Discussions

What are the pros and cons of using pex pipe vs copper pipe?

PEX all the way..  
 
Cost, less fittings, ease to run, won’t burst if frozen, less heat loss..  
 
Copper Expensive, more fitttings, burst when frozen.

Is much easier, faster and safer to install but cheaper? If you are using shark-bites they are way more expensive than copper. Like $6-$10 for each tee or fitting vs about $.50 for copper.

westcoasterbc said "PEX all the way..     Cost, less fittings, ease to run, won’t burst if frozen, less heat loss..     Copper Expensive, more fitttings, burst when frozen. "

Pex piping will burst if frozen. It has a less chance of bursting vs copper.

You don’t have to just use shark bits on Plex, you can use squeeze on connectors that are fairly cheap

I watch renovation channels on tv but they never used pex pipes. And how long will pex pipes last?

As far as watching reno shows, products/methods shown depend on local codes and installer preference. I have seen shows where homes have been completely redone in pex and others where they've used both copper and pex.  
 
If this is for a DYI residential project, and depending on how much you have to do, I would say pex is your best option as it is much easier to work with. Keep in mind that you will need to buy a crimping tool which will run you anywhere from $40 - $120 (maybe you can rent from Home Depot?). As previously mentioned, SharkBites are an option, but if you can afford to do the whole job with those, hire someone to do it for you!  
 
Longevity is similar for both copper and pex but one may be slightly better than the other in some applications. This mostly relates to water quality and mineral content.  
 
Hope this helps. Good luck.

Pex is fine. It's quicker. Cheaper And depending on water source plastic has less chance of being eroded compared to copper. But curtain applications call for copper to be run. Best to do research first. Pex will burst. It's not common but under some circumstances it will . And a crimping tool should not be bought from anywhere other than a plumbing wholesaler. C.t. And Home Depot sell knock offs that don't last or don't crimp well to begin with And I strongly recommend that no one uses shark bites. Unless In an emergency.

What's wrong with shark bites?

Some Insurance companies won't cover water damage done by sharbites failing and blowing off. Mostly in trailers. There a temporary solution. I've seen them fail and it's not a small leak when the line blows apart. There's just rubber seals in those things. Rubber gets eaten way by water in time.

Thanks for the info

204-761-9500  
Text or call if anyone has any questions or issues. I don't mind giving advice. I'm trying to break into the market. So any contacts I can make wether it makes me money or not is benificial for me. Thanks !

I was also curious about the shark bites, and saw that it had been answered, always thought of them as a good idea, but never used them.  
Thanks for the warning, and good luck in the trade.

Sharkbites are not wholly a temporary connection and are in fact, designed and marketed, as a total plumbing solution. You can get everything from manifolds to yard hydrants to fixture stops from Sharkbite. There is nothing temporary about any of those things. Here is a link to their website so you can read it yourself:  
 
www.sharkbite.com/about-sharkbite/  
 
In 40+ years in the business, we have seen everything fail: copper, Quest, galvanized, poly, pex - both the copper and stainless steel crimp rings, wirsbo, etc. Under the right (or wrong) conditions anything will fail and any system under pressure will cause significant damage if it does fail.  
 
Insurance companies will look for an out to avoid paying - we all likely have had,or know someone who has had a bad experience with an insurance company. If the use of a particular plumbing system is an accepted industry standard, the insurance company would be hard-pressed to deny a claim solely on that. Not saying that it couldn't happen, but based on experience I find it highly irregular. To the best of my knowledge, Brandon & Area Planning allows Sharkbites for plumbing connections. If the local approving authority allows it, insurance companies would be hard-pressed to deny a claim solely on the use of that particular system.  
 
To satisfy the question though, if you are considering using Sharkbites throughout your house, contact your insurance provider and get confirmation.  
 
Hope this helps.

I helped my son renovate his house in Weyburn. We did extensive replacement of sewer and water lines. In the course of jackhammering cement to replace sewer line we snagged the fresh water mainline. It was repaired with shark bite. That was city works.  
 
There is a range of quality.  
 
As for pec pipe it is fast and relatively less expensive than copper. My personal house has had pen for 19 years with zero leakage