Hmm…
Wonder where/how I could check the specs. Must be publicly gettable-at, no?
Doubt there is any public record of what was used in your house. Any house I’ve ever worked in we physically inspect things to figure out what is there.
I have been told by plumbers that PEX run through a slab was a recipe for disaster. Is that due to chemical reaction between the PEX and the concrete or due to UV exposure waiting for the slab to be poured and roof to be built to block the UV?
PEX is commonly run through concrete slabs for radiant heating applications; in fact that was one of the first applications before it was even common for potable water. I’m sure there are plenty of ways to screw up the job, but that’s not the fault of the PEX or the concrete.
Depends on the PEX. My house was built in 2006/2007 and they used Kitec PEX which has had a class action lawsuit against it for failures. Luckily, it was only used for the slab heat in my basement and garage, and the plumber used different fittings that “worked”. So far, so good. The new setups are much better, apparently.
FWIW, The specialized tools for general work on PEX consists of the crimper and the cutter, both of which I purchased for less than $100 on sale. For some DIY stuff like installing a laundry sink it’s pretty hard to beat.
Well considering copper in slabs is gaurrenteed to fail I think we should give PEX a fair shot.
As mentioned above pex is used in concrete for things like radiant heat.There are no known technical issues with doing so.
Depending on jurisdiction if PEX is not rated for direct burial so it has to be sleaved in another pipe where that restriction exists.