PEX info needed

My daughter needs to have her house re plumbed due to many leaks in her copper lines. I told her that PEX is whats being used now, but I know little of it, other than I would have brass fittings used. I know so little of it that I can't even ask a sensible question. Can anyone offer some information that I can pass on?

I did my whole house in a couple days with PEX and have been very happy with the results. Didn’t have a single leak in any connection.


The first thing is what connection method will you use, and then getting the proper tool to do the connections. I like the stainless steel rings that crimp on. One tool does all sizes. You will need a crimping tool and a tube cutter.


I started at the meter and went to a T with .75”. One side to water heater and on to a hot manifold the other to a cold manifold. I will add a photo. They sell ready made manifolds but I made my own using two copper manifolds and a bunch of ball valves. I ran .5” to everything on the first floor thru the basement and up thru the floor, as what they call a homerun. Each thing has its own line from the manifold. To the second floor I didn’t want a bunch of lines so I ran .75” up thru a wall and branched out in the bathroom using .5”.


I ran all white, but they do make red and blue for hot and cold. I just put a wrap of red tape near the ends of the hot runs and didn’t have to buy rolls of each that way.


Run it almost like wires and they sell nail on clamps to hold it. They make every kind of fitting you can think of with the barb end for the PEX. They also sell Shark Bite fittings that just slip together. They are expensive so I used them sparingly where I wanted to easily remove a line some day. Like at the water heater. Shark Bite fittings can be used to go between your copper and PEX also.


It is hard to make a sharp bend 90 without kinking the PEX. They have a piece that allows you to turn a corner and hold the PEX. Shown in photo. Doing the homerun method and using these pieces for corners I don’t have any connectors hidden to worry about.


If you do the job ask as you go with any questions.


The only negative I have heard about it is some people say rodents like to chew it. we get a mouse from time to time but I haven’t seen them go after the PEX.

And it's hard to give an answer a question not asked
It's faster to install, far less expensive than copper, if need be you could run it 100 ft. without a single fitting.
It's not some new thing, it's been around for many years.

Normally a rodent will not go after PEX unless you use the poison with warfarin, which dries them out, and they will kill themselves trying to reach water. Many plumbers will tell you not to use poison bait with PEX installation.

This may be a dumb question but how due the rodents know there is water in the pex lines?

Temperature.

They can smell it, and hear it when the water is flowing.

If she’s got the room tell he to make sure to hang onto the old copper. And fittings.
They may come In Handy some day. Otherwise she can sell it on Facebook or Craig’s list. Don’t just give it away is all. I’m sure the plumber would be more than happy to .....take it off her hands for free.

If copper was being eroded by the water it may be a better option to use the plastic fittings. I don't know you're situation but with aggressive water you mite change the material used.

We used 1" white PEX to run a new water line from the meter ( in the alley ) to up under the house . I used the brass PEX barbs and the crimp process that uses the copper ( dark color ) copper rings .

I now have the tooling to crimp from 1: to 1/2" ( or maybe 3/8" ? ) Made 2 crimps with it .

This was 1-1/2 years ago . So far , so good .

The ditch was way the hardest & most expensive part of the project . Rented a mini excavator to cut the ditch & again to cover it up .

Best of luck ,
Wyr
God bless