I used to work in construction & when Pex first came on the market & plumbers began using it, there were those that claimed the strength of the material would not hold up to climates with extreme temperature fluctuations. My guess is that there might have been some issues when it first came on the market, whether it was manufacturing problems or incorrect installation methods, regardless it seems that this product has definitely become a mainstay in the building industry.
Some PEX B is now certified for F1960 Expansion fittings, so the flow reduction is not an issue with expanded B. Zurn is one of the Pex B makers that is certified for expansion fittings.
I am using the expansion rings on pex B with no problems, I think that expandable Pex B is fairly standard now, I know that I had a roll of A and B and they bore the same SDR number and same ASTM code. Isn't it true that you can use crimp on Pex A as well? Same dimensions in every respect, I am sourcing from HD using the Apollo Pex B and from Ferguson using Jones Stevens brand. No testing issues, what markings should I look for to identify expandable Pex-B ? Anyone know?
@@misterhill663862a You CAN crimp PEX A if you want as it's certified for crimp as well as expansion. Regarding B, if it has F1960 on it, it's certified for F1960 expansion fittings.
I question the restriction claim. Every fixture in your house has a water saver restricter in it anyway. Maybe up size going to your outside spigots will help there?
The restrictors at the fixtures have been designed to meet assumptions about the volume of water that would have to pass through that restrictor. There could be a dozen or more connections between your pressure reducing valve and the end fixture, and each of these will very definitely act like a low-value flow restrictor and, in total, cause an exagerated restriction effect at the fixture.
@@HouseImprovements Agreed, but if you review the product, you should mention basic characteristics and let viewer to decide what is better. Is it easier to install is better and the chemicals leached to the water or stronger pipes?
I think I know which one I’d rather have twenty years from now based on those pressure ratings. I’ve spent many hours repairing/replacing grey and black pex that was “amazing” 30+ years ago. Thanks to that 70% of the plumbing at my house is copper and is going to stay that way. “Cheaper is better” when it’s not in my house or I don’t have to deal with the future repairs.
I love the crimp rings(stainless) versus the copper ring...although with the copper you can cut it off easier if you have to replace it than the crimp rings. I do carry a cordless dremel tool to cut off the stainless if needed
Pex A is even easier to run and not mess up a connection. I dont have stats or real data, but i would guess 99/100 Pex connections that aren't done properly are B style crimp/cinch compared to Expansion.
Zurn tubing can be used with either cold expansion or with crimps. Conforming to ASTM F1960 is what allows this type B tube to be expanded, since the expansion method is what F1960 describes. A vs B only describes how the tube is extruded, not the connection method.
A couple of things that where not mentioned was PEX B you will need to recalibrate those crimping tools. The rings are forced closed and the force to do that is also applied to the tool. So the tool is gradually closing less and less when doing large jobs. There is a measuring tool with PEX B. It measures the crimped ring diameter after you crimp it with the tool. It’s called a “go no go” gauge. This gauge will tell you if your crimping tool needs to be recalibrated. PEX A fittings are not to be used with PEX B fittings. PEX A fittings have a barbed connection which grabs the inner wall of the pipe as it shrinks back down to its original diameter. It acts like a fishing hook. PEX B has a ribbed connection that only works with crimped rings.
According to someone else here, interchanging methods and fittings is more common now. At least one mfr., concerning Pex B, indicates that their tools don't need calibration. Nonetheless, thank you for your expertise here--your methods may prove better, still: We're getting closer to the truth.
@@GeoffreyMorrison-xh2eo We shouldn’t rely on what “someone else here” says. This is a copy and past from the manufacture of the crimping tool. Go/No-Go Gauge 1. Slide the correct slot on the gauge around the crimped ring. 2. If the ring does not fit into the "Go" slot at all, but fits into the "No-Go" slot, then the crimp is not correct. Remove the incorrectly crimped ring from the PEX pipe, adjust the crimping force on the tool and repeat the crimping process. 3. If the ring slides into the slot and stops in the "Go" range at least at one point, then the crimp is good. The ring will not fit the go range all the way around it. Please check every ring with the Go/No-Go Gauge after crimping to ensure a proper connection. Along with a diagram of the tool: How to adjust the crimp diameter: All Apollo PEX Tools are pre- Adjustment Dial calibrated for 10,000 crimps. After repeated use, the crimp tool may need to be adjusted to produce a proper crimp result. 1. Note the number that the adjustment dial is currently set at. 2. Pop off the C-Clip that is aligned with the adjustment dial with a small tool, such as a flathead screwdriver. 3. Slide the hexagonal adjustment dial head out approximately 1/4". 4. Rotate the back pin until the line on the adjustment dial head points to the next highest number on the tool body. 5. Push the adjustment dial head back into position and return the C-Clip to its original position. We should only pass on information from the manufacture, not opinion. That is the only truth.
Very helpful set of information when contemplating the use of PEX-A pipe & fittings, especially if one is new to the subject, thank you Shannon! Worth adding: What I like the most about this & every one of his instructional videos is his relaxed style, it puts one at ease & goes a long way in encouraging one to give the project a shot.
Pex A is a lot more flexible, fittings are less restricted, and I trust the connection a lot better, and it will expand when frozen and not burst but the fittings will
Everything Shannon said is correct. I didn't know about Zurn but I do know Uponor and Milwaukee had the market cornered until their patent's expired. This is why I learn from Shannon about things I don't know about. Nice work, Shannon.
Both pex A and pex B allow expansion fittings. Zurn has had the pex B tubing, fittings and cold expansion fittings since years. Look at their website. Also, Zurn has heads for Milwaukee’s propex tool. Big difference is pex A only has 10 year warranty and pex B has 25 year warranty.
Not sure about all Pex A but here is the warranty for Uponor Pex A and it says you are wrong.www.uponor.com/getmedia/306c9ea0-d07f-4476-b089-b039c8eb999b/ca-warranty.pdf?sitename=Canada
Thanks for the first CLEAR explanation of the differences....and that isn't sarcasm, lol. Type, price, fitting style, tools, pros and cons. All the info I need to make a choice. Thanks
Out here in South Africa we use a couple of different types too but what I have found excellent is Macniel Polycop with the Unitwist fitting i was a bit skeptical about the fittings at first but I'm pretty impressed with them over time - and they don't reduce the pipe inside diameter at all so no pressure changes or flow restrictions still prefer std copper with soldered fittings.
I re-plumbed my house with Pex-A. Spend the money and buy the Milwaukee expansion tool, the manual one is too much of a hassle. One disadvantage to Pex A, your fittings can't much closer than about 3". The problem... when you put the expansion tool in the pipe on the second fitting, if too close to the first, it will jam and freeze inside the first fitting. I found out the hard way.
Thanks! This was timely and very informative. Having a new house built and they’re installing PEX, about which I was ignorant until seeing your earlier vid on fixing kinks. It’s A, which seems like the better choice.
I did a job today using Pex A for the first time. I bought a manual self rotation tool. I added an outside silcock and a basement spicket that took less than an hour. Thanks for your video that helped me do it right.
Bow/pex which is the pipe that you we’re referencing as B- is the best pipe you can use when dealing with Polyethylene pipe. You cannot see through the pipe therefore .light is not good when sitting in exposed areas of light. Bacteria will grow inside the pipe and Can cause health issues and filter issues. Pex A pipe, is not good pipe. A class action lawsuit is coming for A type pax pipe,, Any questions let me know Florida leak finders
Excellent video! Of course, I've come to anticipate this quality from you! My new puppy got under the house and -- voila! Wipes are whistling and water pressure is down slightly. :o( I'm pretty sure before I crawl under there I'll find some puppy-teeth pin-holes. This video has given me the confidence to do the repair myself... providing of cource I can locate an expander! Thanks Shannon!
Cool break down, I've never looked into the different fittings. I went through most of my house by necessity and replaced all of the expansion fittings because they didn't hold up. My connections are pex compression to pvc to brass, so I just bypass all that and go pex to brass. I use push fittings though and they have been solid for me. Have to replace all the connections on my shower rough in valve.
So if Im running pex b in thru my concrete slab to supply house can I just bend it up to a curved 90° before it crimps and is useless..I bought a 90 brass fitting to bring it up but would rather curve it and not worry about the fitting leaking under the ground
I hooked up a new water softener I guess it's been over 20 years ago now and I grabbed a roll of PEX and they had external compression fittings that I used. Never had one bit of trouble with them but I never see those anymore. I guess my point being that there's no restriction with the type of fittings I used.
This is why I like your channel so much. I have seen pex put together on home improvement tv shows, but never an explanation of why it was put together that way. Or that there was an A, or B pex, an now there is Zurn throwing in a curve ball too... Lol. Thank you so much Mr. Shannon
I replaced all the copper pipe in my house using Pex B and the pinch type rings. Initially rented a crimp tool from local hardware store for a repair, then went ahead and got the pinch tool for about $30 at the time, maybe 15 years ago. I haven't had any complaints with the flow - not sure what the measurable amount would be. Anyway, the route I went is very easy for DIY. More flexibility, like with the A, would've been great while doing the various renos on the house, but got it done with minimal hassle on my part. Only trouble I had was 1 bad bag of pinch rings, which snapped when tensioning.
I bought the complete Milwaukee kit for 250 or so on ebay some years ago. I saved the search and bought it as soon as I seen it pop up. I replaced all the plumbing in my home. It was well worth it.
@@Pepe-dq2ib I forgot to mention the kit was brand new in the box. They had an OBO and it didn't occur to me to try that first to see if it would automatically accept something lower.
We don't see that in our dumbo, boxy hardware stores, do we? Stores, too often, are worthless. After all, they have to put in their idiot, bulky PRC"lifestyle" products. Those smaller, more numerous boxy hardware stores are reaching down to that level, also. This comically vapid retail approach.has no chance of remaining upright in the court of reality....
I have never seen it that expensive. Shop around. www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-2432-22XC-Propex-Expansion-tool/dp/B00VWUBZH4/ref=sr_1_11?crid=2539PXS31EYSS&keywords=propex+tools&qid=1655013149&sprefix=pro+pex%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-11
I suppose maybe you could but you can not get the fittings inside the pipe without expanding the pipe first so what not just install the proper expansion rings?
@@HouseImprovements Type A pex has the same inside diameter as type B pex. Type A pex slips right over the brass type B fittings. No expander tool needed. And the brass fittings and cinch rings are very inexpensive.
Thank You, Great, Concise Video, I learned a lot, and it answered my Question, What's the difference between PEX-A and PEX-B. Thanks Again. Never done PEX yet, but as a DIY, I think I can do it. Thanks Again.
Have been installing PEX-A since day one. Always used Pex-A with Expension rings. Never any issues or "failure of materials." As far as tools go - always use power expender tool. Forget manual expenders
Just to clear up, some things. Reducing flow causes pressure to rise at the end of the reduction, not entirely a bad thing especially at the end of the lines. Second is that you dont want too much pressure in your plumbing, its recommended to install a pressure regulator on your water heater to below 50 psi. Pex has long been used in Europe for a long time before it came to the American continent.
Just one thing to add. If you want to undo PEX A connection don't use knife to cut the pipe off the fitting. You can leave a scratch on it that is prone to leaks. Use construction fan instead. Wait until you pipe turn clear and use pliers to get the pipe off the fitting.
Cut off the expansion ring and then **score** the PEX A pipe (not cutting through it). The heat gun will then allow slipping the pipe off the fitting without damaging the fitting.
Litterally none of the fittings you showed is allowed in tap/drinking water connections here 😅 They have all been deemed to unstable (too high risk of failure). PEXa does hit all the markers in the tube specifications, the fittings are the problem. PEXb with (brass) compression fittings are the only thing allowed Great video!!! You explained everything i wanted to know about PEXa, thanks a lot 😄
@@HouseImprovements Well here is the other side of the pond ;) We use PEX for everything, but only drinking water connections are regulated. For heating we can use whatever and DIY (no DIY for water, certification needed)
I would disagree with PEX A being ready for water pressure in a couple of minutes. I let mine contract for about 20-30 minutes, just to be on the safe side.
Zurn Pex B installs the same way as Pex A so you don't have the restrictions you are talking about. It also (allegedly) doesn't have the same problem with chlorine that Pex A does. Can you speak to this please?
EVERY question I had, Shannon answered in this and one other video. Except maybe manifold replacement using Pex A. But there is probably a video on that also, just haven't found it yet. Subscribed. Keep up the great work!
Love pex. Hate the look of exposed pex. I know you can buy copper "stub outs" to have metal in exposed areas where it can be seen and banged around. But what about radiant systems? Is there a way to connect cast iron rads with oxygen barrier pex without it looking like a stupid, orange, temporary fix? I know some people will use black iron pipe from the radiator to below the floor where they transition to pex (if accessible) but is there an easier way or one that still looks good? A decorative pex sleeve?? Shrink tubing over pex? Designer metallic pex?
fitting restriction not an issue, only fixture where size is an issue is the shower, you could pipe a house with 3/8 pex and not see any difference in flow, first pex on the market was type A , it required a very expensive expansion tool for installation with the shrink rings.
What if I can't identify my pex? Should I take a piece into a supplyhouse to identify for me? If I suspect pex, a pex A fitting would not slide into the pipe, right?
If you can see existing fittings and how they are fastened that should tell you easy enough but other wise Pex A fitting should not slide into either Pex A or Pex B without expanding the pipe A Pex B fitting will slide into either pipe .
Pex a is my choice..less restrictive and more flexible...that will save money on the need for elbows...pex b does have a higher psi rating but that in many case's is a needless advantage.
Really hard to believe how good pex a expansion works and fits I am old fashion and like the way copper looks and feels when put together old ways are hard to break but will move to better technology thanks
When they built my house 25 years ago, they used the grey plastic crap. As I have been doing renovations, I've been slowly changing everything to Pex B. Not a problem except for one joint that I didn't have the compression ring close enough, but that was my fault, and a quick fix.
I saw the video where you used the heat gun. PEX A is more expensive but seems like a better pipe. I'm saving this video like I saved the one with the heat gun repair.
I know someone who had their house re-piped a decade ago by a sloppy contractor who used Zurn PEX B with Uponor PEX A rings and Uponor expansion fittings. It's been 10 years and no leaks. This was before Zurn PEX B was certified for F1960 expansion fittings. No leaks. I got this feeling that expansion fittings work on all PEX B but no empirical data to back that up.
there is a video that shows that REGULAR Pex A and Pex B transitions can be made with common Pex A and Pex B fittings... though the manufacturer would not warranty that installation. Meaning, if you already have Pex B in your house, and you want to replace some of that line with Pex A, you can use regular transition fittings but would void any warranty. There are official transition fittings but those are extremely pricey.
Either of these are fine for residential use and are both used in most commercial as well. Most domestic water systems are 50 PSI or less. Anything in the right situation can burst with freezing ,both of these are resistant to freezing and usually better than copper in possible freezing situations.
You can connect the two with a Pex B connector and crimp both pipes , you CAN NOT use an expansion ring on PexB however. You can also use a "Shark Bite " fitting.
Excellent video Shannon! This went a long way in helping me determine what type of Pex I am dealing with on this project. Overall, I believe this is 3/4" Pex A but there is also a brass "shark bite" push to fit ball valve in the line. This has me wondering if it is perhaps the newer type of Pex B that you mentioned that uses Pex A type fittings. The pipe itself has some red writing on it, but it is unreadable so no help determining pipe type. So finally, my question: Can I use Shark Bite "push to fit" fittings on Pex A????? Thanks again for the great Video!
Shannon: Greetings from Regina. Can you share the manufacture's name/make/model of the expansion tool shown at 6:02? If you don't respond until sometime after 8pm, surely you were watching the game /=S=/
The biggest drawback to PEX A is it is more susceptible to freeze damage, I have repaired many PEX A freeze ruptures, I have never seen this in frozen houses with PEX B or C. Also Currently Zurn PEX B Supports F1960 Expansion connection.
@@billsmith9249 your comment implies that PEX A insulate better, Im saying from actual experience, that in a hard freeze PEX A is more prone to rupture, the elasticity of PEX A is to its detriment. when you have actual real world evidence, we can talk. I do have real world evidence of Wirsbo PEX A ruptured from freezing, it blows a bubble on the side and bursts, I have seen this in several frozen homes, and have seen many more frozen homes with PEX B & C and have yet to see a rupture, split fittings, yes, piping, no. PEX A pipe will burst before the fitting will crack, B&C are the opposite. Again Real World Experience here.
Great learning video. I want to use Pex for replacement plumbing in my RV. Type B seems easy, but I thinking of going with type A. I like the line flexibility and less joint restriction. Does extremely hot water weaken type A joints at the hot water heater? I will use brass connectors instead of plastic if they have for type A.
I remember reading that one was better for burial than the other,or maybe pex c ? Also your experience with shark bite fittings and do they work on either. I have a buddy and thats all he uses with great success. They are costly. Also fishing pipe through walls or in tight spaces where a coil of pipe vs a solid length may be a factor. And can one kind of pipe be married to the other?Of course this would need a specific fitting. Cheers
Both Pex A & B can be buried but not Pex C. Pex B is generally preferred however. Push connect fittings (Sharkbite is one brand) work excellent with Pex and copper. I prefer Pex A but fishing in some instances can be more work than Pex B ,but I still use Pex A . Yes Pex A and Pex B can be joint The easiest way is with a push connect fitting. I have a ton of plumbing related videos and many with info on Pex and fittingsru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mj9LgvT8Anc.html
Than you, I didn't know the difference. My plumber used pex A on myself in renovations and used the pex B fittings when he connect a pex A line to a pex B line. Our used the pex A fittings everywhere else. Are there risks where he used the pex B fittings on Pex A? The inspector didn't say anything. I installed the toilet and used a shark bite fitting. It seems good. Should it be okay?
There is a youtube video that explains how to transition from A to B or vice versa.... the plumber (I forget his name but is very popular) did not experience any negative consequences with the exception of a voided manufacturers warranty.... and let's face it, you would have an easier time trying to pull your own teeth than get a manufacturer to cover a Pex warranty claim. With that being said, that same plumber showed some official Pex transition fittings but they were around $20 each vs the $3-5 for the regular ones.....
