Are PEX Pipes BPA Free? Yes, HDPE, the plastic used to make PEX pipes, is free of bisphenol including bisphenol A (BPA), and substitutes like BPS. (Source)
Are there hidden dangers with PEX plumbing?
While PEX comes with convincing reasons for choosing it over copper, it also comes with a hidden downside—rodents seem to find the plastic-based tubing irresistible. Keep reading to find out why this is a problem and what you should do to prevent damage to a PEX water-supply system.
Is PEX good for plumbing?
There are a few reasons why we think that PEX plumbing systems deliver superior performance over more traditional plumbing materials like copper. For one thing, PEX is cheaper than copper by about 60 percent. PEX plumbing systems are also faster to install, won’t corrode, and are less affected by acidic fluids. 2.
What do you need to know about PEX piping?
- PEX is not suitable for outdoor use. Ultraviolet rays cause PEX to break down quickly—tubing left outdoors can harden and crack within a couple of months.
- PEX cannot currently be recycled, because it does not melt as other recyclable plastics do. ...
- Though installation is DIY-friendly, working with PEX requires special connectors and tools.
Is PEX plastic tubing better than copper?
Plastic PEX fittings are OK. I f you’re concerned about using plastic fittings instead of metal for PEX, worry no more. Professional plumbers are buying three times more plastic than brass. Brass fittings cost about five times as much, which likely has something to do with it. And pros don’t want a callback to fix their own work on their dime.
Does PEX piping have BPA?
The use of BPA in plastics has come under fire for its adverse health affects and although PEX does not contain BPA it contains a number of other chemicals.
Is PEX piping toxic?
Due to its chemical composition, the PEX pipe material may leach toxic chemicals including bisphenol (BPA), MTBE, tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA), and others.
Is PEX plastic safe for drinking water?
There are no health risks associated with drinking water from PEX pipes. A few types of PEX-pipe may cause prolonged undesirable taste and odour if the water remains in pipes over time.
Does PEX leach chemicals into drinking water?
One of the most recent studies, conducted in 2021, tested water from eight different types of PEX pipe brands. They found that 62 chemicals leached into the water, with half of those organic compounds leached considered toxicological but not carcinogenic.
When should you not use PEX pipe?
PEX plumbing is fine inside the walls of a home, no matter the temperatures as it can be covered with insulation. However, one of the disadvantages of PEX plumbing is it cannot be used outdoors in cold climates as there is no way to cover them and protect them from freezing temperatures.
Where should you not use PEX?
PEX can't be installed in high heat areas. You can't install PEX in high heat areas like near recessed lighting. This also means you can't connect PEX directly to a hot water heater, but you can use a connecting material to do this.
Is PEX safe for drinking water 2021?
This provides confirmation the pipe does not leach harmful substances into drinking water and is safe for potable systems in healthcare facilities. From an installer standpoint, PEX provides installation efficiencies as well as safety on the job site.
Is PEX safer than PVC?
For example, CPVC is immune to damage from highly chlorinated domestic water and PVC has been around longer, so it is well-tested for drinkability. PEX, on the other hand, has some issues even when approved for drinking water. This is because PEX plumbing may leach contaminants into the water supply.
What is wrong with PEX plumbing?
PEX piping has a maximum bend radius, which can lead to stress on the pipe caused by improper installation. In addition, extreme bends and kinks place a very high local stress on the wall of the pipe, making it more susceptible to oxidative degradation.
Is PEX safer than copper?
Copper Pipe Lifespan. PEX pipe is not only cheaper than copper but more durable too. PEX is immune to corrosion and mineral build-up, and it's not affected by electrolysis, which can cause small pinhole leaks in copper piping. Copper pipes can last anywhere from six months to the life of a building.
What are the safest water pipes?
Copper pipes with lead-free joint materials are the best choice for water pipes. They are long-lasting and won't leach chemicals into your drinking water.
Is PEX healthier than copper?
The chemical leaching in PEX will go down over time while copper will continue to leach. Personally, many of my own health problems were caused by copper pipes so I'm not a big fan. I would choose PEX over copper every time.
What is PEX pipe?
PEX plumbing is cross-linked polyethylene, which is a type of plastic. PEX tubing or piping is used for water supply lines as well as radiant floor heating. There’s been a lot of debate over PEX for the last several years because PEX has a few downsides that you might not expect. Here are some of the PEX pipe problems you’ll want ...
Why is PEX plastic so sensitive?
PEX can be damaged by chemicals and pests. Some pest control companies argue against installing PEX because it’s so susceptible to pest damage. Since PEX is plastic, it’s more sensitive than copper and other metal pipes. Mice can chew right through the pipe, causing major problems.
Does PEX leach BPA?
PEX may leach BPA and other toxic chemicals. There are 3 types of PEX (A, B, and C), but type B is the only one that doesn’ t appear to have the leaching problem. The research is still incomplete on this matter, but if you want to use PEX, you may want to choose type B.
Can you put PEX in high heat?
The thing to keep in mind though, is this is more of a rodent problem than a PEX problem. PEX can’t be installed in high heat areas. You can’t install PEX in high heat areas like near recessed lighting.
Is PEX antibacterial?
PEX is semi-permeable, which means liquid can enter the pipe. When it comes to safety, PEX isn’t antibacterial. This is one reason people don’t choose PEX in the PEX vs. copper decision. The plastic material also allows water to enter the tube, which could cause contamination.
Is copper pipe porous?
CPVC ("C" is clorinated PVC) and can be used for hot or cold water, and although less porous than PE or PEX will allow the formation of mold, mildew, fungus, etc. Copper & galvanized pipe are not porous and will conduct enough static electricity to subdue mold & mildew.
Is PEX safe for potable water?
The research to discover this type of information would have been a light burden for the author and experts in this area are easily found. PEX is safe for potable water so long as it is rated as such. There are some PEX types that are not. They are easy to distinguish from one another.
Can you use PEX with a trunk and branch?
Robert, Although many PEX plumbing systems use the central manifold, home-run approach, it's not a requirement. It's perfectly possible to use PEX with a traditional trunk-and-branch system if that's what you prefer.
Can PEX pipes leak?
Significant leaks can occur where PEX piping is used with brass fittings with this kind of sanitation chemical. The chemical interaction produced between the PEX, brass and chloramine salts eats away at the brass with corrosion occurring, small leaks turn into big problems over a short period of time.
What is PEX pipe?
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), a type of flexible plastic, is currently replacing traditional copper and galvanized steel as water supply lines in both new construction and remodeling projects. You’ve probably seen rolls of blue and red PEX pipe in the plumbing aisle of your local home improvement store, but might not know that this colorful tubing now makes it possible for enthusiastic DIYers to replace their own leaky water lines instead of calling a pro. Read on to learn more about PEX—what it is, where it can be used, and all the pros and cons of this popular plumbing material.
What type of PEX pipe is used for hot water?
Blue PEX pipe carries cold water. White PEX pipe can be used for either hot or cold water. Gray PEX pipe, like white, can be used for either hot or cold water (although not all DIY centers carry gray).
What type of fittings are used for PEX?
Hundreds of types of fittings, usually brass, are available for connecting PEX to existing copper or steel pipes, and for making connections to fixtures. Fittings are also available for connecting pipes of different sizes. The following five methods are used for making the connections watertight. Photo: amazon.com.
What is PEX tubing?
Choose the tubing best suited to your needs: PEX-A is manufactured using peroxide. This type of PEX is the most flexible of the three types and is suitable for use in all home water-supply plumbing needs.
What color is PEX?
Water flows silently through PEX, eliminating the “water hammer” noise associated with metal piping. Color-coding (red and blue) make it simple to distinguish hot and cold supply lines. PEX can be connected to existing metal supply lines with the correct fittings.
What is the advantage of PEX pipe?
PEX has a distinct advantage over these materials because of its flexibility, which allows one end of PEX pipe to connect to a PEX manifold (the main water control system) and then wind through walls and floors—uninterrupted—all the way to an individual fixture.
How long is a PEX pipe?
PEX is available in a variety of lengths, from short 10-foot pieces (for small repairs) to rolls over 500 feet long, which are used to install a home’s entire water supply system. PEX pipe ranges from 3/8- to 1-inch in diameter and its color-coding makes it a snap to identify what a specific pipe is used for. Although there are three types of PEX (see Label Lingo, below), the different colors don’t connote the distinctions; they simply make it easy for the installer to identify which lines carry hot water and which carry cold.
What are the different types of PEX pipes?
PEX can come in one of three categories, called PEX-a, PEX-b and PEX-c.
Who sets ASTM standards?
And within the ASTM standards are yet more standards set by NSF International, an independent non-governmental public health and safety organization that creates specifications for pipes made to carry drinking water.
Is flexible tubing cheap?
Used in more than 60 percent of new construction projects in the United States — according to the Plastics Pipe Institute, the pipe industry’s major trade association — the flexible tubing is appealingly cheap and easy to install.
Did PEX smell before water went through pipes?
Those odors were not there before the water went through the pipes. Many questions about PEX remain unanswered, agrees Andrea Dietrich, an environmental engineer and water-quality expert at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.
Is PEX pipe good for the environment?
PEX pipes are environmentally friendly in many ways — but also leach compounds that concern some scientists. Photo © iStockphoto.com/LUNAMARINA. PEX is also lightweight, flexible, easy to transport and install, and built to be long lasting. Like copper, it can carry hot water without melting.
Is PEX cheaper than copper?
Price is one major draw: PEX can be a good 75 percent cheaper than copper. In one 2013 survey of plumbing supply stores in southern Alabama, copper cost US$2.55 per foot compared with 48 cents per foot of PEX. That can add up to thousands of saved dollars over the course of a house project.
