pex plastic fittings vs brass

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Two, the leaching of zinc causes a white residue to build up inside the pipes, constricting water flow. On October 26th, 2018, the NIBCO PEX Settlement Administrator and Plaintiffs law firms announced a class action settlement involving allegedly defective PEX tubing, fittings and clamps. Any truth to that? Are you a homeowner who just cant decide whether to get a PEX plastic fitting or a brass fitting? They have a low rate of resistance, and this is especially palpable after a few years of usage. Well, you are in luck because, in our PEX Plastic Fittings vs. Brasscomparison, we will be breaking down both the types of fittings to help you decide which one is the better choice for your bathroom. Another concern that contractors have with using plastic PEX crimp fittings is they require a thicker wall than metal fittings to meet manufacturing codes. As for Wirsbo, if you dont spin with every expansion it'll leak with the plastic fittings but not with the brass. Flow rate, too, is a very important aspect to consider when it comes to choosing a fitting. This causes stress on the pipe. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. However, one brand in particular has routinely failed Dura PEX piping, manufactured by CPI (bought out by NIBCO). If you want to install a plastic fitting, you have to go through some rigorous steps, whereas it is not as difficult when installing brass fittings. dielectric It depends on the quality or condition of the water. It is extremely important to keep your shower wall separated from all the moisture in the shower/bathroom.

This video has explained their differences better!https://youtu.be/qWuunjqln_4Video cant be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Brass or Plastic Pex Fittings? Even made a 1 long 3/4capped line just to test the plastic fittings and the line swelled like hell and burst before the fittings ever let go. No complaints thus far. The main logic behind this consideration is the ability of the fitting to withstand a water hammer. These odor and taste issues are not caused by PEX pipes, but can be perpetuated by PEX pipes. Any fitting that leaks, prematurely degrades or suffers premature corrosion is considered defective.. The price of brass fittings is much higher than that of plastic fittings. The main reason behind plastic fittings having a lower flow rate is that brass fittings have a smoother ninety-degree elbow. One of the key reasons why brass fittings are so expensive is because of their availability. Why are so many homes having problems with PEX pipe brass fittings? To get the listed its expensive. attributes of both brass and poly. Being prone to leaks makes their usage a hazard, and has the potential to cost you a good chunk of money to fix damages. Finally looking to get started on a gradual repipe project, running PEX to hot and cold manifolds that Ill build myself (interested in groups of 4 or fewer lines per manifold to avoid certain fixtures gaining priority). for all of our plumbing needs since 2008. These fittings are typically made out of yellow brass. On the contrary, such tensions about corrosion are much lower when it comes to plastic fittings. pex fittings plastic pipe plumbing metal than why better brass copper galvanized plumbers familyhandyman tricks steel join diy trade weekend I used to waste a lot of my time trying to find the best deal, but soon realized it was a waste of time. Hydronic heating systems are another area where some contractors have hesitancy using Plastic PEX fittings, due to high temperature fluid flowing through the fittings continually. PEX pipes came into popularity in the United States in the 1980s and since that time, problems have come to light. Due to having a smaller ID than brass fittings, plastic PEX fittings have a lower flow rate. You water pH should be at or above 6.5 and your water chlorine concentration should be at or below 4.0 ppm (parts per million). Basically, this means the fittings corrode and fall apart, which causes major problems with your plumbing, much of which occurs unseen inside walls or underground. Plumbing to get a quote on replacing my water heater. This also goes for either fitting. What's your opinion on the stainless steel PEX fittings vs. brass vs. plastic? There are two problems that come from high zinc content in brass fittings. Because of being accessible easily, they do not cost as much. Other brands of PEX pipes have endured pretty wellexcept when you take fittings into account. The superior corrosion resistance, flow rates and strength of these fittings demonstrate their versatility and how they can be used in a wider range of applications. I guess I would gain pressure/flow even if the nominally same PEX I.D. I like the plastic because they dont corrode like the brass ones do. How to Connect PEX Using a Copper Crimp Ring. I am using and plan to use the Uponor propex fittings and aquapex pipe as much as possible going forward, using the Milwaukee expansion tool. And as of late, defective PEX fittings have been identified as homeowners and businesses across the country have been affected by large-scale water leaks caused by corroded PEX fittings. Ive seen some reviews that the black poly shutoffs can leak, but the upfront savings is enticing. Metal (Brass and stainless) crimp fittings are stronger allowing for thinner wall and larger flow passages. Sometimes these damages are so severe that there might be significant damages to your entire property. If the leaks are severe, you might have to make wholesale changes to your pipes and fittings. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Generally, the brass PEX fitting will cost you almost five times that of plastic fittings. When we talk about the installation procedures, people usually prefer it to be as easy as possible. associated with high zinc alloys increases the risk of fitting failure. Pex-C is not very common. Flow rate can be defined as the volume or amount of liquid that passes through pipes per unit of time. I'm familiar with PEX pipe and I have the tools for the crimp style and the copper rings. Are there problems with either one? Flow rate is also a very important consideration. You make something idiot proof and the world invents a better idiot. Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum. They are overpriced on everything--but that's to be expected as the city is a half an hour away, so we pay for convenience. Everything was cool until we tried to raid area 51. This is when a shockwave is sent through a plumbing system when a valve is suddenly closed and water hammers back down a pipe which causes stress on the pipe and fittings. If the water coming out is acidic, and the fitting is made up of brass, there is a good chance that the pipe will burst. JavaScript is disabled. Because of this, the flow rate is reduced from the start. Show curtains are the pieces of clothes that separate your shower from the rest of the bathroom. If you have a plumber out and you can find out exactly that type of PEX pipes you have in your home or business, you will be ahead of the game. The debate between brass and plastic PEX fittings has been going on for years. Or is brass what you're using? This problem is a lot less concerning that the degradation of fittings and the consequential breakage, but it is still notable. Defective PEX fittings were first introduced in the 1990s, but the problems are really just now coming to light. When a fitting corrodes, problems ranging from minor leaks to devastating floods occur. Defective PEX fittings can cause extensive damage to your plumbing, necessitating expensive plumbing repairs if the issues arent identified and replaced before your pipes completely fail. GoBoard Vs. Kerdi For Your Shower: In-depth Comparison. Are you talking about the "econo" line sharkbites that are plastic? Sizes range from 1/2"- 2", Uponor expansion or any of the crimp fittings. What fittings are you using when plumbing with PEX? The following are commonly found problems associated with specific types of PEX pipes: If you have PEX pipes with problematic fittings, you can hire a plumber to switch you over to DZR (DeZincification Resistant) brass or poly PEX fittings, both of which are not susceptible to corrosion. ", "I called E.R. The mean reason why brass has the lower corrosion resistance is that it is an alloy made up of mainly copper and zinc. With the pros and cons of brass and plastic, the introduction of Stainless Steel PEX fittings changes the conversation as Stainless solves many issues with traditional PEX crimp fittings. I am Clyde Mitchell and I actually write and run the site. Brass is tried and true (unless you like in Nevada) and so is SS. First of all, you should have a plumber check your home or business to see if you have PEX pipes or not. Did the whole house in 2 days and was able to keep from cutting out a ton of drywall because of how flexible the stuff is, and the color coded lines are a nice touch. These pipes with these defective fittings were widely used, meaning they are now in homes, condos, businesses, offices, clubhouses, apartment buildings everywhere. i use them a lot of the time and have had good luck with them. I know a guy who can have all the stainless pex fittings you want and you can even send a product for them to copy and then change alittle for it to be legal in the U.S. I found them on Angie's List and they were very highly rated. Corrosion resistance is a factor behind this shift.

So be careful! I was under the assumption that they only allowed copper.. What sort of quantities would these fittings need to be turned out at? When posting in forums, letting us know your location will help others give better feedback/advice/solutions to your questions. When I think of plastic pex fittings I think of RV construction. I just don't want to use them and the person who purchases the home have a problem shortly after purchase. Leakages can become quite a nuisance, especially in your bathroom. Be aware that pex can size differently than copper tube due to a smaller ID. Generally, plastic PEX fittings last for about ten years. The debate on plastic versus brass continues, inert against nearly all heat transfer fluids due to the chromium (III) oxide passivation layer covering the surface. From me and this website, you can expect some useful tips on great ideas for a modern bathroom.

If improperly stored or installed next to a source of odor, PEX may transfer it (albeit, in small amounts) to water, resulting in unpleasant smell or aftertaste.People living near industrial activities (drilling, manufacturing) have reported gasoline-like or an unpleasant chemical odor and/or taste in their water. So the fittings have to be adaptive to different circumstances. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. , which causes friction loss and reduces flow. You can have them made to any specs you want. Or maybe manifold with branches to local manifolds in bathrooms? One thing you have to keep in mind is that the quality of the water flowing always plays a role in corrosion. The only downside to stainless steel is the insane cost. Dezincification associated with high zinc alloys increases the risk of fitting failure. You can run the most basic rule of Economics here price rises because of less supply, whereas price falls when there is more than enough supply. Original products are difficult to find. Plastic vs brass fittings can also have a different ID as well. When deionized, water is used in glycol antifreeze solutions in hydronic systems, stainless steel is considered to be appropriate for wetted surfaces, The main contributor to reduced flow is a 90-degree elbow, which is the most commonly used fitting in a system. Over-chlorinated water can cause leaching of chemicals from PEX pipes. PEX piping is a very common type of pipe, used in Charlotte and across the nation. Brass , because why would you want a plastic fitting ? On the contrary, the availability of plastic fittings is higher. These might be marketed to be sold at high prices, all the while not being good enough to provide you with the proper service. Get out of HD and Lowes and over to a decent plumbing supplier. Thats the problem we are going to discuss today. If you have poor water quality plastic is a superior choice, over time brass can corrode and leak in these situations. Now that many plumbing systems are moving to plastic PEX piping, the corrosive attack is concentrated on the brass fittings which make up a small percentage of the surface area of the plumbing system. I went to their site, and was amazed at the low cost for the brass fittings. The problem has been complicated with the change to No-Lead Brass, not all low lead brasses are created equal. Pricing is a very important factor to consider before you make any purchase. But that does not necessarily mean that water everywhere will be of top quality. Because of this, sometimes people choose brass fittings in order to refrain from going through meticulous steps of installation. If you had your doubts, well doubt no more! Conventionally, brass fittings can withstand pressure up to 140 pounds, whereas for plastic fittings the limit is usually ninety pounds. One of the key areas where people opt against using brass fittings is their resistance to corrosion. One class action lawsuit against Zurn, a fitting manufacturer, is something to consider if you have fittings that are labeled Zurn F1807 Fittings. If you need to have your pipes or fittings replaced, ask your plumber to see if they have this label and if you could be considered for this lawsuit. There are a lot of fake brass fittings in the market. PLUMB eeze Stainless Steel PEX Elbows were designed with a sweep to significantly reduce these effects. But this does not become a big problem as the brass area is relatively small in area. Only used brass for viega. By the time you know the corrosion has occurred, youre dealing with a costly leak or water main break.

But on the flip side, plastic PEX fittings are better suited to fight corrosion. Required fields are marked *. There's some good online options as well. PLUMBEEZE Professional grade plumbing products for DIY or contractor are available at retailers across North America. (https://youtu.be/qWuunjqln_4), Differences Between Sharkbite And PEX Crimp. Per the settlement website: You may be entitled to benefits from a class action settlement if: (a) you have owned or occupied at any time since January 1, 2005, a residential or commercial structure in the United States that contains or contained NIBCOs Pex Tubing, Fittings or Clamps and have unreimbursed costs or damages resulting from water leaking from one of these products, or (b) you have repaired or paid to repair damage resulting from water leaking from one of these products in one of these structures., Tags: Corroded fittings PEX pipes, PEX pipe fittings problems, pex pipe lawsuit settled, PEX pipes problems, PEX plumbing problems, "Stop looking for a plumber and call E.R. This is the reason the conversation around corrosion resistance is so important when talking about PEX systems. This raises less resistance, thus enabling a higher flow rate. The jury is still out on plastic. 300 Series Austenitic Stainless steels are inert against nearly all heat transfer fluids due to the chromium (III) oxide passivation layer covering the surface. One, when water flows through the high zinc brass fittings, the zinc in the fittings leaches out of the fittings. Copper is much more corrosion resistant than brass because brass is an alloy made up of multiple materials, mainly Copper and Zinc. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. That being said, there are some applications where plastic would out last brass. The problem we are going to explore today is one many current homeowners are facing: problems with PEX pipes with brass fittings. This saves people from worrying about damages caused by the shockwaves. JavaScript is disabled. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. This may seem insignificant with one fitting. What constitutes a defective PEX fitting? The reason is because the fitting inserts inside the pipe, rather than sealing on the outside like copper piping systems. Just a collar similar to the line itself that you place over the line, expand and then shove the fitting in and allow to relax. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have spiked up prices. Zinc build-up can cause your fixtures to clog up. We look forward to working with you! Due to the high zinc levels combined with very thin wall structure of brass PEX crimp fittings any amount of corrosion can be problematic. This leaching weakens the fittings due to a process called dezincification. As we have already mentioned, brass fittings are not that adaptive, and nor can theysurvive well against corrosion. If you see it, replace it because it will leak. These are scams, and you should be careful not to fall for them. Topics: Which one is better long term? With systems totally made up of copper pipe and copper / brass fittings, the corrosion is evenly spread on a much larger surface area throughout the system. The following are common fittings we encounter: Heres the problem, those fittingswhether were talking about a connector or a corner sectionneeds to work properly or the plumbing comes apart. The Pex Pipe lawsuit was settled in 2018. I've always been concerned about the plastic fittings, they seem cheap to me.

Tired of going through online articles that go on and on but cant seem to be conclusive? When the water hits an abrupt change in direction it creates a lot of turbulence, which causes friction loss and reduces flow. Can it break or crack the plastic fittings?? I like to share my view on everything related to bathroom stuff. As an Amazon Associate, I Earn From Qualifying Purchases. The main reason for this is because of hydraulic shock (water hammer). PEX. Some brass fittings are made in China and Korea, but they tend to corrode rather quickly. For residential, I thought trunk and branch was out and manifold was better? Why the popularity? Thanks as always for a great job!". But in case its the opposite, corrosion will occur at a higher rate. Thanks. Come join the discussion about the industry, safety, finishing, tools, machinery, projects, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Organized people are just too lazy to look for their shit. If you have noticed an unpleasant odor to your water, this also may be related to PEX pipes. As a result, you will have to spend a lot of money depending on the type of repair you have to do. The superior corrosion resistance, flow rates and strength of these fittings demonstrate their versatility and how they can be used in a wider range of applications. Mr. David Parker operates a very capable and ethical business. Come join the discussion about tools, projects, builds, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! However, when there are many fittings in a system this flow restriction becomes a factor resulting in a lack of pressure down the line.

The problem has been complicated with the change to No-Lead Brass, not all low lead brasses are created equal. Come join the discussion about racing, builds, pro mods, hot rods, events, turbos, nitrous, superchargers, and more! Strength is important to think about as well. Which clamps are you using and does the type of connector matter as far as clamping goes. That being said, there are some applications where plastic would out last brass. When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you. I don't have the tool to expand the pipe and really don't plan on buying one. I've done plenty of work with PEX pipe over the past couple of years. A forum community dedicated to professional construction and remodeling contractors. Still some use for copper. The owner even went to retrieve a part from his home for us during a construction project on short notice on a Friday. Metal (Brass and stainless) crimp fittings are stronger allowing for thinner wall and larger flow passages. These days, many plumbing systems are moving to plastic fittings. I was thinking making my own manifold with groups of home runs would help eliminate pressure drops, but maybe I should consider just duplicating the existing 3/4 galvanized trunk and 1/2 branches with 3/4 PEX trunk and 1/2 PEX branches? If you have poor water quality plastic is a superior choice, over time brass can corrode and leak in these situations. As a result, they can also fight off leaks. By adaptability, we mean the ability of something to adapt to changing circumstances, or environment. Honest, professional, and clean. 4 times the price of brass but will outlast all of us. The presence of zinc in brass makes brass susceptible to dezincification. Thus, it is very important for your fitting to have high durability and strength. You suggestions and opinions are always wecome. Would definitely call them again.

Pricing everything out, it seems like using brass crimp shutoffs/tees and copper manifolds would run me about $400+, while using Sharkbite (brand) poly shutoffs/tees and manifolds would be closer to $200. Brass can also be reused if you mess up on the joint, where most times the plastic fitting gets tossed. Especially if there's hard water. As I mentioned above, one of the issues with Brass is corrosion resistance. If your home or business has PEX pipes, keep an eye out for the following signs: If any of your fittings are visible, check them for corrosion. The better the quality of water, the less is the corrosion. Because of this adaptability, they can prevent corrosion from happening at higher rates, especially when the condition of water shifts from good to bad abruptly. There is uncertainty about the use of plastic and brass materials, stainless PEX crimp fittings incorporate all the positive features of plastic and brass, with none of the negatives. He held exactly to their quote and gave me exceptional service at a fair price. At the end of the day, what you will buy is entirely up to you. Assess your budget as well before you decide which you want to buy. PEX, being a type of plastic, may absorb odors. Remember the pressure you are putting on the fitting when you crimp. If you do volume, you should get better pricing at a supplierbetter quality as well. Just trying to see if anyone has experience with the poly fittings? PEX fittings made from 304 stainless steel do not contain zinc. The manufacturer is in Korea. This results in a reduced inside diameter which restricts flow. KITEK was junk because typical water leached the zink out of the fittings and they started leaking. As mentioned, the debate between brass versus plastic has been going on since the introduction of plastic. As I mentioned above plastic PEX has a smaller inside diameter than brass and stainless which will further reduce flow. In this blog we are going to investigate the typical views between brass and plastic and how Stainless PEX fittings stack up. PEX pipes are crafted from a flexible material called crosslinked polyethylene, and this material holds up better than most metal pipes or rigid plastic pipes, such as PVC pipes. In addition, you can test your water quality to see if your pH is greater than or equal to 6.5. Before we dive into the descriptive comparison, let us look at the chart below to get a general overview of their differences. There is hesitance among some contractors who feel plastic fittings are weaker and will not use them. Your email address will not be published. When the water hits an abrupt change in direction it creates a lot of turbulence. Install a whole house water filtration system that removes chlorine, chlorine by-products, and helps with pH. HD & Lowes are the most expensive places in my area. If you are using plastic crimp fittings throughout a whole house, this can cause significant flow restriction, see chart below. This inherently reduces the flow rate. Most professional plumbers use plastic fittings these days. A forum community dedicated to professional plumbers. Initially, this might seem negligible, but the restriction of flow might cause a lack of pressure down the line when there are multiple fixtures operating at the same time. Due to the high zinc levels combined with very thin wall structure of brass PEX crimp fittings any amount of corrosion can be problematic. This results in a reduced inside diameter which restricts flow.

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pex plastic fittings vs brass