Day: January 21, 2008

PEX tubing
Maximum Pressure Range, psi 100-250
Low Temperature Range 0º to +100º F
High Temperature Range +101º to +200º F
Operating Temperature Range +73º to +180º F

Copper tubing
Maximum Pressure Range, psi 250-2000
Low Temperature Range 0º to +100º F
High Temperature Range +101º to +200º F
Operating Temperature Range +32º to +200º F

Source: mcmaster.com

I found this video on the _This Old House_ website

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,1631516,00.html

that details how to make fittings, notice that there is no soldering needed. In addition to that benefit, piping runs can be single lines without joint in your walls, eliminating joints, or points of failure, from being buried in your walls. As you’ll notice, the piping runs become can be laid out much more like electrical wiring this page from Lowe’s has some more detail on that.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Improve/PEX.html

I was just watching _The This Old House Hour_, in this season’s project house in Newton, MA amongst other things, they are adding radiant heating to a foyer and running some supply lines for an upstairs bathroom. All and all this wouldn’t that interesting, except they are doing these improvements with PEX, or Cross Linked Polyethylene. The installation looked so easy and painless I decided to investigate. The next few posts will explore the costs associated with this.