PEX or copper ? Decision time !

[Windpower]

I have some concerns about PEX tubing for water supply

I am old school I guess and think copper is the proven material but PEX has a good reputation

My concerns are about the possibility of chemicals leaching into the water

Feedback, please

[MountainDon]

How acidic is your water? Copper doesn't like acidic water.

Europe has used PEX since the 60's and still does. So far it would seem nothing really bad had been found about PEX. Not to say that tomorrow some study will. But nobody seems to have anything traceable to PEX, at this point.

I don't think we know.

[Windpower]

"I don't think we know "

that's what concerns me

I did find a couple studies in CA where new home had what I would call extremely high levels of T butanol and MTBE -- in the 600 PPM range

they recomended flushing the systems daily for the first 6 months ---

mostly what you find is approved by NSF, ASTM standards blah blah blah

I think copper is going to be worth it -- that's what they are putting in 'starter castles' should be good enough for me --

our water here is neutral not acidic so that should not be  a problem

[Windpower]

The info at this site has made my decision to go with copper

http://www.chemaxx.com/polytube1.htm

[JRR]

This site warns of copper:
http://www.voanews.com/content/copper-implicated-as-a-possible-cause-of-alzheimers-disease/1732914.html
.
Is anything safe to use for piping? Stalactites? Whale bones? ...?

[flyingvan]

Mice eat pex, freeze kills copper----which is a bigger problem where you are?

[Windpower]

Here in Wisconsin we abundant mice and sub zero cold

aren't  we lucky

I bought 400 feet of type M copper tube today 200   1/2" and 200  3/4" -- should keep me busy for a couple days

[Jarek]

I would say use PEX for all water runs and copper for kitchen sink (drinking water).

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[Don_P]

A friend of ours is quite damaged mentally from copper poisoning, the water where she was is acidic. Being the first case in that area they settled relatively early and for a pittance. A petite female, she was simply the canary, I've experienced a similar incident with solvents industrially. In both situations other cases followed. It has made me rethink the organic copper fungicide we have used on tomatos.

[jsahara24]

Pex all the way for me.   

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[rick91351]

To me PEX is the far best choice.  It is a lot more freeze friendly.  Most of the data cited in the posted article is circa 2007 citing what was found in a problem with 2001 PEX.  And with their solution flushing lines if one is concerned seems great advise!

[containercabin]

I did PEX and it was so easy... Honestly, if I knew how to sweat (I will learn!! ) I would have done a combination of the two. Running long pipes = PEX and elbows and fittings = Copper. Best price and easy...

Just to be clear - obviosly this can't be done always - you will need some sharkbites and some copper pipe... I just mean in general.

[NM_Shooter]

I too have to chime in on the side of PEX.  Even though the mouse thing has me somewhat worried. 

The benefit of ease of assembly, freeze resistance, no joints in walls, no corrosion, it is really amazing stuff.  Plus with the price of copper, the installation of pex is incredibly attractive. 

-f-

[Native_NM]

Here in Wisconsin we abundant mice and sub zero cold

aren't  we lucky

I bought 400 feet of type M copper tube today 200   1/2" and 200  3/4" -- should keep me busy for a couple days

Fort Knox II.   

Around here you'd need an armed guard with that much copper.  Guard it carefully. 

[Jimbo Ricketts]

i would like to see legit damage done to pex by a mouse  . you could have bought faucets as well with what u are paying for copper and fittings ,flux , soldier,mapp or propane gas ,copper coated hooks ect. dont use uncoated hanger band or c clamps to hang copper it creates an acid and will make pin holes in the copper , m copper is thin to begin with.  just make shure u sand n flux yor fittings and pipe well ,GOOD LUCK !

[grover]

I'm pretty sure we are going to use pex.  Too much of anything is bad for you. 

Please don't analyze that last sentence too closely!

[flyingvan]

For Jimbo-


http://www.terrylove.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-5154.html

   Bottom line---DO NOT use the cheese flavored PEX

[Jimbo Ricketts]

DamN  i guess so ive never seen or heard of that that in 10yrs of working with pex . had a guy that had some dogs that he let stay under the house in the winter and they without failure would chew thru a hotwater line to get warm, i guess . time to go hunting big rats with a 4/10it seems or get a big mean cat . thanx for the photo 

[Jimbo Ricketts]

better yet get u a pet chicken snake 

[Don_P]

I've had them strip the insulation off of Romex as well, that caused a quick run to the panel to kill the power and then a rewire job  .

[Redoverfarm]

I had mice chew through a piece that was a supply line to an outside furnace several years ago.   

[Windpower]

OK ...

Several burns later (healing nicely thank you ) It is approaching done

--I am learning a lot 

a 7/8 step drill bit works like a charm for de-burring the inside of the 1/2 and 3/4 tube

the close fit tube cutters that look like a donut  with a slot cut out work very well and are indispensable

buy some 'plumber's gloves' (saves on band-aids)

forget hole saws on OSB -- use Irwin 'speed bore' and avoid nails (or buy multiple bits)

don't buy the red wire brushes that fit into a drill for cleaning the tube -- they break

Kudos to Menards

2 weeks after my major purchase of tube, copper  tube went on major sale --- they gave me the difference in store credit 

 

[Don_P]

Off topic  but on the subject of tubing cutters. One of the guys at the farmers market was asking me a couple of weeks ago if I knew of a good way of stripping wire for recycling, like me he has several hundred feet  that has accumulated from replacing old work on jobs. I said a utility knife and long evenings was all I knew. He showed me what he came up with today. A piece of 1/4" copper tubing with a lengthwise slot in it that the cutting wheel on a regular tubing cutter can drop into when it is sitting 90 degrees to the normal pipe cutting direction. He bored a hole thru the C frame of the tubing cutter the 1/4" tube goes thru. By adjusting the height of the cutting wheel, when wire is fed thru it rolls along and cleanly cuts the insulation off leaving clean wire for recycling  .

[Jimbo Ricketts]

OK ...

Several burns later (healing nicely thank you ) It is approaching done

--I am learning a lot 

a 7/8 step drill bit works like a charm for de-burring the inside of the 1/2 and 3/4 tube

the close fit tube cutters that look like a donut  with a slot cut out work very well and are indispensable

buy some 'plumber's gloves' (saves on band-aids)

forget hole saws on OSB -- use Irwin 'speed bore' and avoid nails (or buy multiple bits)

don't buy the red wire brushes that fit into a drill for cleaning the tube -- they break

Kudos to Menards

2 weeks after my major purchase of tube, copper  tube went on major sale --- they gave me the difference in store credit 

i love green hands , dont you 

[Jimbo Ricketts]

OFF TOPIC , if anyone is considering radient floor , wall ,heat you can send the prints to wirsbo , if that is the brand you are using and they will have an engineere send a detailed schematic of what and where everything should be installed as well as a material list . i think they will do it for a homeowner not 100% sure