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PEX Pipe Failure
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Degradation due to contact with locally treated water.
PEX is part of the same polymer family as Polybutylene, and their track records are shockingly similar. PEX has an unproven track record, with several major PEX manufacturers having changed the materials and design of their systems multiple times after several high-profile fitting failures.
Every major PEX manufacturer excludes failures caused by water chemistry from their warranty. Amusingly as well, the intended installation benefit (its flexibility) became its own enemy since it fails even more often when bent inside interior walls.
- Developed in Europe which doesn’t use chlorine to treat water the way the U.S. does
- Many previous class-action lawsuits allege PEX system failures due to exposure to normal drinking water — 12 more are currently underway
- Although different PEX production methods (A, B, C) vary widely in chlorine resistance, it is difficult to figure out which, if any, PEX product is reliable
- No PEX is recommended for use where chlorine levels are greater than 5 parts per million (a miniscule amount that is LESS than what is actually USED)
- The use of PEX piping can be detrimental to household water quality PEX piping is known to leach regulated gasoline components such as MTBE, ETBE, TBA and Toluene into drinking water.
- PEX piping is permeable, meaning that outside chemicals can enter through the pipe wall and contaminate the water without causing a pipe failure
Click here to download our Failing Pipe Systems brochure.
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Is PEX the new Polybutylene?
There are a lot of similarities between PEX pipe failure and Polybutylene pipe failure. For us, the replacement process is similar. You can read more about our process here: Pipe Replacement Process.
Additionally, the reasons for the pipe failure are similar, insofar as exposure to sunlight and chemicals in the water deteriorate the material.
In the past, PEX pipe was commonly used to replace failing polybutylene.
Polybutylene was installed in more than 10 Million homes between the 1970’s and mid-1990’s! (1)
Unfortunately, PEX piping was popular with new home construction for a long time.
As polybutylene began to fail – which ultimately led to a massive class action lawsuit (2) – cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) was a fast and cost effective solution.
Now, within the last few years, PEX manufactures are facing similar class action lawsuits. (3)
So, to answer the question: yes, PEX failure is essentially the new polybutylene failure.
Is PEX plumbing bad?
It depends on how it’s being used. When we say “PEX pipe failure”, we are primarily talking about PEX being used inside the walls.
Specifically, when PEX pipe is used for the interior water distribution system.
Essentially, you have a “ticking time-bomb” inside your walls, because that PEX pipe is going to fail.
If PEX piping is being used for water supply lines to your toilet, then that’s not the same “ticking time-bomb scenario”. In that instance, the pipe is not necessarily part of the interior water distribution system. In those cases, you’ll be able to see when PEX line needs to be replaced.
When PEX pipes ARE inside your walls, then you won’t know it. You won’t see it. There won’t be much warning, before “the time-bomb” goes off.
So, yes, PEX can cause catastrophic damage to your home and belongings. Therefore, we definitely think PEX pipes are bad for the interior water distribution system of your home.
Example of PEX-A being used in the walls
What should PEX pipe be replaced with?
There are trade-offs with all replacement options. Ultimately, our customers want their PEX or poly pipes replaced with a material that’s going to last and not empty their bank account.
We highly recommend replacing PEX or poly pipes with CPVC pipes or Copper pipes; however, we do not put cheap & generic CPVC pipes in your house.
It’s extremely important to us that the manufacture is willing to put their name on their product. So, we specifically use FlowGuard Gold®.
Get the facts about FlowGuard Gold vs. other products
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The FlowGuardGold® website also has some recommended blogs on: identifying signs that a repipe is needed, understanding problems that arise from bending pex, and learning how changing water treatment practices impact plumbing design.
The people at FlowGuard Gold® recently reached out to us for an interview. They wanted to know why we choose to use their product. You can read that interview by clicking here
Is CPVC the same thing as PVC?
No, CPVC is not the same thing as PVC.
PVC is a pipe used mostly for drains. It should not be used as part of the interior water distribution system, because it is not rated to carry hot water.
Is CPVC pipe bad?
It depends on who you ask. A lot of construction companies & plumbers like PEX, because it’s affordable and easily installed.
One of the reasons, PEX is easy to install is because it’s basically a flexible hose that doesn’t have the traditional joints of other pipes.
So, most people that don’t like CPVC complain about the need for properly creating those joints.
Creating the pipe joints for CPVC takes more time & skill. CPVC is not like a garden hose that can easily move around objects. So, we have to carefully plan the route for the CPVC pipes.
Another big difference between CPVC and PEX pipes is the way they connect to other pipes.
CPVC, like many plumbing pipes, needs to have the connection and joints sealed. PEX, however, uses a crimping method, which has its own host of problems.
For example, if PEX is not crimped with the proper tools or methods, then you will have leaks.
CPVC basically uses a solvent to create a chemical weld between the pipe and the fitting. Like any type of plumbing pipe, it’s important that CPVC be installed with the proper tools & methods.
Does Plumbing Express use PEX piping?
We do use PEX for water service lines.
This is the line bringing water from the water meter to the house.
PEX is a flexible tub and it is very good in underground applications which are less critical than in-wall applications. If a pipe leaks in the yard, there is a minimal likelihood of damage to the home.
What if I have PEX piping under my house?
If there is a failing pipe under the house that can’t be accessed because it is under a concrete slab, Plumbing Express will repipe a home and bypass the pipes that are under the slab.
Many plumbers will do a slab leak repair which involves calling a leak detection company to pinpoint the leak, removing the flooring above the slab and then breaking the concrete slab with a jackhammer to access and repair the pipe. We don’t do that.
Rather, for not much more money, all the slab pipes can be bypassed with a complete repipe. After a repipe, there are no more active water supply pipes in the slab.
As with other types of leaks, a leak in a slab is often a sign of widespread failure in the system.
What if I have a PEX pipe leak?
To repair a PEX pipe leak, the best thing to do is cut out the section of failed pipe and re-crimp a new piece of pipe into the line.
If the PEX pipe in the system is failing, then it is likely that another leak will develop on the adjacent pipe.
FlowGuardGold® is the registered trademark of Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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What Our Customers Are Saying
With over 35 years of experience, Plumbing Express has earned the trust of homeowners across Atlanta, GA. Backed by 1,500+ reviews and a 4.9-star rating, we take pride in delivering top-quality plumbing and repiping services. See what our satisfied customers have to say about their experience with us!
Rating
Tim Robinson and his crew did an awesome job on my plumbing issues. Quickly diagnose my problem, gave an estimate for the repair in a timely fashion No surprises. I don’t normally like recommending contractors electricians plumbers, but Plumbing Express is top-notch on my list. They were very good about notifying me with updates when the crew was on the way and worked me in on an earlier date, then was originally scheduled for. Thank you, Plumbing Express! Keeping you in my contacts.
Rod was professional and courteous. Provided insight and detailed quotes regarding my issue. Highly recommend
I had a whole home repipe on my home. It was built in the 70s and the copper pipes were constantly springing leaks so it needed to be done. They quoted me a competitive price for the job, but the best part was the followup and communication with the team along the way to ensure my specifications were met and I was completely satisfied with my water system. Ed Torres the plumber along with Ivan the scheduler, and really the whe team that completed the work and the drywallers, couldn't recommend them enough.
The entire team was awesome. I had a repiping done. They were very courteous, efficient, and knowledgeable. I will definitely refer this company.
Service couldn’t be completed due to needing a new system. We appreciate the very informative visit as well as insight that could help after a new unit install.
Plumbing Express was great. I had a failed sump pump that had partially overflowed into the basement. Nasty. Josh was the tech that did the work. He was efficient, neat and courteous. I will use Plumbing Express if I have any other plumbing needs and I will recommend them to my family and friends.
The technician was very knowledgeable and professional. I believe they did a very good job.
Ron was our second plumber from this company. The first plumber came, examined pipes and said he found no leak, even though we had experiences a large amount of water leaking from the ceiling in the finished basement. Several days later we had another leak-same area but less water the second time. Ron came in, listened to our frustration and did a more thorough inspection of the pipes and identified the problem. He was very personable and professional. On his third visit, we had several replacement pipes installed and are without leaks again. Our frustration, with the situation, was my son had used your company to replace pipes when he purchased the home and founding out not all the pipes were included with that process.
Tim arrived on time and was very professional. He took his time to explain the problem and the process it would take fix the water line.
Outstanding customer service, we will definitely be using them in the future for any plumbing needs. Can’t thank them enough!
Extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. The team was excellent. The job was completed in 1 day with a great team. Very expressive.
Daniel Perez was great in coming out to check the problem I had with a water leak from my air conditioner line. His recommendation was correct.
Great and informative service while I was in a bind without a functioning water heater.
Plumbing Express is my go-to plumbing support team. They have fair pricing, well-vetted technicians, and a truly exceptional scheduling system. Rod, my technician, was the best. He quickly assessed the problem and gave a fair estimate, working hard to keep to the schedule. He even brought Josh along on the day of service, and the two of them worked well together. They addressed the bathtub drain repair with expertise and caused the least sheetrock damage. It was difficult to replace the broken pipe and get to the upstairs drain, but together they made it a success.
Rod and Josh did an awesome job taking care of my clogged sinks. Knowledgable, professional and great to work with - I really appreciated their help today and would highly recommend them and Plumbing Express!
Daniel was excellent. The work he did was simply superb. I highly recommend your company and hopefully Daniel will get more and more work
Dylan from Plumbing Express came over and replaced our garbage disposal for us. It was older, had a massive leak, and needed to be replaced. He did a great job and was in and out in about 30 minutes! I also asked him to check out a potential leak I had been hearing in my ceiling. He used a thermal camera to investigate and was very honest and upfront about what he found. Rather than immediately cutting into the drywall to confirm something uncertain, he explained that the sound could simply be pipes expanding and that opening the wall might be unnecessary. He recommended monitoring the area and waiting to see if a wet spot appears, which would clearly indicate an actual leak. I really appreciated that he didn’t try to upsell or push unnecessary work. Overall, great service and a great guy. They will definitely be our go-to plumbing service from now on.
Once again we had some problems under our kitchen sink so we called Plumbing Express who were able to get us on their schedule pretty quickly after these storms Tim Robinson came out to do the job. Tim has been to our house for a number of different plumbing problems. He is personable & professional. As usual he did a great job even though this particular problem turned out to be far more difficult than anyone had expected. As frustrating as it was, Tim worked through it until he finished the job. We can't thank him enough.
Anthony was very competent, professional and friendly. He answered all my questions throughly. Highly recommend!
Anthony has come to my house a few times and he is always very professional, respectful of me and my home. He is also very knowledgeable in his craft.
TOTAL HOME RE-PLUMB. Our neighborhood has had so many homes experiencing water leaks (hundreds) that many of us have chosen to re-plumb before it happens. Based on my own experience speaking with four different plumbing companies, and speaking with several of our neighbors, I decided on Plumbing Express. They are knowledgeable, professional and very responsive to any questions along the way. Their price was fair and it’s one price for the whole job. You won’t have to find someone to repair and paint drywall. They have their own people or contractors to do that so your house looks perfect when they finish. I would highly recommend Plumbing Express to anyone needing to have their house re-plumbed. EDIT: Ed was the initial person I spoke to. His experience, knowledge and easygoing (non-salesman like) demeanor was greatly appreciated. Ivan was my point of contact for any questions and he was friendly and as I said, very responsive. He also installed a Moen smart valve in our home. Dylan plumbed the exterior of our home to the street while another crew did the interior re-plumbing. I’m very pleased with all of them.
Dylan did a great job fixing our Rinnai hybrid water heater. He didn’t try to do the typical “oh it’s over 5 years old you need a new one” that so many companies do. We really appreciated that! He did need to order parts, but they came in quickly and he was very efficient.
We had an excellent experience with Plumbing Express. They repiped my entire home and also handled all of the drywall repair and repainting afterward. When they were finished, it honestly looked like they had never been there—everything was spotless and perfectly restored. Ed Torres, the estimator, was wonderful to work with: extremely knowledgeable, professional, and thorough in explaining the process. Ivan Del Campo was my office contact, and he was fantastic at keeping me informed every step of the way, which I really appreciated. The team of four plumbers who removed the old piping and completed the actual repipe did an outstanding job. They were professional, hardworking, and efficient, and it was clear they took pride in their work. They answered questions when needed and were respectful of my home throughout the entire process. Kenny and Waldy, did a great job on the painting and drywall. They took a house that looked like swiss cheese and now you'd never know! From start to finish, the entire team was professional, communicative, and detail-oriented. I highly recommend Plumbing Express to anyone needing major plumbing work done right. It's not fun money to spend, but if you're in need-these are the guys to call.
Daniel was very professional and transparent. Also, this is the second time he has been to my home to repair a plumbing issue and his quality of work is A plus. GOOD JOB!
Dylan did a great job. He was very professional and courteous. Would highly recommend their services.
I would recommend Plumbing Express to anyone for repiping services. I got initial quotes from 4 different plumbers for replacing PB pipe, and Ed was by far the most knowledgable, informative, and personable that I interacted with. Price was also hard to beat, especially considering the drywall repair was included. The crews that came out to work were on-time and worked quickly. The drywall repair was seamless; as many others have said, it is impossible to know there were ever any holes in the walls. Throughout the entire process, Ivan stayed in contact and communicated proactively and clearly. Any issues or concerns we had were addressed promptly. The only complaint we had was that some of the workers didn’t clean up thoroughly after themselves and left behind debris/trash. One piece left was a metal piece from a pipe that could’ve damaged our lawnmower if it hadn’t been found. In general though, the work spaces were left clean. Overall, we’re very happy with the quality of work done and customer service experience. These guys know what they’re doing.
It was an easy and professional service. Execution and customer service is really really good. Anytime again. 5 stars if prices would be a bit cheaper.
Many thanks to Dylan for all of the work he put in yesterday to replace my hot water heater. It was an absolute pleasure to meet such a kind man who completed such a laborious task in such a short timeline, both skillfully and efficiently. Great communication all around, from the office updates on arrival timelines to expected finish time. Will absolutely recommend you in the future. Thanks again for your hard work! Happy New Year!
Tim and his crew did great work in replacing a water line at my home. They attended promptly, completed all work on time and cleaned up fully. Highly recommend Tim for any plumbing work.
This company is great - super easy to schedule, get in touch with them, good availability. Rod and Daniel are awesome and have been to our house multiple times and go above and beyond for us!!!! Cannot recommend this company more!!
Rod made a quick adjustment to our toilet system and explained how it all worked. Took just a few minutes. He’s a great guy, too
Rod came same day within 30 minutes of my call for no hot water. He checked both my tanks and got pilot light back on and flaring. He explained a lot about my units and left me quotes. If needed in future. He was very knowledgeable and professional. Thank you
Dylan was so kind. Our water heater had a leak that caused some damage and he came out today to assess and give us a quote for replacement. He was very professional and knowledgeable.
Rod came to our house today to sort out an issue. He was so awesome, he smiles, he has the best manners, he’s do kind and polite and was so efficient. Love this service so much
After finding out that my home of 21 years had a leak in the slab, I discovered that the slab was full of polybutylene and I would need my entire home repiped. I spoke with three different plumbers before discovering Plumbing Express. Ivan came to my home right away and thoroughly explained the process and the cost. He answered all my questions and it was an easy choice to choose this company. The crew (Lucio, Ben, Jose and Rad) arrived on time and got the repiping done in one day. They were pleasant and did a great job. The next two days, Flaniel arrived to do the dry wall and painting. Like the crew the day before, furniture and carpet was covered to protect my home. He was meticulous and did his job like an expert. He went over and above expectations. This company has its act together ! They are not pulling subcontractors but are using their own w-2 well-trained employees. What a difference this makes!
Tim Robinson did a fantastic job for installing upgrades for my kitchen sink, shower kit and bathroom faucets and pivoted to fix an unforeseen issue that came up which he resolved
