[Shouldz14]

I've done plenty of work with PEX pipe over the past couple of years. I am now getting into renovating homes and some have to be fully gutted. My question is from simple a cost savings/quality stand point are the plastic fittings just as good as the brass ones? I will be purchasing these in large quantities so small savings like this adds up, and the fact the even at HD or lowes they are half the price of the brass make appealing to use. I just don't want to use them and the person who purchases the home have a problem shortly after purchase. If they are just as good then I'll most likely use them. But if anyone has had experience with them and the quality just isn't there then the savings won't be worth it.

 

[pappagor]

i use them a lot of the time and have had good luck with them

 

[philcav7]

HD & Lowes are the most expensive places in my area. If you do volume, you should get better pricing at a supplier...better quality as well. There's some good online options as well. I used to waste a lot of my time trying to find the best deal, but soon realized it was a waste of time. If the fittings are $0.20 more and I used 100 of them on a job, it's only a $20 difference in material cost. Sometimes there's better ways to increase profits.

Except the $90 toilets I used in bank jobs, I won't enter the plumbing aisle of HD.

I used plastic fittings with Uphonor, but no longer have the expander. All other fittings I get brass in bulk.

 

[Golden view]

you can tow a truck with propex ep (engineered plastic) fittings stringing together a bunch of pieces of pex.

Or so claims my plumber...

 

[Quality_PTG]

I've heard the grey pex pipe isn't any good. Any truth to that?

 

[CarpenterSFO]

Get out of HD and Lowes and over to a decent plumbing supplier. I am using and plan to use the Uponor propex fittings and aquapex pipe as much as possible going forward, using the Milwaukee expansion tool. Still some use for copper.

 

[Golden view]

I've heard the grey pex pipe isn't any good. Any truth to that?

Yes. Use only Uponor or Rehau pex.

 

[m1911]

I wouldn't trust the plastic fittings from homedepot, they'll probably get brittle and crack.

 

[TimNJ]

When I think of plastic pex fittings I think of RV construction.

 

[CO762]

The grey in RVs I don't think is pex as it cannot withstand freezing.
So the sharkbite at home depot is junk?

 

[illbuildit.dd]

The price difference between my local building supply and a plumbing supply i now use...
2.99/.79

Cant remember the part but that's it. Crazy

 

[CO762]

Our local place sells pex clamps individually, which was good because I was one short....so I bought 20. They are overpriced on everything--but that's to be expected as the city is a half an hour away, so we pay for convenience.

 

[jayweitekamp]

Get out of HD and Lowes and over to a decent plumbing supplier. I am using and plan to use the Uponor propex fittings and aquapex pipe as much as possible going forward, using the Milwaukee expansion tool. Still some use for copper.

Bob... Does SF allow you to use PEX? I was under the assumption that they only allowed copper.. Thanks

 

[CarpenterSFO]

Bob... Does SF allow you to use PEX? I was under the assumption that they only allowed copper.. Thanks

It used to be that way, but PEX has been legal for a few years now in SF. I have been told that all the new big construction is 100% Uponor/Propex.

I know of 2 big houses that were plumbed by subs from outside of the city, prior to the change. All PEX, all had to be cut out and re-done.

 

[jayweitekamp]

It used to be that way, but PEX has been legal for a few years now in SF. I have been told that all the new big construction is 100% Uponor/Propex.

I know of 2 big houses that were plumbed by subs from outside of the city, prior to the change. All PEX, all had to be cut out and re-done.

Good to know I guess I should of asked the inspector on the last job. I'm just so used to copper pipes and cast iron for DWV.

 

[Jbb]

I've heard the grey pex pipe isn't any good. Any truth to that?

This is correct. There was a huge lawsuit some time ago. If you see it, replace it because it will leak. It’s called polypropylene.

 

[Kingcarpenter1]

6 year old thread & the poly was nothing like today’s pex.

Mike