Copper Pipes vs. PEX Pipes

Copper Pipes vs. PEX Pipes: Which Is Better for Your Home?

When hearing about any plumbing, you may imagine some pipes which are hidden behind the walls of your house or beneath your floor. These pipes are supplying fresh water to your faucets, showers and appliances day-in night-out. Now have you ever wondered what this pipes are made of?

Copper pipes and PEX pipes are two of the most common options for supplying water in a modern home. There are merits in both, and which may work best depends on your needs, your budget and the kind of home you live in.

In case you are doing a plumbing modernization, kitchen or bathroom remodeling, or changing old pipes, then you need to find out the advantages and disadvantages of your choices. In this manner, you will be able to make an optimal choice with regard to your family and your property.

This article will explain all that you need to know about copper pipes and PEX pipes so that you won’t be thrown off guard the next time you hire a plumber.

What Are Copper Pipes?

Copper pipes have been in plumbing for ore than 60 years. Actually, a big number of old houses contain antique copper piping that is in excellent condition. Copper is a resistant and durable metal which is not subjected to corrosion and may serve decades.

Copper pipes are used in a home in two major categories:

• Rigid copper pipes (cut and joined with fittings by plumbers), often referred to as Type M, L or K (based on the wall thickness), are rigged down pipes used on commercial and industrial installations.
• Flexible copper tubing that can be bent or wrapped around a corner is also known as soft copper, and is commonly available in smaller connections.

Copper pipes are quite reliable, and they do not break down under hot or cold water.

What Are PEX Pipes?

PEX pipes are newer to the plumbing world. PEX stands for cross-linked polyethylene, which is a type of durable plastic. These pipes have become very popular in recent years because it is easy to install, flexible, and often more affordable than copper.

PEX pipes come in three colors to help identify water lines:

• Red: Hot water
• Blue: Cold water
• White: Either hot or cold

PEX is usually sold in long rolls or coils, making it easy to run piping through walls, ceilings, and tight spaces with fewer joints.

Copper Pipes vs. PEX Pipes

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits and downsides of each type of pipe.

Durability and Lifespan

Copper Pipes
Copper is extremely powerful. These pipes have a lifetime of 50-70 years or above when correctly installed. They do not droop, are not easily broken, or sun damaged. Copper is antimicrobial when bacteria tend to grow within the pipe.

The copper pipes, however, can become corroded with time, particularly when your water is on the acidic side. You can experience pitting or pinhole leaks many years later in an area where water is highly acidic or mineral.

PEX Pipes
In a different manner, PEX is extremely long-lasting. It is neither corroding nor scaling nor forming pinholes. PEX pipes are expandable to some extent, which makes them resistant to bursting when exposed to cold.

The anticipated service life of PEX is 40-50 years, whereas other manufacturers maintain that it has a longer life. PEX is sensitive to UV rays and not meant to be put anywhere outside or under direct sunlight since it may be damaged by the rays, unlike copper, which can endure the conditions.

Installation

Copper Pipes
To install copper is a skill. Pipes are to be measured and cut, then scrubbed clean and then soldered/brazed together with fittings. It is a labor intensive process that also needs open flames (a torch), which implies additional safety considerations.

Copper is so firm and hence requires more fittings and connectors to bend around a corner or an obstacle. This may increase the cost of installation as well as the time used.

PEX Pipes
PEX is far simpler to lay. The flexible tubing can wrap and bend around the walls and corners with few fittings. Rather than soldering, plumbers have special crimp or clamp rings and connectors.

This portability of installation tends to create cheap labor as well as faster project completion.

Cost

Copper Pipes
Copper is even costly compared to PEX. Even the price of copper is prone to change as per the market. Copper plumbing also usually comes in at 60-70% more expensive than PEX on average to achieve the same project.

PEX Pipes
PEX is also one of the cheapest in plumbing houses. The cost of the material is less expensive, and the installation is faster, which saves on the labor costs.

Water Quality and Taste

Copper Pipes
Many homeowners prefer copper because it doesn’t leach chemicals into the water. Some people say copper can give water a slightly metallic taste, especially when pipes are new, but this usually fades over time.

PEX Pipes
These pipes are approved for drinking water by health agencies, but some homeowners report a slight plastic taste, especially when the water sits in the pipes. This taste typically goes away after a few weeks of use.

Noise

Copper Pipes
Copper is loud. With the movement of hot water through the metal pipes, the metal expands and, in some cases, produces a sound of nails being tapped behind the walls, giving the sound effect of ticking or creaking. Indicators of a copper system are also more prone to water hammer (the loud bang that is produced when turning off the faucets).

PEX Pipes
PEX is far quieter. It is flexible, hence absorbs the movements of the water and does not cause so much noise whenever the water is switched on or off.

Freeze Resistance

Copper Pipes
At times water freezes when compressed in copper pipes, resulting in the pipe bursting. Colder climates require extra insulation.

PEX Pipes
PEX has an expanded capacity of three times of its size, then contracts back to its normal shape. No pipe is actually freeze proof, but PEX is far superior when it comes to frozen water and non-bursting.

Environmental Impact

Copper Pipes
Copper is a natural product and gets completely recycled, adding advantage in favor of sustainability. But mining and refining of copper requires considerable amounts of energy.

PEX Pipes
PEX does not consume a lot of energy to produce or to deliver since it is lightweight. It is, however, made of plastic, yet though it would be safe in water, it would not biodegrade easily.

Copper vs. PEX Pipes: Which Should You Choose?

It has no blanket solution. It all depends on your budget, the plumbing structure of your home and your preferences.

In cases you may like to go with copper pipes:

• You have in mind a durable, time-proven material
• You like metal in comparison to plastic
• UV exposure is a concern to you (such as in plumbing basements, having windows)
• You are not against paying a higher price up front to get durability

PEX pipes may be your preference in case:

• You are budget limited
• You desire faster installations
• Complex Plumbing Runs or a tight space in your home
• Where you live has a freezing climate

A Word About Mixing Copper and PEX

They can be intermingled in one plumbing system. As an example, some plumbers can install PEX pipes behind the walls and copper on exposed pipes. When the two of them are mixed, ensure that your plumber employs dielectric unions in order to avoid corrosion in connection areas.

Thinking of a plumbing project or need assistance deciding on copper and PEX, Lifetime Plumbing will be glad to assist you. With our skilled plumbers, we are able to evaluate your house, talk about your choices and install the type that suits your needs and budget.

Never leave your plumbing to chance; have peace of mind with your plumbing and have dependable water in future with Lifetime Plumbing.