Building A Home? Tips For Selecting Your Pipes
Are you in a position where you are building your home from the ground up and you have the choice about what kind of plumbing is going to go into it? If so, it helps to know the differences between using copper and PEX to help you make an informed decision.
PEX
PEX pipes are essentially made out of a specialized plastic that is designed to work best for home plumbing. You'll find that many new homes are using PEX as the new standard for several reasons, mainly because it is easier for your plumber to work with. The days are gone of having to cut each pipe, clean the pipe and the fittings, and then use a torch to solder it all together. While it is the way it has been done for years, installing PEX has made the process much easier. PEX plumbing is crimped together, so no solder or glue is necessary.
You'll find that PEX is going to hold up in cold weather conditions because PEX allows the pipe to slightly expand. If the water freezes in the pipe, you won't have to deal with a pipe burst and having water go all over your home. However, you cannot use PEX for every water connection in your home since you cannot connect PEX directly to a water heater.
Copper
Many plumbers still use copper plumbing because that is what they have been using for many years. The material does come at a higher cost for both the materials and installation, which means that you need to have the money in your budget to afford copper if that is what you want. However, there are many advantages to using copper over PEX.
You'll find that copper pipes have a very long lifespan since if you put them in your home, they are going to last well beyond the time that you spend in the home. Some people love copper because the pipe is fireproof and will be able to withstand hot temperatures without becoming damaged. When the material eventually needs to be replaced, you can recycle that copper instead of throwing it into a landfill.
One thing to keep in mind is what your local building codes allow. It's possible that you are building in an area that simply doesn't allow PEX and will only allow copper plumbing. That then doesn't leave you with an option for what pipe you can use, leaving copper as the only choice.
Contact a new construction plumbing contractor to learn more.
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