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PEX

PEX Tubing Used For Radiant Floor Heating

For both the cold water and hot water plumbing, PEX tubing is perfect. They can be used for cleaning purposes also as it comes in coils. PEX tubing is popular for its strength, temperature resistant and chemical resistant properties. With minimum fitting and tools, tubing can be installed. The brand we select is also important, as some reputed companies will not compromise on quality. We can find some reviews and specifications for the PEX tubing on the internet before purchasing them. The quality and the cost should be effective to decide the brand from where we purchase the tubes. The PEX can be used for under floor and radiant floor heating systems.

To keep a perfect room temperature in cold countries these PEX will be perfect. Inhabitants of the house can enjoy sitting on the floor even in cold seasons. These heating effects can be got in the living room, room, kitchen and bathroom. The house is cozy even in chilling winters. In radiant floor, heating the whole room will become warm slowly to make the people in the house warm and cozy. These heating systems of the PEX tubing can be used for offices also. They are temperature resistant, chemical resistant and non-corrosive. These features of the PEX have made it quite popular.

The plumber will have lesser work when compared to traditional tube plumbing. The fixtures and the fittings are lesser. The old metal pipes used for radiating the floor will prove fatigue and costlier for repairing. AS PEX tubing is temperature and chemical friendly, they will not create any leakage or corrosion problems.

The cost of installation, capacity to carry any temperature water, non-corrosive, durable and reliable, are the main qualities of the PEX tubing. They save time and money to a higher extent than the traditional tubing systems. The companies, which manufacture the PEX tubes, should follow the standard and maintain quality. We can go online and see through the specifications and reviews to decide the brand of the PEX tubing before purchasing. The accidents of sudden cracks in the hot water pipes can be completely avoided. The PEX tubing is flexible and can be drawn to any corner of the house. The plumber need not use any special tools for fitting the tubes around the corner. We can just take the measurements of the place for getting the correct size of the tubing.

Excellent and Durable Tools from Pexuniverse.com

If you want to make crimp style fitting, perhaps you are so confuse with choosing the right tool. In Pexuniverse.com, you can choose PEX Tools which are marked with ASTM F1807. In case you would like to install radiant heating, you can use Peter Mangone Clip Gun.

Different working type needs different working tools. Let’s say you are choosing PEX cutter. You need to make easy cut without spending too much energy by using this cutter. You can choose 3/8” cutter for small jobs, but you need to use ratchet cutter for large job. Don’t worry with the price since these tools are so economical and can be used for long time. For beginners can use these tools without hassle. Since these tools are made with high quality, you don’t need to worry because they are not broken easily to face hard surface. If you would like to match these tools with other brand, you will can do it easily since these tools are compatible with any clamps from other brands like Murray, Oetiker, Zurn, watts and so on. Just make sure that these brands have stamp ASTM F2098. PEX manifolds have 2 kind of radiant system: Supply and Return type. Supply Manifold is also called Distribution Manifold. Return Manifold is called Collector Manifold. You can choose Radiant Heat Manifolds which can adjust flow parameters, monitoring the system and has timely maintenance. Big companies which are dealing with drainage use this kind of feature. For plumbing, PEX has excellent and durable Plumbing Manifold. It can reduce leak to zero and very efficient in maintenance.

PEX also has pipe system with several types: oxygen barrier, non-barrier and pex-al-pex tubing. Oxygen barrier is created for closed loop heating. Non barrier pex tubing is created for hot and cold water system. Pex-al-pex tubing is created for heating and plumbing system.

Reasons to Use The PEX Tubing

The phrase PEX is now become fairly common in the globe of plumbing and tubing. The abbreviation that denotes cross linked polyethylene. It is one of the most safe as well as long lasting substances, which have the capability to make your home an enhanced area. Despite of that, PEX home tubing is made use in a range of commercial as well as official places too. This substance or material is resistant to chlorine as well. That precise feature makes water enough potable to drink. In view of that, many people make use of the exceptional PEX water line in Europe and United States.

At present, tube makers are making use of the precise PEX than the further tube manufacturing materials, like copper, iron, plastic and lead. This type of plumbing tubing takes place while high density polyethylene polymer is used to manufacture the tubes stronger as well as long lasting. Its helpfulness is even more than the copper or iron tubes. Furthermore, this effectiveness what makes this kind of tubing trendier is its flexibility as well as safety and features. One of the most important parts its resistant power. Moreover, it is resistant for scaling also. Hence, a large number of people use this type of tubing for supplying water. There is no doubt about its water purification.

The exact tubes come in a range of sizes and shapes. Nevertheless, CTS-OD is the most usual among those. If you wish to make the tubes look colorful as well as bright, then you might have a good number of selections. Usually, a lot of people make use of red as well as blue colored pipes to recognize the hot as well as cold system of water. You may perhaps see this type of radiant floor tubing in those nations where temperature remains lower than zero usually. In addition, it is so sturdy that it may also be used in those nations where the temperature even raises up to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit in maximum time.

Such flexibility can be achieved through the easy expansion as well as contraction of the molecules. It makes these tubes chemically strong. The demand precise plumbing pipe is growing rapidly because of its friendly environment feature. In addition, this kind of outstanding tubing also decreases the number of fittings, which needs to do in a residential usage for making a line of water supply. Incontestably, the entire procedure saves large quantity of energy. Mainly, two advantages of the less fitting pipe line are there. Firstly, it saves your money to being wasted, and secondly the water takes smallest time to reach to destination from the source. For that reason, it is quite good to have the PEX lines in your home.

PEX FAQ

PVC pipes for saving money, or PEX piping for quality?

To avoid wasting some money, most people will go for a PVC pipe instead of a PEX pipe. Beside the economic benefit, the PVC conduit also holds a down side. Virtually, these types of pipes are only able to be taken for cold drinking water. In very hot water, the water line can last approximately 3 years and after that cracks. The PEX pipe however, will be able to persist for through 40 years to hot water and high pressures, so it’s a lot better investment when compared to the PVC pipe. The PEX pipe is therefore cost efficient in balancing to the PVC pipe, despite that in the actual charges a new PEX pipe is pricier.

Typically PEX plumbing pipe system must have almost no changes and replacing at some point. Therefore, the PEX piping products are mainly favored not mainly for water installations around the house, also for the home heating systems. In the open air, the PEX piping systems can be utilized limited to smaller piping. The PVC tube is out of the question in these situations, because sort of water pipe is unable to deal with cold or high temperature out in outside. Yet, the PVC tubing may last nearly as much as a good PEX piping tube if saved in fine environments without domestic hot water runs by it.

In regards to installing rates, the PEX plumbing pipe set up is virtually as expensive as the PVC. Usually, both varieties of installations demand less hard work when compared to the iron installs, therefore the professional may perhaps demand less.

Both of those items can be without difficulty found online or on real suppliers, for equivalent prices. Typically the PVC is just a couple of money more inexpensive as opposed to the PEX tubing, and so the actual price cannot be viewed as except getting substantial portions. Then again, fixtures important for PEX as well the various tools and appliances important to mount the replacements are noticeable more costly as compared with PVC varieties.

PEX x male threaded elbows to bend a pipe line by 90 degrees

Many fittings are required to install any kind of water pipe line for a home or any of the official establishments. An elbow is a device used to change direction of a water or electrical pipeline.  It is a device or an interface which connects two sections of a system so that the function of the system remains effective even when it has to change the direction.  In case of the water pipe line device, they connect two pipes of different diameters to continue the flow of water freely.   The pipe line which has a larger diameter coming from one direction is turned and the pipe connected at the other end can be of the same size or of a lesser diameter. The use of elbow is common in the layout of the water pipe lines.

They are made of brass and are compatible with PEX pipes.  So they are called the PEX x male threaded elbows. The pipes are fitted by using the threads cut on the elbow. It is the traditional style of attaching the pipes to a connector. In a male elbow the threaded part is male in character where the threads are cut on the outer side of the elbow. The PEX pipe has to be fit in such that the brass fitting is on the inside of the pipe. Very little of the brass portion of the elbow can be seen in this kind of fitting. The pipes connected from both sides cover up the elbow to a large extent.

The different sizes available are 1/2 “PEX which can accommodate 1/2 “male threaded elbow. It means the pipes fitted to the elbow on both the ends are of the same size. The other commonly used size is the1 /2 “PEX with 3/ 4” male threaded elbow. In this case there is a difference of the size of the pipes. The other two sizes are 3/ 4 X 3/ 4 and 3 /4 X 1. As a precautionary measure it is advisable to fit the elbow threaded part of the PEX fitting first.

PEX Piping: Fittings and Tools

Using PEX Piping is the best alternative above copper tubing or piping because of many unbeatable advantages offered by it. It is a polyethylene that is cross linked and undergoes various processes to make it compatible against various extreme conditions. These extreme conditions may include extreme temperature, freeze and heat that may affect the performance of tubing adversely. The long period exposure leads to stress and different chemical attacks like alkalies and acids. PEX is an outstanding offering as it offers high end performance and flexibility ensuring high quality performance.

PEX Piping is also liked by plumbers because it is easy to install as it has less joints thus is resistant to damages and breakages. This is also cost effective as one need not to buy additional joints to install it properly. This type of piping is mainly used in heating systems being able to withstand against extreme environmental conditions. In industries where long run tubing is required PEX plays an important role because no intermediaries are required because this is highly flexible. The contraction, expansion, shearing, mechanical abrasion and stretching does not affect on PEX Piping thus adds to its reliability and durability.

PEX Piping is developed after various researches and testing to ensure proper functioning and compatibility. This is recommended be various manufacturers to use this piping in interior and underground use because exposure to sunlight that too direct, may adversely affect pipes. The installation does not require additional fixtures and elbow fittings and health hazards are also eliminated. This also helps in conserving energy because the heat cannot be transferred as voluntarily as through copper pipes. Water flows really smoothly from these pipes as it is featured with “water hammer” thus reduces extreme noise. This is less costly than copper pipe and less time is required to install fittings with minimum chances of callbacks.

Frequently asked questions about PEX Tools

PEX has been gaining popularity with plumbers and home-plumbers alike in recent years. There are a number of questions that many old-school plumbers might have regarding the material, PEX tools, and all of the new techniques that are used when working with PEX materials. First of all, PEX requires a lot less work than that of your traditional copper or other form of metal pipe. This is because PEX does not require a flame or any sort of soldering equipment to make connections and place fittings between two separate stretches of pipe. PEX is also flexible, so many less connections need to be made throughout typical system. This creates a number of advantages and will ultimately lead to faster completion of work.

Frequently asked Questions Relating to PEX tools;

Question: What Type of Tools are Used for Crimp Fittings?

There are a number of different types of tools that can be used in conjunction with crimp fittings. The main tool that you will  use with be a cinch toolt hat is used to crimp the crimp ring down around the pipe and the fitting, creating a water-tight seal that will be leak free.

Question: Do I need soldering equipment when working with PEX?

No, you do not require soldering equipment when working with PEX. The only types of connections that are used are either threaded connection or PEX crimp connections, and neither type requires soldering or flame of any kind.

Question: Are PEX cutters necessary?

Many individuals find that they are able to get away without using PEX cutters and still are able to easily put their systems together. However, keep in mind that when you are putting together a system you should be trying to create the most even cut that you can. This may not make other tools that best choice and could potentially lead to problems and leaks further down the road.

Question: Do I need a PEX tool kit to put together a system?

No, it is not required that you have a full PEX Tool kit when you are putting together a PEX system. Most of these kits will include many PEX tools that you will only need one or two times and are not completely necessary. It may be in your best interest, particularly if you are doing it yourself in your own home for you to only identify the tools that you will require for your project and then purchase those. This could potentially save you quite a bit of money in the long run.

Battle: PEX vs Copper

The battle is on between PEX tubing (or plumbing if you like) and Copper tubing. Most people have already been swayed to the PEX corner by cheaper and easier installation as well as effectiveness even in acidic conditions. This round is for the few skeptics who may still remain.

With PEX plumbing, do not have to worry about vandals who like digging up cables and tubing. It may seem like a laughable problem now but it would not be so funny, when compelled to go without water, for weeks after sections of your plumbing disappear overnight. Though this problem is more common with copper tubing, metals in general are never quite safe unlike PEX which is of no value.

As environmental temperatures change, so do those of water varying from normal room temperature to extremely hot or extremely cold. Copper tubing is not exceeding accommodative of these changes. The pipes tend to weaken due to the constantly changing temperatures and can even end up bursting. PEX tubing, on the other hand, comfortably expands and contracts in line with temperatures making it a better suited option.

For any environmentalists who may be crying foul over the fact that PEX tubing is essentially made of plastic, the fantastic news is that PEX tubing can be recycled in not just one but three ways-thermally, chemically and mechanically. Take your pick; stick to PEX tubing and save planet Earth.

With durability that can span at least 50 years, PEX piping is less likely to spring a leak than Copper piping. However, as the plumbing eventually wears down over time, some sections may need to be replaced. In the case of Copper tubing, the plumbing may have to be treated chemically to ensure that there is no residue left from soldering the (numerous) joints. Replacing PEX tubing is as easy as installing it-fewer connections = less joints = less soldering = you happy.

Sadly PEX tubing is not infallible. One of the greatest drawbacks is that it has to be kept away from direct sunlight due to its plastic nature and can therefore, not be used outside. All things said and done it are rather obvious, that the pros outweigh the cons by far. It shouldn’t be too presumptuous then to declare PEX piping / plumbing the outright winner of Round 2 and this fight in general. Wasn’t much a fight, was it?

PEX plumbing installation

One of the biggest advantages of PEX tubing or plumbing over brass piping is how easy it is to install and maintain. Nevertheless, there are certain things that every homeowner needs to know and remember even as when re-plumbing your piping and switch to PEX from brass.

Brass pipes have thinner walls than PEX pipes which results in decreased water pressure, since the water has a larger area to flow through. With this in mind, it is usually a brilliant idea to replace brass pipes with PEX tubing that is one size larger, for example, use 1/2” PEX tubing for ¼” brass tubing.

Some of the tools that are likely to be needed include PEX crimp fittings, full-circle PEX crimping tool, shut off valves, flexible tubing cutter, PEX supply pipe and transition fittings. Do not cut corners when it comes to using the right tools. Cheap or inappropriate tools will result in poor connections and, an ineffective piping system that will ultimately cost more to fix than what would have been used originally with the right equipment.

PEX tubing makes use of crimp-ring or compression system. This ensures that the connections are sealed tightly and drastically reduces the chances of future leakages. The crimp-ring should ideally be placed 1/8” to ¼” from the end of the pipe. Use of measurements that are not within this range is likely to result in a weak connection that will ultimately end up leaking. Hose clamps should not be used in place of crimp-rings.

The crimping tool must be used at a 90 degree angle otherwise the ribs will not be fully covered, and the piping will get dents in it.

Ensure that the pinch or crease PEX tubing is not folded while handling them. Also, take care not to walk on it.

Welding PEX pipes does not usually require dire precautionary measures other than the usual care that needs to be taken with the equipment used. The process hardly has any significant, unpleasant side effects since it is normally not noisy and produces little dirt. Soldering usually takes up around 220V.

All the joint work must be given a second look before the plumbing can be declared done. Each tube ending should have an appropriate crimp. The crimp-ring will be bent out of shape and will not give a consistent crimp if it was not covered well by the crimping tool. Some of the fitting ribs may also be left exposed if the tubing is not properly cut.

Happy plumbing (with PEX, of course)!

California approves PEX for plumbing — again

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — The California Building Standards Commission has given its approval for the use of PEX tubing in potable water systems in the state following its review of a Second Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report (SRDEIR). PEX had been approved in the California Plumbing Code until a group called the Coalition for Safe Building Materials sued the Building Standards Commission.

Opponents of plastic pipe were the chief backers of the Coalition for Safe Building Materials, said Dick Church, executive director of the Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association.

PEX became part of the California Plumbing Code in August 2009, following the CBSC’s January 2009 certification of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on PEX and the commission’s ensuing unanimous adoption of regulations approving PEX water distribution systems. This summer, however, the CBSC was compelled to repeal the inclusion of PEX in the state code, effective July 1, 2010, to comply with a court order.

The Commission’s action allows the statewide use of PEX in hospitals, clinics, schools, residences and commercial structures. The effective date of the action is August 18, 2010, for the 2007 California Plumbing Code and January 1, 2011, for the 2010 CPC.

Prior to the inclusion of PEX in the California Plumbing Code a year ago, 180 municipalities and counties within the state had already approved the use of PEX tubing as an alternate material to copper and other materials used for plumbing piping. During the time when PEX was temporarily removed from the plumbing code, those jurisdictions could continue to use PEX under those same alternate-materials provisions of California law.

“We estimated that half of the new houses in California had PEX in them based on local approvals,” Church told CONTRACTOR, noting that was the case before the recession when houses were still being built in California.

The CBSC reinstated PEX with the caveats that underground PEX must be sleeved, the material had to stand up to recirculating hot water, the fittings won’t de-zincify, and PEX systems had to be filled and flushed.

“We’re very pleased with the action of the California Building Standards Commission,” said Adina Barnes, strategic marketing director for PEX manufacturer Viega LLC. “This is the end of a long process and we appreciate the effort of all involved in getting to this result.”

“We are committed to giving Californians the right to choose the plumbing product that is best for them and their applications,” said Rich Houle, associate product manager, Uponor Commercial Plumbing. “Regardless of individual preferences, we fully support everyone’s right to use the plumbing material of their choice if that material meets the highest testing and listing standards required, and PEX does.”

According to Houle, “Given its many years of successful and proven performance in plumbing systems worldwide, Uponor PEX meets all the relevant criteria, and Californians deserve the same choice in systems that is currently enjoyed by builders and installers in all 49 other states.”

The resolution is the result of an agreement with the State of California, PPFA and other representatives of industry, and the California Pipe Trades Council, Church said. He believes this terminates the dispute although the Pipe Trades Council could technically ask the court to first discharge the writ of mandamus against the Building Standard Commission.

The CBSC issued five rules for PEX when it reinstated the material. Those rules are:

When PEX tubing is placed in soil and is used in potable water systems intended to supply drinking water to fixtures or appliances, the tubing or piping shall be sleeved with a material approved for potable water use in soil or other material that is impermeable to solvents or petroleum products.

PEX installed in any recirculating hot water system must meet or exceed the ASTM F876-08 performance requirements for PEX tubing product life in a continuously recirculating hot water system.

PEX brass fittings must meet or exceed the NSF 14-2009 requirements to prevent dezincification and stress crack corrosion.

All installations of PEX tubing where it is the initial plumbing piping installed in new construction shall be flushed twice over a period of at least one week. The pipe system shall be first flushed for at least 10 minutes and then filled and allowed to stand for no less than one week, after which all the branches of the pipe system must be flushed long enough to fully empty the contained volume. This provision shall not apply to the installation of PEX tubing where it replaces an existing pipe system of any material.

At the time of fill, each fixture shall have a removable tag applied stating:

“This new plumbing system was first filled and flushed on ______ (date) by ___________ (name). The State of California requires that the system be flushed after standing at least one week after the fill date specified above. If this system is used earlier than one week after the fill date, the water must be allowed to run for at least two minutes prior to use for human consumption. This tag may not be removed prior to the completion of the required second flushing, except by the building owner or occupant.”

Prior to issuing a building permit to install PEX tubing, the building official shall require as part of the permitting process that the contractor, or the appropriate plumbing subcontractors, provide written certification that he or she will comply with the flushing procedures set forth in the Code.

The building official shall not give final permit approval of any PEX plumbing installation unless he or she finds that the material has been installed in compliance with the requirements of the Code, including the requirements to flush and tag the systems. Any contractor or subcontractor found to have failed to comply with the PEX flushing requirements shall be subject to the penalties in Health and Safety Code, Division 13, Part 1.5, Chapter 6 (Section 17995, et seq.).

All PEX tubing installed in California must provide at least 30-day UV protection.

California Building Standards Commission

Source: http://contractormag.com/news/california-pex-plumbing-1234/

If Copper Pipes Are Too Costly …

By JAY ROMANO

THE price of copper has nearly quadrupled over the last four years, and plumbers and do-it-yourselfers are taking a fresh look at alternatives to copper tubing and fittings. And what some are turning to is a flexible synthetic material called PEX.

Illustration by Tom Bloom

Andy Engel, a home improvement contractor in Roxbury, Conn., said that PEX is a “clumsy acronym’’ for cross-linked polyethylene, a flexible plastic tubing that has been used primarily for radiant heating since the 1960’s.

In recent years, the use of PEX for potable water — the piping that delivers drinking water to home faucets — has increased by about 40 percent each year.

Copper still accounts for about 80 percent of the market for plumbing systems; other metals and plastics accounting for the remainder. But the recent increases in copper prices, along with growing confidence in PEX, is making it more popular.

“The scuttlebutt among plumbers is that PEX is every bit as reliable as copper, yet costs less and is faster to install.’’ Mr. Engel wrote in the June/July issue of Fine Homebuilding magazine.

While copper plumbing has proved to be quite reliable over the last 75 years or so, it does require some skill when using a torch to solder the fittings used to connect two pieces of copper. And because the copper tubing used in most plumbing applications is rigid, soldered joints are necessary whenever the tubing changes direction.

But with PEX, installation is easier.

“You don’t need a torch,” Mr. Engel said, because PEX connections are made using compression fittings that can be installed with an adjustable wrench or, in some cases, with crimped connections made with a special crimping tool.

And while PEX fittings are typically more expensive than copper fittings, you generally need fewer fittings with PEX.

Greg Lowitz, the president of Builders Websource, a Redwood City, Calif., company that provides advice and resources to the construction industry, said that because PEX is flexible, it can change direction with no need of fittings. It is relatively easy to install a supply line directly from the water source to an appliance using just one connection at each end.

Mr. Lowitz said that the best way to install PEX is to use a manifold, a distribution fixture similar to the circuit-breaker panel. The manifold connects to the main water supply and the main hot water line and then supplies individual runs of tubing to various appliances and fixtures.

The manifold eliminates the “branch line’’ system of conventional plumbing in which the lines to individual fixtures branch off a larger supply line. The manifold system makes it possible to shut off individual supply lines and to add new lines without having to tap into existing lines, Mr. Lowitz said, and it can even save energy by routing hot water directly from the manifold to the fixture.

Mr. Engel, the contractor, said that it is also possible to connect individual PEX lines to an existing copper system by using a fitting that accepts a copper pipe on one end and a PEX line at the other.

And while some PEX manufacturers will sell only to licensed plumbers, he said, do-it-yourselfers can find PEX tubing and fittings at large home-improvement centers and on the Internet.

“PEX is definitely a do-it-yourself option,’’ Mr. Engel said. “If you can make a straight cut and tighten up a nut, you can work with PEX.’’

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/realestate/03home.html

Marking of plastic pipes

Marking of plastic pipes is regulated by international standard ISO / TC SC4 № 651. Meanwhile, on the specific product you are likely to see the information that you wanted to specify the manufacturer and which only partly corresponds to the list of ISO.

The first thing that must be indicated on the tube – the standard to which it corresponds. Frequent marking ISO 9001 (product is certified in accordance with the international standard) and DVGW K178 (symbol admissibility transportation of drinking water under the rules of Germany’s association Deutscherverem des Gaz und Wasserfaches).

One commonly accepted set of symbols of the material, neither Canada nor in the world does not exist. Here are the most common options:

PE – PE (in the international writing PE):

HDPE, HDPE (HDPE) – low-pressure polyethylene, or high density

HDPE, LDPE (LDPE) – High-pressure polyethylene, or low density;

PP – polypropylene (PP):

PP-h, type 1 PP – homopolymer, or pure polypropylene

PP-b, PPB, PP type 2 – a block copolymer,

PP-r, PPRC, PP type 3 – a statistical copolymer (random copolymer);

polyvinyl chloride – PVC (PVC):

CPVC (CPVC) – chlorinated PVC

UPVC – not plasticized PVC;

crosslinked polyethylene – EIT (PEX, PE-X):

PEX-a – obtained a peroxide crosslinking,

PEX-b – cross-linked with gas silane,

PEX-a – crosslinked radiation method

PEX-d – cross-linked with nitrogen compounds;

polibuten, or polybutylene – PB (PB);

metal-pipe – MP (MP), PEX-AI-PEX, PP-AI-PP, PE-AI-PE (depending on the composition of the layers).


pex