Pex is a cross-linked polyethylene used in water supply system. It is much better than normal metallic pipes such as iron, copper or lead due to several reasons. In fact, it is better than any plastic pipe as well. With this guide, we will try to find out the best way to select the right tool, fitting and pipe for pex plumbing.

Selecting the Right Tool

When you are working with pex plumbing, you must use the standard crimping technique. To execute this technique, you must need 3 pex tools – (1) the primary crimping tool, (2) de-crimping tool and (3) pipe cutter.

Depending on your specific requirement, you can choose primary crimping tool in different configurations. While one type of configuration may have the capability of crimping ½ inch, some other type may have the capacity of ¾ inch pex tubing. On the other hand, some types incorporate transposable crimp heads with any of these above-mentioned sizes of the pex tubing.

De-crimping tool is used to take out copper crimp ring from the fitting and from the tube. It helps in reusing the fittings easily.

Pipe cutter helps in making a decent square cure before you insert the tube through the fitting.

Fittings

Pex fittings are typically designed with brass materials, though some dealers prefer to use copper, bronze or artificially designed plastic fittings for pex plumbing. The internal ridges of the fitting make out one to other. The ridges, the crimped copper ring along with the pex tube itself – all work mutually to create a high-pressure seal.

Pipe

As told earlier, pex pipe is pretty durable and flexible by nature. It is mainly because of the material, which is cross-linked high density polyethylene polymer. While processing the pipe, it is continuously melted and extruded into the tube. The cross-linking method is established using 1 of 3 procedures.

Cross-linking is a chemical procedure that initiates in the polyethylene polymer chain. It helps in making the pipe more durable and resistant to temperature and stress. The 3 cross-linking procedures are – (1) Pex-a procedure or Engels Procedure, (2) Pex-b procedure or Silane Procedure and (3) Pex-3 procedure or Radiation Procedure.

It is estimated that the pex plumbing procedure was introduced to Europe during 1970s and to the U.S in 1980s. Since then, this method is getting popularized and the use of pex plumbing has been increasing ever since, substituting the usage of copper pipe in most of the cases.