Dura-Pex vs copper pipe

[Doc_Bob]

I had a solar domestic hot water heating system installed this year. The fellow who installed it did a fine fob and used copper pipe from the collectors to the storage tank. While watching him "struggle" with the copper pipe, I wondered, could he have used something like Dura-Pex ? I asked him and he did not know. Can this Dura-Pex do the work of copper pipe?
Bob

 

[kmdigital]

Yep, and considering the price of copper, for a whole lot less money!

 

[KEG]

I'm in the middle of a condminiums project right now and we just installed a bunch of Pex. The units were fed through PVC lines to a copper header and then each fixture was given a "homerun" line from the header. Let me know if you would like to see more pictures.


KEG

 

[thcri]

PEX is replacing copper in a lot of applications. When building our house I stayed with copper. We are a plumbing contractor so I am familiar with the PEX. Overall I think it is a better product I just never liked the taste of water that comes out of it. Hindsight I should have gone with the PEX but had a purifier at the kitched sink for drinking water.

murph

 

[Dusty]

I was told that PEX didn't effect the taste of the water. Is this misinformation or have they changed the product since introduction?

 

[thcri]

I was told that PEX didn't effect the taste of the water. Is this misinformation or have they changed the product since introduction?

Most people don't notice it, but we get a lot of complaints from people that are remodeling there houses were we take out all of the old copper and replace with PEX. Them people complain about it. In newer house I can taste it but again most people don't notice it. It is not a big deal and like I said I wished in our new house I would have gone with it and just put a purifier under the kitchen sink.

murph

 

[Lazy]

Hi
we are going to build a new house next year. Can you tell me why the pex would be better than copper? We drink distilled water for the last 30 years and also cook with it. I have always been a fan of copper but the cost might change my mind along with your answer.
Thanks charlie

 

[MikeD74T]

I had a solar HW system piped with copper. The loop from the HW tank to the collectors had antifreeze (RV type). If the power failed on a sunny day I'd get water hammer in the collectors from steam bubbles forming & collapsing. Also had to be careful starting flow in that loop as antifreeze temperature would lift the thermal relief valve. Relief should have been on the heat exchanger outlet rather than inlet. Don't know if PEX is rated for that kind of heat ??? MikeD74T

 

[Doc_Bob]

PEX is replacing copper in a lot of applications. When building our house I stayed with copper. We are a plumbing contractor so I am familiar with the PEX. Overall I think it is a better product I just never liked the taste of water that comes out of it. Hindsight I should have gone with the PEX but had a purifier at the kitched sink for drinking water.

murph

Murph, can you elaborate on why you wish you had gone with pex vs copper?
Bob

 

[jinman]

I'm in the middle of a condminiums project right now and we just installed a bunch of Pex. The units were fed through PVC lines to a copper header and then each fixture was given a "homerun" line from the header. Let me know if you would like to see more pictures.
KEG

I think that picture you posted says it all. If it is durable, that is one slick routing scheme from the copper header manifold. That makes plumbing almost as easy as running electrical wire. Can plumbing junction boxes be far behind?