Overcoming your fears

[The emperor has no clothes]

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[scooperhsd]

If I have to do plumbing , PEX is my favorite, followed by PVC/ CPVC, and LAST is copper.

[Hook#3287]

Plastic plumbing has been in use for decades, I believe it started with the RV industry.

It's super easy to work with once you get the right tools.

But I've always wondered about carcinogen transfer.

Especially with water sitting due to non use for long periods.

I think the jury will be out on that till after us old farts are dust.

[Rio Wil]

I think PEX A is amazing stuff. There is a drill like tool that is inserted into the end of the tube and it enlarges it to slip over the fitting. The stuff shrinks down of its own accord in seconds to a water tight seal with no metal ring needed...easy peasy.......

[Ramie]

I ran into it when doing work for my daughter.  As long as you have the right tools it's a breeze.

[scooperhsd]

PEX has been used across the pond for infloor heating (with hot water) for over 50 years. 20-25 years ago, in our NC house, me and my FIL replaced 95% of the polybutulene plumbing (known to leak in the fixtures with pinhole leaks) with PEX. I did my job like you would do with copper - 3/4 inch main lines, 1/2 inch to fixtures. My sister's rental house has the manifold system - That would be even better if your house floorplan would work with it.

[Patrick]

Early Pex was a royal PITA. The pipes was OK, it was the fittings that were failing. We put in a ton of that stuff and cost a fortune to fix it. The new stuff and fittings are OK.  But, I'm still a CPVC guy. I don't mind having to sweat a few fittings though.