Pex - Wirsbo Aquapex

Mike Finley

Wirsbo Aquapex - good, bad, indifferent?

Pex is Pex?

Good the bad and the ugly?

gmp

I use it quite often. No problems so far. Though I am not too familar with the other brands. The tool makes it easy to progress through the job.

Ron The Plumber

Pex is Pex. all good.

Mike Finley

Isn't there a kind that you crimp and a kind you expand? Both are good?

This one you expand, the plumber showed me how it all works, he raves about it, but you know how that goes. He showed me how you could kink in and then heat it and it turns basically back to normal. Dog and pony shows for the GCs benifit I kind of take them for what they are worth.

Same Old

I just saw an installation today looking at a prospective framers work.

Looks pretty slick. I want to hate it, but then I think of how I can't understand the reluctance to go to plastic drain lines. This will be the way they do it everywhere in time.

Ron The Plumber

Yes there are the two types of systems, I use the crimp way, and the expansion way for sizes 1-1/4 and 1-1/2

woodmagman

I just read on a box of Wirsbo Aquapex that it was not for pottable water. I am not certain if that is the case for all their products. It was rated for 180F and was being used on a Munchkin boiler system.

Ishmael

Wirsbo makes both "AquaPex" for domestic water and "hePex" for heat. The hePex has some kind of additional treatment or layer of some kind that the aquapex does not, and it's considerably more expensive than the aquapex.

woodmagman

This said "Wirsbo AquaPex on the box and on the pipe". It looked the same as the domestic water line, but was 3/4" rathter then 1/2"
wait it may not have said it on the pipe???????????????

Ishmael

All my pex is sitting at the job site. I'll have to look at it tomorrow. I usually get the colored tubing for domestic water. They make aquapex in both blue and red, as well as the translucent. Cuts down on confusion on those jobs where you're doing the heat as well.

TurdMaster

Wirsbo Aquapex is not the same as the other Pex Pipes. It is drawn hot unlike all the other Pex pipes which are cold drawn. That is why it uses an expansion method for joining pipe unlike all the other pex pipes which use a crimp ring. It retains 100% memory, that is why you can kink it and heat it up and it goes back to its original shape, 100% of the time. All the other Pex pipes will need a coupling. I love the stuff, thats why I am putting it in my own house I am building right now. It is also approved for ALL building Classifications in Pittsburgh, not even Copper is approved for all of them.

gmp

There is Pex for potable water, and there is Pex for heating systems. I believe Pex for heating systms are designed with an oxygen barrier for better heat transfer

MKL PLUMBING

THE OXYGEN BERRIER IS JUST THAT. IT STOPS THE OXYGEN FROM PENITRATING BACK INTO THE WATER OR GLYCOL THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH CAST IRON OR OTHER MATERIALS THAT RUST, "NOT FOR POTABLE WATER" IS MOER SO YUO DON'T HOOK UP A FAUCET OR OTHER FIXTURE TO A HEATING SYSTEM BY MISTAKE

gitnerdun

Been using Wirsbo (the expansion type) for about 14 years. No problems whatsoever. Zero leaks. Below slabs, inbetween floors, or in attics. Even encased in solid concrete. No problems. Is great stuff, everyone should use it. You can look at a assembled joint and see that it is properly inserted and is good to go. Try that with a glued fitting. CPVC needs to move over. It is pricey to get into, a grand for the cordless tool and 500 bucks for the hand tool. Which may have a little to do with the reluctance for a lot of companies to get started with it. I know I tie my tool off to a truss or something if I'm on a ladder.I have only needed to use up to 1" pipe. Bob

kevjob

my plumber only uses pex saves time no fittings in walls.

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Kevin
Basement Finishing Highlands Ranch Colorado
Littleton Colorado, Basement Remodeling
Kitchen Remodeling Denver