupling to remain water tight for decades tho. I've seen 60+ yr old copper that's still holding strong. O rings fail all the time.
@@rbhe357 Guess I neglected to specify I didn't use any Shark-Bite fittings. All my fittings are brass crimped on per specification. With the price of copper, this was the more affordable approach. After the research I did, I feel very comfortable with my choice. And, I do agree that o-rings can fail at any time.
@@robertsimonson5411 Me too. The only reason to have Sharkbite is to have a couple of caps on hand for emergencies with copper. You'll probably never need them, but if you do... It's kind of like insurance.
@@rbhe357 no question that a properly soldered copper connection is more secure however; do you stress over the main shut off valves installed, what about water meter feeding house, do you have any faucets or a refrigerator water lines installed? Any concern over these because they use rubber gaskets seal water in.
I like how you quickly move through the topic, not over talking everything. I can always rewind or pause if needed. Thank you for sharing everything about pex, I was needing it.
So, I'm old and have never done any plumbing (unless you count replacing a garbage disposal) and have no intention to start at this point in my life. But did I watch every minute of this video? Yes I did and found it very informative and well explained . 😊
Thanks for a great video. Let me add what I've learned the hard way. Two years ago I replumbed my lake house (polybutylene) with PEX-B because the PEX-A tools were too expensive. I had the giant crimper tool, which works well, but it's hard to use in close quarters. One trick I learned to hold the crimp rings on is to squeeze them just a little to make them a couple of thousandths of an inch out of round. That way they stay where you put them. After crimping, they test just fine in all directions with the Go-NoGo gauge. I replumbed my home a few months ago. I waited until my wife was out of town for a week just in case things didn't go according to plan. We had a bathroom remodeled a few years ago and the plumber used PEX-A fittings. To connect A to B my plan was to use brass male to female NPT fittings, but I still had to figure out a way to get onto the PEX-A pipe. That's when I learned about the much cheaper manual PEX-A tools. I wish I had known about them earlier as they allow you to work in very tight quarters. You expand the pipe and clamp ring, then you have about 10 seconds to put the joint together. No wonder the pros use PEX-A! Plus PEX-A gives a higher flow rate. When finished, I tested my entire house with air before applying water. I really didn't want any water leaks in the attic, and I had leaks! None of my crimp connections leaked, but most of my NPT connections leaked, even when using pipe dope. I tested with air until the system would hold pressure for over a day with NO pressure loss.
My whole house is plumbed in pex. When I replaced my water heater, I just cut the pex and used Sharkbite fittings to couple back in. It works great and I've had no problems. Sharkbite also makes a tool for cleaning the end of the tubing and showing the insertion depth. Bill
I re-plumbed my bathroom and shower 2 years ago in PEX-A. There's a very inexpensive (about $40) PEX-A expander tool, you don't need the $500 fancy one!
When you’re doing plumbing spending the extra $400 is not a big deal considering if you want that plumbing to last more than 50 years; yes, you can buy that $50 tool and you did an amazing job because PEX A as far superior to be given the failure point will be those crimping clamps that will corrode overtime
Brad, since you are doing a remodel of an older home, I recommend you change out the insulation when you have walls open. Studies have shown today's insulation vs even 20-year-old insulation has enough of a difference that it should pay for itself within three years. You will also be able to close areas that are leaking or find where pests get in. I inherited a property that was less than 30 years old. I seals everything and changed the insulation. The difference between the previous gas bill and the current gas bill paid for the changes in the first year.
Thank you for your comment and information/results! This is so good to know. I appreciate. I’m buying a house., used, and may need to refurbish the bathroom, including accessing the plumbing, tearing down tiles,walls etc. Those are very impressive results you had.
I bend the pipes whenever possible instead of using elbows. Cheaper, less flow restriction. Only downside is it looks a bit wonkier. You can get elbows that help form & hold the PEX.
Same application here. PEX-A for every line. If I need to color code the "clear" line, I just cut a short piece of colored line, expand it, and put it over the end. Add the compression ring, and then the fitting. Although there are some places that elbows are best, the price of tubing is low enough to justify the extra length to just snake the tubing to where it goes. Minimum fitting equals fewer failure points.
@@Browner19 Oops, was not attentive and used some wrong terminology. No sharp bends, flexing and curving is more along what I meant. You are correct, and nice clarification moment.
Most of the houses im working on have galvanized pipes that maybe have an 1/8 ID bc of all the rust. 1/2 in pex is more than these people can handle emotionally.
Holy Schnikies Batman!!! This video will literally save me time and money bc I'm about to tear out a super old and gross plywood laminate shower wall and replace the valves and spouts in the process. I'm likely going to see some galvanized piping and some copper so this video was right on time :)
Have some experience modifying my house to replace the old galvanised iron water lines with pex. (Very constricted water flow from all the rust and deposition.) Initially did some piecemeal swapping with Pex B, using a clamp ring for connections. One good thing we discovered about the clamps was that when we messed up, the clamp ring could be broken down by using bolt cutters to snip the clamp and the joint and ring came of easily. When shifting to replacing the main water line we switched over to Pex A, so it needed fewer connectors and had less constriction on those connectors. Also Sharkbites have been a lifesaver for years.
PEX is really great for renovations in the way that it's flexible, you can run it in an open bay like stiff wire, where copper is simply rigid. Also, with enough play you don't need to use 90° fittings. I had helped a friend with a vanity, the drain was immediately in the way of the copper pipe, we grabbed shark bite and a bit of PEX instead of a number of 90 or 45 fittings. Harder to quantify but the ease of use is game changing
Great Video!! very informative! As a diesel mechanic I have been using these similar type of fittings for years for the air lines on diesel trucks. My concern with these fittings is eventually the O Ring dries out and you will start to get leaks. Me personally I would only use these as a temporary use and not long term inside of a sealed up wall.....Just my 2 cents!!
I mean… Home Depot sells a pex a expansion tool set for less than $140. I just re-did some plumbing and it was super simple to use. No messing around with crimp rings, no worrying about them leaking, not having to get a tool up in an awkward area. Expand the pipe in the ring, and then shove it on the fitting wherever it is. It also has the advantage of resting your water flow.
Excellent video as always! Having worked in the plumbing Dept at a certain DIY chain store for a couple of years, I agree with most of your decisions. I will add a couple things to consider as well though. There is a "Pro" version of the Crimp ring and Cinch Clamp, both with the red stop to keep them in place. The Pex B can be buried while Pex A cannot. You already mentioned the restriction issues with Pex B which you don't have with Pex A. There are manual tools that are less expensive available for Pex A making it a viable alternative for a DIYer though it would still be better if you plan to use it for a larger project or helping others do their projects. Finally, Pex A and Pex B have very different expansion abilities. Pex A can expand much larger in the event of freezing than Pex B before bursting, something to consider when working on cold walls.
We built our home from Feb, 2002 and Oct, 2003 doing most of the interior work. My hubby with our teenage daughter and myself installing the plumbing using PEX tubing. It was awesome! It was impressive. At the time, the plumbers were fighting it coming to code in the city because it made it easy for DIYers. We built in the country in the next county so were able to do it. Wow! We were sold. It's also nice that you have turn offs for each water source, so no turning off the whole house to change a faucet etc.
@OrganieCreateDecorate thanks for sharing your experiences. I am curious, did you use a manifold to distribute the supply lines to each wet location? If so, what manifold did you use? I'm considering doing this and would like to know your experience with selecting a manifold. Thanks!
Right. A turn-off valve for each water source. Whoever thought of that? I mean, usually, they do have one for a sink and toilet. But I have never seen one for a bathtub or shower. You have to turn the whole house off to fix a shower or bathtub? That is crazy, until now.
@@toddburgess572 Sorry, Todd, I'm just now seeing this. Somehow my notifications were turned off. Hubby says choosing the manifold has to do with what size tubing you use and how many lines you need. We used 1/2-inch tubing and have 36 lines, half for cold and the other half for hot water.
Im surprised that you didnt mention that for turning 90°, there are clamps that bend the pex pipe and hold it at 90° and keep it from collapsing. It negates the need for a 90° fitting and 2 crimps. They require more room to make the bend, but have no possible leak points.
I like the cinch clamps because they're easier to cinch in place and they're easier to remove. You can also get stainless steel versions of all the brass parts. The water from my well has a pH of 5, and over time it will eat brass fittings. I've since installed a water softening system, but before I had a chance to do that I had to replace a bunch of fittings that were heavily corroded (two, in fact, were dripping about 1 drop per hour). The stainless isn't that much more than the brass, but you do have to order them from somewhere like SupplyHouse. You also have to be aware that PEX can't be used anywhere it will be exposed to direct UV light. This isn't usually a problem once it's in use, but don't store any unused PEX outside.
@@JCWren and be cognizant of how your plumbing supplier is storing the pex. And never buy remnants off craigslist… you just don’t know how it was stored
If you just tap the crimp ring with the clamping tool while its on the pipe, it will tighten up just enough to keep it from sliding around while you position it. Then give it the full crimp.
Exactly this. I would position the crimp ring, and give it a squeeze with a needle-nose pliers and that was enough to keep it from shifting around while I used the larger clamping tool.
I went with PEX A because I found a great deal on the Milwaukee Fuel expander tool on eBay listed as the non-fuel model, with charger and one battery in the case for $275. I just needed to re-route supply lines for the shower around the new abs p-trap drain connection to the old cast iron main. Plus, PEX A can use PEX B crimp connectors also in a pinch.
The people who built my house in 1978 used PVC for all the pipes. Not surprisingly, one of my pipes broke about a year ago due to the PVC becoming brittle. I struggled with glue and paste ( I had no idea what I was doing at the time and live too far in the middle of nowhere to hire a plumber. ) for 2 days. Then I remembered that a friend of mine mentioned he was using Shark Bite for his project. Went to the store, got some PEX and some Shark Bite connectors, was done in about 20 minutes. Wish I had used them from the start.
my god, man, your videos are awesome. clear and concise instructions. full explanation of the thought process together with pros & cons of options available. plus a full cost comparison breakdown. if you ever get tired of the diy thing, you should open a youtube academy!
I went the clamp route with my pex fittings because the tool works with 3/8" up to 1" but the crimp style requires multiple tools to accommodate all those sizes. Also, I bought the masterforce brand from Menards that works more like your crimp tool and is done when it's clamped together, no light. I love it. That may not be something most people would encounter but I did 1" from my pressure tank to my water softener and then transitioned to 3/4" to the water heater and then everything else is 1/2" but I can use the same tool for all of them. One more advantage of the clamp style is it's easier to remove it if you make a mistake or want to reclaim a fitting. I guess I felt the need to say all this because I don't think you gave the clamp style a fair comparison, but it was interesting to learn more about the crimp style and reassure me I made the right choice... Lol
I’m a plumber 👨🔧. A trick with the crimp rings to keep them from sliding around on the pipe during the crimp use a pair of pliers and gently squeeze the ring until it stays in place were you want it and the ring won’t slide on you when crimping.
Reworking a whole house from the 50s, went with pex a myself and copper and unions on the stuff that first hits the house (backflow, prv) for ease of maintenance. The big advantage I have found is that pex allows you to oreint things like a union joint but for far less money and hassle, although you get a lot less support on the joint which is amplified with a hot line. It is easy to mix copper and pex with sharkbites so you can have the best of both that way.
I did the very same project a few years ago. Started from scrap with crimpers etc. My first time with PEX was amazingly simple, compared to what other options may have been. You did a very job explaining your process. Thanks for sharing.
Pex is great. I had opportunity to inspect connection i made 10 years ago, because of another copper joint failure in the same area, and pex was sitting exceptionally tight. No signs of degradation of losing grip on adapter.
Im a handyman And i absolutely love pex fast and simple and they make a tool for the crimp option where you just ratched and stops to release you don't have to worry about over doing it I highly recommend pex for anyone also great for leaks under ground as well
I used copper in our house to redo the old plumbing. Pex was just starting to come into existence for plumbing at this time. The thing that concerned me then and it still concerns me now is the longevity of the pex. The copper is known to last for a half of a century or more if done right. Pex has only existed for standard plumbing for a couple decades. And some other types of plastic pipe will spontaneously burst. I think pex has proven it's self at this point to be a great option but it still makes me nervous.
I'd recommend going rigid then to pex. So copper risers with pex adapters for the tie-ins. Sometimes you can't but it definitely makes it easier to work with.
Great video Brad. Wish you had made this a few weeks ago when I had to do an emergency plumbing repair at home. As you, I am a copper guy. A 35 year old copper joint started to drip probably due to a cold joint. I decided to go PEX for the repair. Worked great. I prefer the clamp style fittings but I was working in a basement ceiling between studs and, for a while, I thought I would not be able to get the large clamping tool between the studs. This is where I would use the ratcheting crimping tool in future repairs. In the end, it all worked out. Thanks for your insightful content.
I do love the PEX! Had my whole house re-plumbed (1960's copper) recently. I did ask about the Shark fittings. A couple of different plumbers have recommended staying away from Shark fittings because they degrade over time. The only thing sealing that joint is an internal O-ring that will degrade. Once they start leaking, they will not stop. I'm no plumber, but have seen evidence of this at a friends' house where a couple of Shark fittings have started to leak. Luckily they were in an unfinished portion of the basement and easily fixed.
Everything I've ever heard is that shark bites are great... for exposed plumbing. I've always heard to never put it inside of walls specifically because of the long-term failures. But anything you can see and easily access if you start noticing leaks it's totally worth the ease of use.
Great video! I really enjoyed it. You did leave out one very important aspect when using PEX. I use PEX all the time and I really like it. However, when using it you need to keep in mind that rodents also like it. I have done many repairs where rodents have chewed through PEX lines. If you know that rats and mice are present, then you might want to go with an alternative.
Im remodeled my home from the 1950s, Pex A all the way worth the money, higher flow rate than b and stronger, not to mention more flexible for turns. So yea i had to buy a dewalt expander but totally worth it. Also no clumsy tool easy to make connections in tight spaces.
Loved your show. We use the clamp rings. Only need one tool for all the sizes. Bought a battery crimper. At that time about $150.00 cheaper now, worth a $1000.00 at the end of the day. Still don't trust shark bites, not to let go, but for the o rings to leak in a few years.
I'm a licensed plumber. Shark bite also makes transition fittings.. you can go from PVC to CPVC.. I found this useful one time when I was tying a water line together and I didn't want to use any plastic threaded fittings.. SharkBite transition couplings was the solution.. it made my day
Content here is great! But, I think 2 things were missed while discussing PEX: 1. It MOVES! Like a LOT more than copper. That means you have to anchor it in more places, and through-holes MUST have grommets because it can potentially scrape and rub, and that COULD lead to a hole if it's not properly secured and protected. To me, this is roughly on par with the potential for galvanic corrosion on copper, so it's a wash, overall, but something to note. And 2. Pex IS somewhat flexible, which means it is WAY more forgiving than copper. I had a joint in the house that had 4 copper elbows. I was able to replace that with a SINGLE straight connector and some deviation from the PEX line because it only needed to shunt over by like 3 inches.
Your plumbing will be quieter with Pex A and using the expansion type fittings. These fittings don’t introduce restrictions like an inset fitting. FYI… shark bites only make me nervous when in an enclosed wall. I’m not sold that one O-ring will have the same lifespan as the Pipe. There are fine in open area like a garage (water heater) or in a crawlspace.
They're rated for behind the wall. As long as the pressure is at reasonable residential levels they're installed per the manufacturers instructions they're absolutely rock solid.
Shark Bite shutoff valves were used in my house for all sinks and toilets. They're garbage. Over time they've slowly begun sliding out towards the end of the pipe and leaking. I've replaced half and will lend up replacing the rest.
This is a great video. I did my very own bathroom renovation and I joined the old copper tubing to new Pex tubing. This video would have been really helpful back then! I noticed that you also had a tough time with the crimping tools as I did. I wonder if you could do a comparison video to see how efficient the different crimp tools are, as far as clamping pressure, how well they seal in the water, even at high pressures. I for one would really like to know how well the automatic power crimp tools work… for some reason I do not trust them. Could be a good video to see which one is best.
FYI from a home inspector. PEX is rated for the T&P line off of the water heater. HOWEVER the push-to-connect (sharkbite) connector IS NOT RATED for use on a T&P line! You'll need to use a different connection.
About 8 years ago,some installed those plastic tubes with clamps on water softener systems….all connections without exception are almost ruined in corrosions…so I will have to replace all the clamps very shortly…not even 10 years. The copper pipes are about 50 years so far …they look almost as good as new…considering the age… I’m remodeling one of my bathroom…most of the pipes are super clean inside too….so I will keep them for another 50 years….and I do soldering the old fashioned way…I love soldering.
Old school is better, I hear that those sharkbites can eventually fail , like 20yrs, so I wouldnt want them everywhere behind finished walls, Now the plastic with the expand/contract fitting sounds solid.
I use a simpler non-ratcheting tool for the clamp rings. Works great. (technically it does ratchet, but simply to keep it from releasing until you're done; you don't squeeze it multiple times)
Good video and good advise. PEX is the way to go for sure. Because of the size of a project we did, we used pex A and also because it was very long runs in an area prone to freezing in the winter. Because of pex A's expansion properties it is more tolerant in freezing conditions and the expanding ice doesn't break it. Also the hand expansion tool (although cumbersome to use) is much cheaper than the battery tool. The pex a tubing is more expensive but the fittings are much cheaper. Also if you get the battery tool (as we did because, yeah) it makes pretty quick and extremely secure work of your connections.
Hey Brad, at the beginning of the video, you said you would be using copper on the tub joint in order to maintain the ID of the pipe, but then when installing, you used Pex coming down from the value and then used a copper stub. I have always used copper for the entire tub spout and for the same reason you talk about in the video. Great work on your videos!
Haven't had an opportunity to DIY a water (plumbing) setup ... YET. PEX certainly looks easiest and easier on the wallet. However, I am curious about a couple items: - How does PEX perform when exposed to freezing temps (better or worse than copper)? - My biggest hesitation so far (besides laziness) is any unknown health risks from the PEX materials. I've been reading more and more studies lately warning us on the unhealthy levels of plastics we're ingesting daily. Well, I guess I just need to dig deeper for the info ... or maybe just dive right in and drink the proverbial kool-aid (with my new fat PEX super-straw!) LOL Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us! I always learn something useful and new from your vids ... even if it's only spotting ghosts of a deer gone 'bye'. 😏
OETIKER CLAMP is what the stainless steel line clamps are called that you were using. They have been used on automotive fuel lines for a couple decades now if not longer there’s a tool that you can use for those that is half the price of the tool that you had my business, we see the good and the bad of both sides, we repaira lot of PEX lines but we also repair a lot of copper lines. I prefer copper as that’s how I have my home set up that I built, but I guess in 80 years. The people at that time will be able to determine how well PEX stands up versus copper the thing that I can say that I do not like his shark bite fittings we get calls for leaks and replace many of them and like you said possibly they installed them incorrectly…. Good video 🇺🇸👊🏼👊🏼✌🏼
Agree re PEX. I worked on an PEX install for everything at a University lab, it was awesome and simple. The lab required that we not burn anything which would contaminate the "clean" environment. Cheers to PEX
I use Sanipex MT from GF-Piping Systems. You can assemble and disassemble joints a dozen of times and the smaller pipes are almost as easy to arrange as hoses. Additionally, you have no reduction of inner diameter through joints. PS: Sanipex also has push-in fittings for transition to copper pipes.
Great rundown on PEX, and you addressed every issue I have had with it in the past. Used PEX-B when I remodeled our bathroom in 2021, then when I added a toilet in the basement a month ago. Quick to install, and easy to tie into if you need to add on. SharkBite and crimp rings have both worked well for me, but I can see where the clamps would have made a couple of my connections in tight spaces easier to complete. One additional item I would recommend if you use crimp rings is a ring removal tool, especially if you need to swap out a fitting. Best way to remove the rings without damaging the fitting. (Guess how I know that?)
Going from pex-b to pex-a resulted from the volume of pipe repairs I was getting. Your tub spout is going to spin easily with your copper stub out inside a push fitting? I would sweat that or go pex elbow with 1/2" female threads (like shower head up top) secured to stud and a properly sized brass nipple later to screw on the tub spout. No spin, solid. Very informative video.
Great video and tips. I did a very small PEX job and the Mpls Home Depot borrowed me the crimper. Which was terrific for a one-time small job. My first time using PEX and it was super and still does not leak after 1 year.
Pex is great. SHarkbites are also great in limited circumstances. I would never put a sharkbite inside a wall like that. I'd only use them in open areas so they can be inspected easily and only if there is an obstacle preventing me from soldering on an adapter.
Great video. I must point out deburing of ID copper tubing as not to create turbulence of fluid stream which will cause erosion of piping material over time.
I used the Uponor PEX A expansion system when I replumbed my whole house. I used the opaque tubing system and works great. As long as you size appropriately PEX A has little to no pressure restriction since the fittings and valves for the most part are all "full port". With exception to point of use devices like faucet shutoffs and toilet shutoffs. I originally got some push connect point of use shutoffs but ended up using the expansion PEX A shutoffs. My old system was galvanized, coper and PEX. I replaced everything including the existing PEX with new. The old PEX I ripped out was about 15 years old and looked almost like new when it was removed. PEX A system if you do it yourself is a small investment for the Uponor Expansion tool but is worth it.
That first "what started as a refresh turned into this" is exactly what happened to my bathroom. I went PEX B. Much easier since my solder skills are not honed enough for me to trust them. I used sharkbites connectors in exposed area downstairs to temporarily connect to copper mains as I'll get back around to redoing them in PEX as well later on.
I heard that the Sharkbite fittings you should be using with PEX are the ones with the white inner ring that applies an opposing force from the inside of the PEX pipe so that if the pipe ever shrinks or expands over the years, you have plenty of hold on the inside and outside of that connection.
12-01-2024 Sunday I stumbled onto your video today about the water piping and really got hooked. I was glad you explained, gave reason of why, and what, and how etc... . Very good. Thanks.
I have sections of P'EX plumbing connected to copper using Sharkbite fittings which have been in place for more than 15 years. Never any leaks of any kind. Seem to work very well on the domestic hot and cold water lines, but I haven't used the Sharkbite on any of the hot water baseboard heat lines, so no opinion there.
This is so great! I’m sure my plumber will pass those savings onto me on my next project! Lol….between labor and his out of pocket expenses being lower….😊
First time I use Sharkbite connectors with PEX, I decided I would never sweat copper again. Super easy to install, flexibilty makes it easier to use in tight spaces woth obstructions. Thanks for sharing!
I just want to say, the way you did the Sponcering read, was perfect 🎉 I'm still watching you doing the thing, and that's just in the corner... No problems. Normally I skip forward, but didn't need to in your video
You can use a 1/2 npt female to 3/4 pex for the tub spout and a 3/4 pex to 1/2 drop ear and it works great I use it quite often, but I also sweat copper quite often aswell it about depends what kind of material is in the house I’m working on at that time 😅
Just a couple of notes, the PEX A works fine with clamp rings or crimp rings also they are not just for PEX B, the expander tool can be gotten nowadays for $69, the thing about the open pathway for water to the tub note that the expansion approach allows for the inner diameter not to be reduced by the fitting, but the other big advantage of PEX A has to do with freezing, it's flexibility pretty much allows it to freeze without generally ever bursting. One other advantage of the expansion tool approaches that you can expand it and then stick it on in tight quarters where it would be hard to fit a clamp or crimp tool.
There is a manual tool for PEX-A expansion. It requires Herculean strength but it is cost effective at $60 to $100 including anvils. I bought one for a remodel and very quickly went and bought a used Milwaukee for $250. I can resell the Milwaukee when I'm finished if I want. 17:30 Oh, the term you're looking for would be LatMaster.
I heard that Uponor is fighting one or more lawsuits for the type A expanding connections because the pipe starts to develop micro fractures after a few years that can leak. I’ve seen it myself in several homes and at my workplace. I only use type B in my home.
There is a very affordable hand expander tool that works great. I wouldn't do a whole house with it, but if you only have a handful of connections to make, it's a great option.
@@GioGuitarDude Yeah, the lawsuits involve colored pipe. The newer PEX-A is clear-ish (white) with red or blue printing. These have not had any issues as far as I know.
A price comparison of PEX A vs B would be interesting. If A is significantly faster and the materials are cheaper, the cost might not be as big a deal as you can buy manual A expanders for a $100 or less.
Our area has low pH well water (6.5 or less). The brass PEX connectors corrode through in about 10 years. The plumbers here are using stainless steel connector for PEX. Stainless steel connectors cost about 2 times the cost of brass connectors.
Scrap all the copper pipe, pex is the way to go!!! No leaks, no splitting from freezing!! Just great!! Ive been using shark bites for decades will no problem, you just have to make sure the pipe surface is clean so the O ring will seal properly!! Never saw one fail yet!!! They are expensive however.
Pex has its uses. As a licensed plumber I would use copper over Pex in my home. When using sharkbite connections always be sure to debur inside and outside whether you are using Pex or copper. This is way more important with copper to prevent cutting the o-ring. This o-ring is the reason I would use copper over Pex. Almost all Pex failures I have ever seen are the o-ring failing or failing to debur. Great vid
The manual/hand expansion tool for PEX-A are available for under $100 PEX-A is more flexible requiring fewer 90’s and higher water flow through the fittings. I have no problem soldering copper as I’m a HVAC&R tech but could not justify the additional cost of copper.
I have started using PEX the moment it hit the market, used it all over the house I had just bought. I always had the imposter syndrome when I used it, because it is so incredibly easy. I even have a 1/2 and 3/4 SharkBite endpiece, in case I cut a line and there was water pressure on it. You can just slip it over and avoid a major mess (don't ask me how I know). The tooling in the beginning cost quite a bit, but paying a plumber ... Or the extra time it would have cost to do the soldering myself? Hands down I will always go with PEX. BTW: I often use 3/4" PEX rather than 1/2 and reduce just where I need it. That gives me more water pressure on the second floor, and faster flow, meaning that hot water arrives faster. Another advantage of PEX is that it is quite flexible and won't rupture when it gets too cold.
Copper is the gold standard. Period. BUT, a lot of modern plumbers are sadly not skilled enough to install copper pipes anymore and it's more expensive of course.
Using a shark bite for my first time was super for my sink. It’s still doing a real good job after three years. I’m not a plumber but plumber thought I did a good job on it.
Wow! I was shocked to see how much cheaper pex is than copper. These videos are very timely as I'm gearing up to replace our bathtub and valve and surround. I'm still undecided if I'm going to replace our old tub or refinish it. But this is a great introduction to educate me into the world of pex. I've used sharkbite fittings before. Thanks for taking the time to offer us the price breakdown. I'm curious how I would go about routing my hot and cold lines to the correct sides using Pex. Currently our hot and cold lines are on the wrong side on our bathtub.
I try to use as few of the 90 degree and 45 degree as possible. I either will do a slow turn in the ceiling or use a 90 degree template. This keeps water volume higher and saves money on fittings. It's one reason Pex A is popular because you can eliminate angle fittings easily, but that is for professionals. In a NEW project, I would allow enough space to do a completely angle fitting free project. I have been using sharkbite and other approved push-to-connect fittings for years but many in expose areas so I can check them. Now in our area they are approved for close wall projects because they have similar life as copper as you saw on your project pin-holes and fitting failures can occur long before 40 years is up. Thanks. Oh, prices and options on the Pex A tools have come way down and you can rent, too! I will be using A in future, also easier to work in tight spaces.
@@PKDN215 I'm not a plumber, but I've never seen a shower or tub with a shutoff valve. Sinks always seem to have them. Maybe because sinks aren't installed until after the counters I'd guess. And that sink cartridges are more likely to be replaced than shower valves.
Pex-A got done dirty here. It offers the same securement with clamps but none of the restriction that Pex-B has with its couplings because its expanded over the coupling with the same ID. Also there are cheap expander tools for Pex-A just as there are cheap clamp tools for Pex-B. I only hope with all these new houses getting plastic lines thrown in everywhere we don't find out that it will leach plastic into the water especially on the hot side.
@@jaredvandyke You dont learn if you dont mess some things up! Soldering has a proven track record over the test of time. Everybody these days are in a rush to go nowhere, and want things done quick. Learn to solder, and know its the proper way to do plumbing, Its not that hard to learn. Mice dont eat copper either. Just my 2 cents.
@@terrythomas790 that’s so true! I’ve messed up more than once. Lol. I’m still worried when it comes to valves. That’s where I love shark bites. I’m worried I’ll get solder in the moving parts or over heat it and ruin them.
@@jaredvandyke Use the valves that come with compression fittings. Theres no seal in them like shark bites have. They say that s what causes them to leak later due to that deteriorating. Just get some extra ferrules, in case you need some. You can reuse the valves that way.
You forgot (21:30) solder and flux in the costs which can come together or part of a torch kit. You could also get a basic propane torch for about $30CAD (about $20US), it will just take longer to heat your pipes to a useful temp. One thing though, you can use a torch for many things, you can use PEX tools for... well... PEX. So if you go PEX for your home plumbing projects you are at some point going to end up buying a torch as part of your toolset anyway. Needless to say however I need to get rid of some iron(or steel) pipe that is still in my home and there's a good chance I'll be using PEX to do it.
Two years ago I replaced my galvanized pipes in my 1939 house with PEX. Absolutely great to work with. Flexibility is unbeatable. With the huge choice of fittings, very easy to retrofit onto almost anything. No fire, no flux, no solder. Was a no brainer for me. Need to splice something in, no prob. Cut, install fitting, crimp. Too simple. I even ran lines out to my garden. Can't praise this product enough.
You're relying on a rubber O ring at every coupling to remain water tight for decades tho. I've seen 60+ yr old copper that's still holding strong. O rings fail all the time.
@@rbhe357 Guess I neglected to specify I didn't use any Shark-Bite fittings. All my fittings are brass crimped on per specification. With the price of copper, this was the more affordable approach. After the research I did, I feel very comfortable with my choice. And, I do agree that o-rings can fail at any time.
@@robertsimonson5411 Me too. The only reason to have Sharkbite is to have a couple of caps on hand for emergencies with copper. You'll probably never need them, but if you do... It's kind of like insurance.
@@rbhe357 no question that a properly soldered copper connection is more secure however; do you stress over the main shut off valves installed, what about water meter feeding house, do you have any faucets or a refrigerator water lines installed? Any concern over these because they use rubber gaskets seal water in.
Water pressure will be your downfall in about 3 more yrs.
I like how you quickly move through the topic, not over talking everything. I can always rewind or pause if needed. Thank you for sharing everything about pex, I was needing it.
So, I'm old and have never done any plumbing (unless you count replacing a garbage disposal) and have no intention to start at this point in my life. But did I watch every minute of this video? Yes I did and found it very informative and well explained . 😊
Thanks for a great video. Let me add what I've learned the hard way.
Two years ago I replumbed my lake house (polybutylene) with PEX-B because the PEX-A tools were too expensive. I had the giant crimper tool, which works well, but it's hard to use in close quarters. One trick I learned to hold the crimp rings on is to squeeze them just a little to make them a couple of thousandths of an inch out of round. That way they stay where you put them. After crimping, they test just fine in all directions with the Go-NoGo gauge.
I replumbed my home a few months ago. I waited until my wife was out of town for a week just in case things didn't go according to plan. We had a bathroom remodeled a few years ago and the plumber used PEX-A fittings. To connect A to B my plan was to use brass male to female NPT fittings, but I still had to figure out a way to get onto the PEX-A pipe. That's when I learned about the much cheaper manual PEX-A tools. I wish I had known about them earlier as they allow you to work in very tight quarters. You expand the pipe and clamp ring, then you have about 10 seconds to put the joint together. No wonder the pros use PEX-A! Plus PEX-A gives a higher flow rate.
When finished, I tested my entire house with air before applying water. I really didn't want any water leaks in the attic, and I had leaks! None of my crimp connections leaked, but most of my NPT connections leaked, even when using pipe dope. I tested with air until the system would hold pressure for over a day with NO pressure loss.
Interesting. How did you resolve the NPT fitting issue? What was the cause of improper fitting?
My whole house is plumbed in pex. When I replaced my water heater, I just cut the pex and used Sharkbite fittings to couple back in. It works great and I've had no problems. Sharkbite also makes a tool for cleaning the end of the tubing and showing the insertion depth.
Bill
I re-plumbed my bathroom and shower 2 years ago in PEX-A. There's a very inexpensive (about $40) PEX-A expander tool, you don't need the $500 fancy one!
When you’re doing plumbing spending the extra $400 is not a big deal considering if you want that plumbing to last more than 50 years; yes, you can buy that $50 tool and you did an amazing job because PEX A as far superior to be given the failure point will be those crimping clamps that will corrode overtime
Brad, since you are doing a remodel of an older home, I recommend you change out the insulation when you have walls open. Studies have shown today's insulation vs even 20-year-old insulation has enough of a difference that it should pay for itself within three years. You will also be able to close areas that are leaking or find where pests get in.
I inherited a property that was less than 30 years old. I seals everything and changed the insulation. The difference between the previous gas bill and the current gas bill paid for the changes in the first year.
Thank you for your comment and information/results! This is so good to know. I appreciate. I’m buying a house., used, and may need to refurbish the bathroom, including accessing the plumbing, tearing down tiles,walls etc. Those are very impressive results you had.
I bend the pipes whenever possible instead of using elbows. Cheaper, less flow restriction. Only downside is it looks a bit wonkier. You can get elbows that help form & hold the PEX.
Same here. All my fixtures come off a manifold with an individual valve for each. The only fittings are at the manifold and at the fixture.
Same application here. PEX-A for every line. If I need to color code the "clear" line, I just cut a short piece of colored line, expand it, and put it over the end. Add the compression ring, and then the fitting. Although there are some places that elbows are best, the price of tubing is low enough to justify the extra length to just snake the tubing to where it goes. Minimum fitting equals fewer failure points.
Bending instead of fittings could be problematic in the long run as that is now a week spot when age sets in
@@Browner19 Oops, was not attentive and used some wrong terminology. No sharp bends, flexing and curving is more along what I meant. You are correct, and nice clarification moment.
I gotta hand it to you Brad. This was simple yet detailed, easy to understand yet thorough. Well done.
Pex-A also does not have the flow constriction problem you described. Expending the pipe allows a full ID fitting.
Most of the houses im working on have galvanized pipes that maybe have an 1/8 ID bc of all the rust. 1/2 in pex is more than these people can handle emotionally.
Holy Schnikies Batman!!! This video will literally save me time and money bc I'm about to tear out a super old and gross plywood laminate shower wall and replace the valves and spouts in the process. I'm likely going to see some galvanized piping and some copper so this video was right on time :)
Have some experience modifying my house to replace the old galvanised iron water lines with pex. (Very constricted water flow from all the rust and deposition.) Initially did some piecemeal swapping with Pex B, using a clamp ring for connections. One good thing we discovered about the clamps was that when we messed up, the clamp ring could be broken down by using bolt cutters to snip the clamp and the joint and ring came of easily. When shifting to replacing the main water line we switched over to Pex A, so it needed fewer connectors and had less constriction on those connectors.
Also Sharkbites have been a lifesaver for years.
The make bending guides for pex to eliminate the elbow fittings. They keep the tube from collapsing and are about $1.50 each.
Or $7 for a 10-pack at Menards here in Michigan. Thanks for the tip on these!!
PEX is really great for renovations in the way that it's flexible, you can run it in an open bay like stiff wire, where copper is simply rigid. Also, with enough play you don't need to use 90° fittings. I had helped a friend with a vanity, the drain was immediately in the way of the copper pipe, we grabbed shark bite and a bit of PEX instead of a number of 90 or 45 fittings. Harder to quantify but the ease of use is game changing
Great Video!! very informative! As a diesel mechanic I have been using these similar type of fittings for years for the air lines on diesel trucks. My concern with these fittings is eventually the O Ring dries out and you will start to get leaks. Me personally I would only use these as a temporary use and not long term inside of a sealed up wall.....Just my 2 cents!!
I mean… Home Depot sells a pex a expansion tool set for less than $140.
I just re-did some plumbing and it was super simple to use. No messing around with crimp rings, no worrying about them leaking, not having to get a tool up in an awkward area. Expand the pipe in the ring, and then shove it on the fitting wherever it is. It also has the advantage of resting your water flow.
Excellent video as always! Having worked in the plumbing Dept at a certain DIY chain store for a couple of years, I agree with most of your decisions. I will add a couple things to consider as well though. There is a "Pro" version of the Crimp ring and Cinch Clamp, both with the red stop to keep them in place. The Pex B can be buried while Pex A cannot. You already mentioned the restriction issues with Pex B which you don't have with Pex A. There are manual tools that are less expensive available for Pex A making it a viable alternative for a DIYer though it would still be better if you plan to use it for a larger project or helping others do their projects. Finally, Pex A and Pex B have very different expansion abilities. Pex A can expand much larger in the event of freezing than Pex B before bursting, something to consider when working on cold walls.
We built our home from Feb, 2002 and Oct, 2003 doing most of the interior work. My hubby with our teenage daughter and myself installing the plumbing using PEX tubing. It was awesome! It was impressive. At the time, the plumbers were fighting it coming to code in the city because it made it easy for DIYers. We built in the country in the next county so were able to do it. Wow! We were sold. It's also nice that you have turn offs for each water source, so no turning off the whole house to change a faucet etc.
@OrganieCreateDecorate thanks for sharing your experiences. I am curious, did you use a manifold to distribute the supply lines to each wet location? If so, what manifold did you use? I'm considering doing this and would like to know your experience with selecting a manifold. Thanks!
Right. A turn-off valve for each water source. Whoever thought of that? I mean, usually, they do have one for a sink and toilet. But I have never seen one for a bathtub or shower. You have to turn the whole house off to fix a shower or bathtub? That is crazy, until now.
@@toddburgess572 Sorry, Todd, I'm just now seeing this. Somehow my notifications were turned off.
Hubby says choosing the manifold has to do with what size tubing you use and how many lines you need. We used 1/2-inch tubing and have 36 lines, half for cold and the other half for hot water.
@@rodgervanausdal5400 Rodger, we built out home over twenty years ago. As far as I know of, it was fairly new at that time.
Pex plus sharkbite has kept my hunting cabin from exploding for years. Love the stuff
Yea copper doesn't bounce back well from freeze incidents. It just keeps stretching each time until it blows.
Perfect application for pex .cabins or summer camps
Im surprised that you didnt mention that for turning 90°, there are clamps that bend the pex pipe and hold it at 90° and keep it from collapsing. It negates the need for a 90° fitting and 2 crimps. They require more room to make the bend, but have no possible leak points.
If I ever needed to do a plumbing project at home this is a great resource, Brad you really have a great way of explaining how things work!
I like the cinch clamps because they're easier to cinch in place and they're easier to remove. You can also get stainless steel versions of all the brass parts. The water from my well has a pH of 5, and over time it will eat brass fittings. I've since installed a water softening system, but before I had a chance to do that I had to replace a bunch of fittings that were heavily corroded (two, in fact, were dripping about 1 drop per hour). The stainless isn't that much more than the brass, but you do have to order them from somewhere like SupplyHouse. You also have to be aware that PEX can't be used anywhere it will be exposed to direct UV light. This isn't usually a problem once it's in use, but don't store any unused PEX outside.
@@JCWren and be cognizant of how your plumbing supplier is storing the pex. And never buy remnants off craigslist… you just don’t know how it was stored
Scrapping my plan to use PEX for my Solar Hot Water System. Glad I saw your comment before I wasted a lot of money on it. 😂
If you just tap the crimp ring with the clamping tool while its on the pipe, it will tighten up just enough to keep it from sliding around while you position it. Then give it the full crimp.
Exactly this. I would position the crimp ring, and give it a squeeze with a needle-nose pliers and that was enough to keep it from shifting around while I used the larger clamping tool.
I went with PEX A because I found a great deal on the Milwaukee Fuel expander tool on eBay listed as the non-fuel model, with charger and one battery in the case for $275. I just needed to re-route supply lines for the shower around the new abs p-trap drain connection to the old cast iron main. Plus, PEX A can use PEX B crimp connectors also in a pinch.
The people who built my house in 1978 used PVC for all the pipes. Not surprisingly, one of my pipes broke about a year ago due to the PVC becoming brittle. I struggled with glue and paste ( I had no idea what I was doing at the time and live too far in the middle of nowhere to hire a plumber. ) for 2 days. Then I remembered that a friend of mine mentioned he was using Shark Bite for his project. Went to the store, got some PEX and some Shark Bite connectors, was done in about 20 minutes. Wish I had used them from the start.
my god, man, your videos are awesome. clear and concise instructions. full explanation of the thought process together with pros & cons of options available. plus a full cost comparison breakdown. if you ever get tired of the diy thing, you should open a youtube academy!
Ryobi makes clamp and pinch tools for about $150. Use whichever fitting u like and electric tool to clamp/pinch.
I went the clamp route with my pex fittings because the tool works with 3/8" up to 1" but the crimp style requires multiple tools to accommodate all those sizes. Also, I bought the masterforce brand from Menards that works more like your crimp tool and is done when it's clamped together, no light. I love it.
That may not be something most people would encounter but I did 1" from my pressure tank to my water softener and then transitioned to 3/4" to the water heater and then everything else is 1/2" but I can use the same tool for all of them.
One more advantage of the clamp style is it's easier to remove it if you make a mistake or want to reclaim a fitting.
I guess I felt the need to say all this because I don't think you gave the clamp style a fair comparison, but it was interesting to learn more about the crimp style and reassure me I made the right choice... Lol
I’m a plumber 👨🔧. A trick with the crimp rings to keep them from sliding around on the pipe during the crimp use a pair of pliers and gently squeeze the ring until it stays in place were you want it and the ring won’t slide on you when crimping.
Reworking a whole house from the 50s, went with pex a myself and copper and unions on the stuff that first hits the house (backflow, prv) for ease of maintenance. The big advantage I have found is that pex allows you to oreint things like a union joint but for far less money and hassle, although you get a lot less support on the joint which is amplified with a hot line. It is easy to mix copper and pex with sharkbites so you can have the best of both that way.
I did the very same project a few years ago. Started from scrap with crimpers etc. My first time with PEX was amazingly simple, compared to what other options may have been. You did a very job explaining your process. Thanks for sharing.
I just wish I would have used those spacers to place ring in correct location. As you mentioned, the ring was hard to position and apply the crimp.
Pex is great. I had opportunity to inspect connection i made 10 years ago, because of another copper joint failure in the same area, and pex was sitting exceptionally tight. No signs of degradation of losing grip on adapter.
Im a handyman And i absolutely love pex fast and simple and they make a tool for the crimp option where you just ratched and stops to release you don't have to worry about over doing it I highly recommend pex for anyone also great for leaks under ground as well
I used copper in our house to redo the old plumbing. Pex was just starting to come into existence for plumbing at this time.
The thing that concerned me then and it still concerns me now is the longevity of the pex. The copper is known to last for a half of a century or more if done right. Pex has only existed for standard plumbing for a couple decades. And some other types of plastic pipe will spontaneously burst. I think pex has proven it's self at this point to be a great option but it still makes me nervous.
I'd recommend going rigid then to pex. So copper risers with pex adapters for the tie-ins. Sometimes you can't but it definitely makes it easier to work with.
Great video Brad. Wish you had made this a few weeks ago when I had to do an emergency plumbing repair at home. As you, I am a copper guy. A 35 year old copper joint started to drip probably due to a cold joint. I decided to go PEX for the repair. Worked great. I prefer the clamp style fittings but I was working in a basement ceiling between studs and, for a while, I thought I would not be able to get the large clamping tool between the studs. This is where I would use the ratcheting crimping tool in future repairs. In the end, it all worked out. Thanks for your insightful content.
I do love the PEX! Had my whole house re-plumbed (1960's copper) recently. I did ask about the Shark fittings. A couple of different plumbers have recommended staying away from Shark fittings because they degrade over time. The only thing sealing that joint is an internal O-ring that will degrade. Once they start leaking, they will not stop. I'm no plumber, but have seen evidence of this at a friends' house where a couple of Shark fittings have started to leak. Luckily they were in an unfinished portion of the basement and easily fixed.
Everything I've ever heard is that shark bites are great... for exposed plumbing. I've always heard to never put it inside of walls specifically because of the long-term failures. But anything you can see and easily access if you start noticing leaks it's totally worth the ease of use.
@@ttujc Time will tell. Hopefully all the newer homes dont start leaking everywhere in 30 some years. Copper and solder wont.
Great video! I really enjoyed it. You did leave out one very important aspect when using PEX. I use PEX all the time and I really like it. However, when using it you need to keep in mind that rodents also like it. I have done many repairs where rodents have chewed through PEX lines. If you know that rats and mice are present, then you might want to go with an alternative.
I guess theres a reason to why there are traps in his crawlspace! Pex and Pests dont mix. Never gave that one a thought.
Im remodeled my home from the 1950s, Pex A all the way worth the money, higher flow rate than b and stronger, not to mention more flexible for turns. So yea i had to buy a dewalt expander but totally worth it. Also no clumsy tool easy to make connections in tight spaces.
Loved your show. We use the clamp rings. Only need one tool for all the sizes. Bought a battery crimper. At that time about $150.00 cheaper now, worth a $1000.00 at the end of the day. Still don't trust shark bites, not to let go, but for the o rings to leak in a few years.
I used a Sharkbite to repair a Pex line that was damaged. What a great tool and easy option. I actually prefer it to crimping. Great video! 👍
I'm a licensed plumber. Shark bite also makes transition fittings.. you can go from PVC to CPVC.. I found this useful one time when I was tying a water line together and I didn't want to use any plastic threaded fittings.. SharkBite transition couplings was the solution.. it made my day
If you're worried about the PEX ring moving a little super glue will hold it in place
Content here is great! But, I think 2 things were missed while discussing PEX: 1. It MOVES! Like a LOT more than copper. That means you have to anchor it in more places, and through-holes MUST have grommets because it can potentially scrape and rub, and that COULD lead to a hole if it's not properly secured and protected. To me, this is roughly on par with the potential for galvanic corrosion on copper, so it's a wash, overall, but something to note. And 2. Pex IS somewhat flexible, which means it is WAY more forgiving than copper. I had a joint in the house that had 4 copper elbows. I was able to replace that with a SINGLE straight connector and some deviation from the PEX line because it only needed to shunt over by like 3 inches.
Your plumbing will be quieter with Pex A and using the expansion type fittings. These fittings don’t introduce restrictions like an inset fitting.
FYI… shark bites only make me nervous when in an enclosed wall. I’m not sold that one O-ring will have the same lifespan as the Pipe. There are fine in open area like a garage (water heater) or in a crawlspace.
My plumber buddy also says he dosent really trust the o rings inside of a finished wall.
They're rated for behind the wall. As long as the pressure is at reasonable residential levels they're installed per the manufacturers instructions they're absolutely rock solid.
@@TheBenjomcmlxxv He's more concerned that rubber o rings dry out and get cracked over long periods of time.
@@TheBenjomcmlxxv i understand they are rated for that, i was only expressing my trust and opinion.
Shark Bite shutoff valves were used in my house for all sinks and toilets. They're garbage. Over time they've slowly begun sliding out towards the end of the pipe and leaking. I've replaced half and will lend up replacing the rest.
This is a great video. I did my very own bathroom renovation and I joined the old copper tubing to new Pex tubing. This video would have been really helpful back then! I noticed that you also had a tough time with the crimping tools as I did. I wonder if you could do a comparison video to see how efficient the different crimp tools are, as far as clamping pressure, how well they seal in the water, even at high pressures. I for one would really like to know how well the automatic power crimp tools work… for some reason I do not trust them. Could be a good video to see which one is best.
FYI from a home inspector. PEX is rated for the T&P line off of the water heater. HOWEVER the push-to-connect (sharkbite) connector IS NOT RATED for use on a T&P line! You'll need to use a different connection.
They make water heater T&P relief valves with push fit for discharge. Completely acceptable.
About 8 years ago,some installed those plastic tubes with clamps on water softener systems….all connections without exception are almost ruined in corrosions…so I will have to replace all the clamps very shortly…not even 10 years.
The copper pipes are about 50 years so far …they look almost as good as new…considering the age…
I’m remodeling one of my bathroom…most of the pipes are super clean inside too….so I will keep them for another 50 years….and I do soldering the old fashioned way…I love soldering.
Right on brother , copper and soldering is the way to go
Old school is better, I hear that those sharkbites can eventually fail , like 20yrs, so I wouldnt want them everywhere behind finished walls, Now the plastic with the expand/contract fitting sounds solid.
I use a simpler non-ratcheting tool for the clamp rings. Works great. (technically it does ratchet, but simply to keep it from releasing until you're done; you don't squeeze it multiple times)
Good video and good advise. PEX is the way to go for sure. Because of the size of a project we did, we used pex A and also because it was very long runs in an area prone to freezing in the winter. Because of pex A's expansion properties it is more tolerant in freezing conditions and the expanding ice doesn't break it. Also the hand expansion tool (although cumbersome to use) is much cheaper than the battery tool. The pex a tubing is more expensive but the fittings are much cheaper. Also if you get the battery tool (as we did because, yeah) it makes pretty quick and extremely secure work of your connections.
Hey Brad, at the beginning of the video, you said you would be using copper on the tub joint in order to maintain the ID of the pipe, but then when installing, you used Pex coming down from the value and then used a copper stub. I have always used copper for the entire tub spout and for the same reason you talk about in the video. Great work on your videos!
Haven't had an opportunity to DIY a water (plumbing) setup ... YET.
PEX certainly looks easiest and easier on the wallet. However, I am curious about a couple items:
- How does PEX perform when exposed to freezing temps (better or worse than copper)?
- My biggest hesitation so far (besides laziness) is any unknown health risks from the PEX materials. I've been reading more and more studies lately warning us on the unhealthy levels of plastics we're ingesting daily.
Well, I guess I just need to dig deeper for the info ... or maybe just dive right in and drink the proverbial kool-aid (with my new fat PEX super-straw!) LOL
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us! I always learn something useful and new from your vids ... even if it's only spotting ghosts of a deer gone 'bye'. 😏
OETIKER CLAMP is what the stainless steel line clamps are called that you were using. They have been used on automotive fuel lines for a couple decades now if not longer there’s a tool that you can use for those that is half the price of the tool that you had my business, we see the good and the bad of both sides, we repaira lot of PEX lines but we also repair a lot of copper lines. I prefer copper as that’s how I have my home set up that I built, but I guess in 80 years. The people at that time will be able to determine how well PEX stands up versus copper the thing that I can say that I do not like his shark bite fittings we get calls for leaks and replace many of them and like you said possibly they installed them incorrectly…. Good video 🇺🇸👊🏼👊🏼✌🏼
They use the same on cv boots and well, I think.
@
Yes you are correct 👍🏻
Agree re PEX. I worked on an PEX install for everything at a University lab, it was awesome and simple. The lab required that we not burn anything which would contaminate the "clean" environment. Cheers to PEX
I use Sanipex MT from GF-Piping Systems. You can assemble and disassemble joints a dozen of times and the smaller pipes are almost as easy to arrange as hoses. Additionally, you have no reduction of inner diameter through joints. PS: Sanipex also has push-in fittings for transition to copper pipes.
Please do an in-depth video comparing PEX-A to PEX-B that includes restriction of water flow, ease of making connections in tight spaces, costs, etc.
Great rundown on PEX, and you addressed every issue I have had with it in the past.
Used PEX-B when I remodeled our bathroom in 2021, then when I added a toilet in the basement a month ago. Quick to install, and easy to tie into if you need to add on. SharkBite and crimp rings have both worked well for me, but I can see where the clamps would have made a couple of my connections in tight spaces easier to complete.
One additional item I would recommend if you use crimp rings is a ring removal tool, especially if you need to swap out a fitting. Best way to remove the rings without damaging the fitting. (Guess how I know that?)
Going from pex-b to pex-a resulted from the volume of pipe repairs I was getting. Your tub spout is going to spin easily with your copper stub out inside a push fitting? I would sweat that or go pex elbow with 1/2" female threads (like shower head up top) secured to stud and a properly sized brass nipple later to screw on the tub spout. No spin, solid. Very informative video.
Great video and tips. I did a very small PEX job and the Mpls Home Depot borrowed me the crimper. Which was terrific for a one-time small job. My first time using PEX and it was super and still does not leak after 1 year.
Pex is great. SHarkbites are also great in limited circumstances. I would never put a sharkbite inside a wall like that. I'd only use them in open areas so they can be inspected easily and only if there is an obstacle preventing me from soldering on an adapter.
Great video. I must point out deburing of ID copper tubing as not to create turbulence of fluid stream which will cause erosion of piping material over time.
I used the Uponor PEX A expansion system when I replumbed my whole house. I used the opaque tubing system and works great. As long as you size appropriately PEX A has little to no pressure restriction since the fittings and valves for the most part are all "full port". With exception to point of use devices like faucet shutoffs and toilet shutoffs. I originally got some push connect point of use shutoffs but ended up using the expansion PEX A shutoffs. My old system was galvanized, coper and PEX. I replaced everything including the existing PEX with new. The old PEX I ripped out was about 15 years old and looked almost like new when it was removed. PEX A system if you do it yourself is a small investment for the Uponor Expansion tool but is worth it.
That first "what started as a refresh turned into this" is exactly what happened to my bathroom. I went PEX B. Much easier since my solder skills are not honed enough for me to trust them. I used sharkbites connectors in exposed area downstairs to temporarily connect to copper mains as I'll get back around to redoing them in PEX as well later on.
I heard that the Sharkbite fittings you should be using with PEX are the ones with the white inner ring that applies an opposing force from the inside of the PEX pipe so that if the pipe ever shrinks or expands over the years, you have plenty of hold on the inside and outside of that connection.
That was the original sharkbite. Sharkbite Max did away with that insert and with it got rid of flow restriction
@@Fixthisbuildthat Oh I see! Thanks for clarifying 👍
12-01-2024 Sunday
I stumbled onto your video today about the water piping and really got hooked. I was glad you explained, gave reason of why, and what, and how etc... . Very good. Thanks.
fun fact you don't need fittings with pex except at th ebeginning or end of the run they have supports for turns in pex which helps with flow
I have sections of P'EX plumbing connected to copper using Sharkbite fittings which have been in place for more than 15 years. Never any leaks of any kind. Seem to work very well on the domestic hot and cold water lines, but I haven't used the Sharkbite on any of the hot water baseboard heat lines, so no opinion there.
This is so great! I’m sure my plumber will pass those savings onto me on my next project! Lol….between labor and his out of pocket expenses being lower….😊
here in belgium we never see PEX like this. it's always multilayered plastic-aluminum-plastic. popular brand product is Alpex
That was the best PEX overview video I’ve ever seen. Great work, partner!
Type A pex can be used for both expansion and crimp style fittings, which makes it the better choice and it's way durable and flexible.
First time I use Sharkbite connectors with PEX, I decided I would never sweat copper again. Super easy to install, flexibilty makes it easier to use in tight spaces woth obstructions. Thanks for sharing!
I just want to say, the way you did the Sponcering read, was perfect 🎉 I'm still watching you doing the thing, and that's just in the corner...
No problems.
Normally I skip forward, but didn't need to in your video
This was an outstanding demonstration and cost analysis! Great video!
You can use a 1/2 npt female to 3/4 pex for the tub spout and a 3/4 pex to 1/2 drop ear and it works great I use it quite often, but I also sweat copper quite often aswell it about depends what kind of material is in the house I’m working on at that time 😅
Just a couple of notes, the PEX A works fine with clamp rings or crimp rings also they are not just for PEX B, the expander tool can be gotten nowadays for $69, the thing about the open pathway for water to the tub note that the expansion approach allows for the inner diameter not to be reduced by the fitting, but the other big advantage of PEX A has to do with freezing, it's flexibility pretty much allows it to freeze without generally ever bursting. One other advantage of the expansion tool approaches that you can expand it and then stick it on in tight quarters where it would be hard to fit a clamp or crimp tool.
There is a manual tool for PEX-A expansion. It requires Herculean strength but it is cost effective at $60 to $100 including anvils. I bought one for a remodel and very quickly went and bought a used Milwaukee for $250. I can resell the Milwaukee when I'm finished if I want. 17:30 Oh, the term you're looking for would be LatMaster.
You can rent the pex a expander tool for $25 a day. It may be worth it since you can normally do a whole house in a day.
I heard that Uponor is fighting one or more lawsuits for the type A expanding connections because the pipe starts to develop micro fractures after a few years that can leak. I’ve seen it myself in several homes and at my workplace. I only use type B in my home.
There is a very affordable hand expander tool that works great. I wouldn't do a whole house with it, but if you only have a handful of connections to make, it's a great option.
@@GioGuitarDude Yeah, the lawsuits involve colored pipe. The newer PEX-A is clear-ish (white) with red or blue printing. These have not had any issues as far as I know.
This is a frickin awesome video - thanks so much, Brad! It answered ALL my questions ahead of a bathroom remodel I'm considering taking on myself.
A price comparison of PEX A vs B would be interesting. If A is significantly faster and the materials are cheaper, the cost might not be as big a deal as you can buy manual A expanders for a $100 or less.
Our area has low pH well water (6.5 or less). The brass PEX connectors corrode through in about 10 years. The plumbers here are using stainless steel connector for PEX. Stainless steel connectors cost about 2 times the cost of brass connectors.
Doing our bath great timing. Always look forward to your vids. You answered many of my questions.
Scrap all the copper pipe, pex is the way to go!!! No leaks, no splitting from freezing!! Just great!! Ive been using shark bites for decades will no problem, you just have to make sure the pipe surface is clean so the O ring will seal properly!! Never saw one fail yet!!! They are expensive however.
They have manual expanders for pex for expansion pex. You can also crimp the expansion pex. Plastic fitting work just as well as brass ones.
10:17 There is a hand tool version of the power expander which is super easy to use and much cheaper.
Pex has its uses. As a licensed plumber I would use copper over Pex in my home. When using sharkbite connections always be sure to debur inside and outside whether you are using Pex or copper. This is way more important with copper to prevent cutting the o-ring. This o-ring is the reason I would use copper over Pex. Almost all Pex failures I have ever seen are the o-ring failing or failing to debur. Great vid
The manual/hand expansion tool for PEX-A are available for under $100 PEX-A is more flexible requiring fewer 90’s and higher water flow through the fittings. I have no problem soldering copper as I’m a HVAC&R tech but could not justify the additional cost of copper.
Excellent straightforward video. Easy to follow and understand. Great tips and advice. Nice job!
I have started using PEX the moment it hit the market, used it all over the house I had just bought. I always had the imposter syndrome when I used it, because it is so incredibly easy. I even have a 1/2 and 3/4 SharkBite endpiece, in case I cut a line and there was water pressure on it. You can just slip it over and avoid a major mess (don't ask me how I know). The tooling in the beginning cost quite a bit, but paying a plumber ... Or the extra time it would have cost to do the soldering myself? Hands down I will always go with PEX.
BTW: I often use 3/4" PEX rather than 1/2 and reduce just where I need it. That gives me more water pressure on the second floor, and faster flow, meaning that hot water arrives faster. Another advantage of PEX is that it is quite flexible and won't rupture when it gets too cold.
Copper is the gold standard. Period. BUT, a lot of modern plumbers are sadly not skilled enough to install copper pipes anymore and it's more expensive of course.
Using a shark bite for my first time was super for my sink. It’s still doing a real good job after three years. I’m not a plumber but plumber thought I did a good job on it.
Wow! I was shocked to see how much cheaper pex is than copper. These videos are very timely as I'm gearing up to replace our bathtub and valve and surround. I'm still undecided if I'm going to replace our old tub or refinish it. But this is a great introduction to educate me into the world of pex. I've used sharkbite fittings before. Thanks for taking the time to offer us the price breakdown. I'm curious how I would go about routing my hot and cold lines to the correct sides using Pex. Currently our hot and cold lines are on the wrong side on our bathtub.
I try to use as few of the 90 degree and 45 degree as possible. I either will do a slow turn in the ceiling or use a 90 degree template. This keeps water volume higher and saves money on fittings. It's one reason Pex A is popular because you can eliminate angle fittings easily, but that is for professionals. In a NEW project, I would allow enough space to do a completely angle fitting free project. I have been using sharkbite and other approved push-to-connect fittings for years but many in expose areas so I can check them. Now in our area they are approved for close wall projects because they have similar life as copper as you saw on your project pin-holes and fitting failures can occur long before 40 years is up. Thanks.
Oh, prices and options on the Pex A tools have come way down and you can rent, too! I will be using A in future, also easier to work in tight spaces.
Should there be a water shut off valve in the bathroom so you don’t have to run outside like that again?
@@PKDN215 I'm not a plumber, but I've never seen a shower or tub with a shutoff valve. Sinks always seem to have them. Maybe because sinks aren't installed until after the counters I'd guess. And that sink cartridges are more likely to be replaced than shower valves.
Pex-A got done dirty here. It offers the same securement with clamps but none of the restriction that Pex-B has with its couplings because its expanded over the coupling with the same ID. Also there are cheap expander tools for Pex-A just as there are cheap clamp tools for Pex-B. I only hope with all these new houses getting plastic lines thrown in everywhere we don't find out that it will leach plastic into the water especially on the hot side.
21:15 you should add the pipe cutter to the PEX side as well. For the job you did you will need it on the PEX side as well.
You can spray the insulation and wood with a spray mister with water to prevent igniting the items sprayed
Great video. I did find it curious that you didn't mention the SharkBite Depth Gauge and Pipe Deburring Tool.
Great video. You should include the cost of training to do proper soldering for copper 😊 PEX is always my choice!
Not to mention when you mess up the soldering process as you’re learning. Not that’s a pain!
@@jaredvandyke You dont learn if you dont mess some things up! Soldering has a proven track record over the test of time. Everybody these days are in a rush to go nowhere, and want things done quick. Learn to solder, and know its the proper way to do plumbing, Its not that hard to learn. Mice dont eat copper either. Just my 2 cents.
@@terrythomas790 that’s so true! I’ve messed up more than once. Lol. I’m still worried when it comes to valves. That’s where I love shark bites. I’m worried I’ll get solder in the moving parts or over heat it and ruin them.
@@jaredvandyke Use the valves that come with compression fittings. Theres no seal in them like shark bites have. They say that s what causes them to leak later due to that deteriorating. Just get some extra ferrules, in case you need some. You can reuse the valves that way.
@ awesome thanks
You forgot (21:30) solder and flux in the costs which can come together or part of a torch kit. You could also get a basic propane torch for about $30CAD (about $20US), it will just take longer to heat your pipes to a useful temp. One thing though, you can use a torch for many things, you can use PEX tools for... well... PEX. So if you go PEX for your home plumbing projects you are at some point going to end up buying a torch as part of your toolset anyway.
Needless to say however I need to get rid of some iron(or steel) pipe that is still in my home and there's a good chance I'll be using PEX to do it.
Sharkbite push fittings , copper and Pex have been a good combination in repairing our rentals