Space Age Plumbing
For years, we have been going about our business of building
homes. While always on the lookout for new and improved materials, there
have been some areas that simply seem to slip under the radar. Copper
plumbing has been the mainstay of the plumbing trade for quite a long
time. While we all have experienced problems such as pinhole leaks, freezing,
nail holes and fires (from soldering), we just blindly kept on using
it.
Several years ago we made the switch to the flexible, cross-linked
polyethylene material PEX. Unlike copper piping, PEX tubing is
corrosion-resistant, making
it practically impervious to pinhole leaks and an excellent insulator
against aggressive soil and unstable water conditions. Flexible
PEX also installs more
quickly than rigid copper, resulting in reduced labor costs.
Since
PEX tubing is flexible, which can be bent around corners and over
obstacles with fewer joints and connections, which can be potential
leak spots.
PEX’s flexibility and strength at temperatures ranging from
below freezing up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit makes it an ideal piping
material
for hot and cold water plumbing systems, hydronic radiant heating
systems and snow melting applications. Although not freeze proof,
PEX also provides
the homeowner with many useful benefits. Flexible systems are quieter
than rigid piping. The smooth interior resists scale buildup and
corrosion that can affect long term pipe flow characteristics. PEX
is also very
freeze- break resistant.
extensive testing
PEX was developed in the 1960s.
PEX tubing has been in use in many European countries for plumbing,
radiant
heating
and
snow
melt applications since that time. PEX was introduced in the United
States in the 1980s, and has seen significant growth in market demand
and production.
PEX is manufactured and tested according to stringent
national consensus standards: ASTM F 876 and F 877. Both the product
manufacturer and independent third party testing agencies conduct routine
quality control and quality assurance evaluations to insure the product
meets ASTM and NSF Standards. Compliance with the standards ensures the
end user of safety and quality. Additionally, PEX is included in all
of the major model plumbing codes used in the United States and Canada,
CSA, IAPMO, SBCCI, BOCA, ICBO, IPC and NSPC, and approved by HUD for
hot and cold potable water plumbing use.
ease
of use and design
Manifold or home run plumbing systems are much like
a breaker box for the
electrical system in the home. The manifold provides a common location
from which
all the plumbing fixtures are supplied. Some high-end manifolds
also feature fixture shut-off valves allowing the user to shut off
the
water to individual fixtures from one location. Others are semi-home
run manifolds
or termination manifolds, which may feed the plumbing requirements
for a room or set of rooms and reduce the number of fittings required
in
the plumbing system.
Home run or manifold plumbing systems utilizing PEX tubing
can substantially reduce water and energy consumption in a home. The
home-run concept provides dedicated direct lines from the manifold to
the fixtures, reducing the amount of water that must be purged from the
lines to get hot water at the fixture. Direct lines can be sized to the
fixture requirements, further reducing the amount of time to wait for
hot water. Faster hot water delivery reduces water waste and the amount
of times the water heater must cycle to supply hot water.
Another significant use for this product is radiant floor
heating. The flexibility of PEX allows it to be supplied in coils meaning
installations under concrete slabs can be made with a single, continuous
length without the need for fittings under the slab. PEX is not affected
by concrete, or chemicals in concrete. PEX, however, must be sleeved
when penetrating a concrete slab.
