PEX MANIFOLD SYSTEM CRACK

PEX-B also features an increased resistance to chlorine, making it a good choice in areas where water is highly chlorinated. The coil memory, however, is not a hurdle to installation, and PEX-B is often the tubing of choice for residential plumbing because it also expands to resist cracking when water freezes but is less expensive than PEX-A: A 10-foot section of PEX-B runs $2.50 to $5.50, depending on brand and diameter. PEX-B is slightly stiffer than PEX-A, and has a distinct coil “memory” that makes the tubing want to return to its original coiled state.

PEX-B is manufactured using a moisture-cure method.

Other than flexibility, PEX-A has no significant benefit over PEX-B. A 10-foot piece of PEX-A runs $3.50 to $7.50, depending on brand and diameter.

It’s easy to work with but it’s more expensive than B or C. It expands to the greatest degree when subjected to freezing water, so it’s the most resistant to cracking in frigid temperatures. This type of PEX is the most flexible of the three types and is suitable for use in all home water-supply plumbing needs.

Choose the tubing best suited to your needs: When shopping for PEX, you may notice rolls labeled with either an A, B, or C designation. The different types of PEX are distinguished by the manufacturing process used to make the tubing.

Though installation is DIY-friendly, working with PEX requires special connectors and tools.

With the popularity of PEX rising, however, the demand for a way to recycle it will also likely rise.

PEX cannot currently be recycled, because it does not melt as other recyclable plastics do.

PEX MANIFOLD SYSTEM CRACK

Ultraviolet rays cause PEX to break down quickly-tubing left outdoors can harden and crack within a couple of months.

PEX can be connected to existing metal supply lines with the correct fittings.

Color-coding (red and blue) make it simple to distinguish hot and cold supply lines.

Water flows silently through PEX, eliminating the “water hammer” noise associated with metal piping.

PEX does not corrode, which can happen with both copper and steel pipes, leading to leaks and contamination of the water supply.

PEX expands, making it more resistant to freeze-cracking than either copper or steel.

Installing PEX does not require soldering as does copper and galvanized steel.

Photo: Benefits and Drawbacksīeyond flexibility, PEX has other advantages-and two main considerations. PEX pipe remains popular for radiant floor heating. The new plastic, fashioned into flexible PEX pipe (also known as PEX tubing), arrived in the US in the 1980s, initially for radiant floor heating systems: The flexible tubing is embedded in a concrete slab and hot water pumped through to heat the slab and radiate heat to rest of the room. In 1968, German scientist Thomas Engle discovered a way to crosslink common plastic (polyethylene) through radiation to produce a much suppler form of the material. 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. 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. 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.

Pex manifold system