Your plumbing is one of the most important systems in your home. On top of a good plumbing plan to be installed by skilled plumbers, your home needs to be built with good plumbing materials as well. In recent years, the development of PEX has introduced a whole new set of decisions into the process of plumbing a home as homeowners and contractors like Benjamin Franklin Plumbing must choose between PEX and the traditional copper. Let’s look at how PEX stacks up against copper pipe.
So What is PEX?
PEX is composed of polyethylene (that’s where we get the PE) that has been cross-linked (abbreviated X). Simply put, it’s a form of plastic that has been put through a process similar to vulcanization to improve its durability.
PEX handles like regular plastic tubing. It is flexible, easy to cut, and lightweight. The cross-linking process improves its durability and tensile strength as well. It can also be produced in various colors, allowing plumbers to use red for hot and blue for cold. All these properties make it a good option for plumbing.
Comparing PEX and Copper
Now that we know a little about how PEX is made and how it can be used, we can make a comparison with standard copper pipe.
Cost
The dollars and cents of a project are always a major factor. You should view any such expense as an investment, then make a decision about which choice of investments will provide the best return for your family. Some of the factors that play into that return are things like resale value, convenience, and maintenance.
In terms of the initial outlay, PEX is much cheaper. You can expect to pay half as much or even less for PEX lines than for copper. Obviously, this isn’t even close, but make sure that you think about these other factors before making your choice because they could be enough to tip the scales against the cheaper purchase price.
Weather Tolerance
As water freezes, it expands. If the pipe where it is contained cannot tolerate that expansion, the pipe will burst. This leaves a messy, inconvenient, destructive, and expensive problem for you to repair. Because PEX is a flexible material, it can expand and contract. Copper cannot.
This is one area where PEX really stands apart. Although we realize there is far less chance of freezing pipes in Florida than in other parts of the country, it is still a possibility. In addition, homeowners in warm climates often fail to prepare properly for intense cold, and they may not even be at home when the bad weather hits.
Installation
If you’ve ever looked at the copper plumbing inside a home, you know that it’s something of a maze. You can’t really tell anything about where a pipe comes from, where it’s going, or what’s in it without spending some time tracing it. That process is always slow, and when there’s a leak or some other problem, there’s no time for it.
On the other hand, PEX lines are available in red, white, and blue, as well as in other colors for certain specialized applications. Your plumber will use red for hot water and blue for cold water, with white available for other purposes. The plumbing will also be connected to a distribution box that allows you to shut off various systems in the home without having to turn off all the water.
Copper pipe is rigid and must be cut to length and soldered into various elbows and other fittings to reach its intended destination. PEX can be directed throughout the house with considerably more ease thanks to its flexible nature.
Ease of Upkeep
Copper pipes are made of tougher material, so sometimes they are the best option in locations like storage areas or utility rooms where people or items may come into contact with them. There is also some chance that industrious rodents may chew through PEX pipe, making copper a better choice in some crawlspace applications.
However, leak repairs are considerably easier with PEX. If a copper line springs a leak inside your wall, the only option is to cut into the wall and make the repair. In the same situation, a PEX line can usually be disconnected on each side of the leak and a new line threaded into place inside the wall with no damage to the sheetrock, paneling, or other wall covering.
Life Span
Copper is the clear winner in this area. You can expect at least 50 years of life from copper pipes, with about 20 years less for PEX. Of course, both scenarios are very long, and because PEX is so much easier and cheaper to install, the other advantages may overshadow lifespan and still keep PEX in first place.
An important consideration is the composition of the water in your home. If you have abnormally high chlorine levels in your water, PEX may slowly degrade and eventually start to leak. Copper will perform much better in this scenario. On the other hand, if you have higher acid content in your water, copper will start to corrode and could begin to develop leaks after several years. If you’re unsure about the chemistry of your water, it would be a good idea to try to find out more before you commit to a material.
The Final Analysis
As with any major decision for your home, choosing between PEX and copper pipe is something that you should only do after thoroughly researching the topic and consulting with professionals in the field. This guide should have the first step covered, so now it’s up to you to work with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing to settle the decision. With their expert guidance, you’ll be able to analyze your family’s needs, your budget, and your special circumstances to make a decision about which material will provide you with the best performance for your home.