PEX TUBING
Topics:
– What is flexible PEX tube?
– Application of PEX tube.
– What are the advantages of PEX tube in relation to other solutions?
What is flexible PEX tubing?
PEX pipe is polyethylene tubing that provides an excellent choice for plumbing. It’s made from cross-linked High Density Polyethylene – HDPE. Origin of PEX is in the late 1950s when scientists worked on the structure of polyethylene (PE) to strengthen the connections between the polymer chains with the goal of increasing the thermal stability. Flexible PEX tube is manufactured by extrusion and comes stored on suitable for storage and transport.
Application of PEX tube.
Some of the most common areas of applications are water supply piping, radiant heating systems, hydronic systems etc. During the past period, PEX tube has made its way in residential and commercial plumbing applications, replacing copper and other metal pipes as well as a rigid plastic pipe made of PVC and other plastic materials.
What are the advantages of PEX tube in relation to other solutions?
Some of the advantages of using PEX is its scale and chlorine resistance as well as low probability to develop pinholes. Also, since it is a plastic material it is completely corrosion resistant.
High flexibility of PEX tube in relation to the copper tube makes it faster to install than metal or rigid plastic pipe, it also requires fewer connections and fittings. Flexibility is important property when doing repiping on worn piping installations requires the ability to navigate around obstacles.
Another important advantage of PEX tube in relation to other common used pipes is price. On average PEX tubing cost only about 30% of the price of equivalent copper pipe. In combination with push-fit fittings, manifolds, valves and other elements, PEX pipe offers the fastest way to plumbing in any suitable application. Techniques used for PEX tubing installation like compression or stab-in fittings or cinch or crimp rings are easier to apply in comparison to sweating copper, less toxic too.
