Yes, true. But in an indoor boiler situation, I think I would be hesitant to use pex. A sudden burst of 200+° water could do some serious damage if someone was in range. Boilers can easily go over 220° in an overheat situation.
Can I use PEX pipe on a boiler?
Most PEX pipe made for heating applications includes a barrier that is extremely resistant to oxygen infiltration. PEX is ideal for connecting heating plants and outdoor boilers to remote or detached buildings, as it will not corrode and is made in long lengths.
How do I connect my PEX to my boiler?
1:525:46Central Boiler - PEX Clamps, Crimps, and Push-Fit Fittings - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe way you put these together would be you take your piece of pex. Take your crimp ring slide itMoreThe way you put these together would be you take your piece of pex. Take your crimp ring slide it over the picks. Put your fitting. On. Then take your special tool for the half inch.
Can you use PEX on a heating system?
For these reasons, PEX-a works perfectly with any terminal unit in a hydronic heating and cooling system. Mechanical contractors and engineers can rest assured that installing PEX-a in their hydronic applications won't jeopardize performance or sacrifice the benefits of rigid pipe.
How much heat can PEX tubing take?
180 degreesPEX does not melt (analogous to elastomers) and is thermally resistant. The maximum heat temperature of the PEX tube is 200 degrees. The maximum heat of the PEX can be up to 180 degrees. The PEX tubing has the highest temperature limitation listed in small prints.
Where is PEX not allowed?
PEX can't be installed in high heat areas. You can't install PEX in high heat areas like near recessed lighting. This also means you can't connect PEX directly to a hot water heater, but you can use a connecting material to do this.
Can SharkBite fittings be used on boilers?
Sharkbites are generally not the right product for boiler piping. A future home inspector would red flag a system cobbled together with shark bites. In some jurisdictions those things aren't permitted anywhere.
What type of PEX is used for heating?
Oxygen barrier type PEXA: Oxygen barrier type PEX pipe has an external polymer coating called EVOH or “oxygen diffusion barrier” and it's the type used for all standard closed loop heating applications, including floor heating, baseboard/radiator heating and snow melting.
How long does PEX plumbing last?
50 yearsPEX: Due to its flexibility and durability, PEX piping should last at least 50 years. PVC / CPVC: Under typical conditions, these pipes should last up to 100 years. Keep in mind that PVC pipes are often used for drainage because extreme heat can damage them.
What is better PVC or PEX?
PVC has a predicted lifespan of 50-70 years or more, compared with 40-50 years for PEX. - Lower cost. PVC is less expensive to purchase than PEX, although it usually will cost you more in labor. - Outdoor safety.
Can PEX water lines burst?
PEX pipes, just like any pipe, can freeze when the temperature drops too low. Because the pipes are designed to be flexible, PEX has the ability to expand. Although it is still possible for them to burst, this means PEX pipes are less likely to rupture after freezing.
Can Blue PEX be used for hot water?
Color-Coded: Red PEX pipes can be used for hot water supply lines, blue PEX for cold water supply, and white for either hot or cold.
Is White PEX OK for hot water?
White PEX pipe can be used for either hot or cold water. Gray PEX pipe, like white, can be used for either hot or cold water (although not all DIY centers carry gray).
How do you connect PEX to hot water heater?
2:013:06How to Install a BrassCraft® PEX x FIP Water Heater Connector - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTo install the connector to the water system. Slide the crimp ring over pecs tube. Completely insertMoreTo install the connector to the water system. Slide the crimp ring over pecs tube. Completely insert barbed end of the connector into pecs tube until tube stops at the base of the fitting.
How do you transition from PEX to copper?
0:031:04How to Transition from Copper to PEX - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUsing a female sweat adapter is a great way to transition from copper to PEX.MoreUsing a female sweat adapter is a great way to transition from copper to PEX.
How do you connect copper to PEX?
0:091:41Connecting PEX Tubing to Copper Pipe - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe fastest and easiest way to connect PEX directly to copper pipe is by using sharkbite connectionsMoreThe fastest and easiest way to connect PEX directly to copper pipe is by using sharkbite connections. These connections require no tools and no soldering.
Is PEX A or B better?
Kink-Resistance - PEX-A has the greatest resistance, PEX-B the lowest. You should never install kinked pipe. Bursting Pressure – Always check the tubing for maximum temperature and pressure ratings. Remember, the pressure ratings decrease as the temperature of the water increases.
What type of tubing is needed for a closed boiler?
Anything on the 'closed' boiler piping needs to be non-permeable tubing.
Where do boilers get their water from?
What do mean by this? Boilers are usually fed from the cold water supply line. Is there some sort of tank that heats the water before it gets to the boiler?
Can you use PEX in make up water?
Incoming water is already saturated with oxygen so the ordinary PEX is fine. Yes, oxygen WILL enter with the make-up water but unless you have leaks you won't be taking on make-up water so no problem.
What type of pipe should I use for boiler piping?
Copper or iron pipe all day long for near boiler piping. JMP, I almost always use copper for everything on the distribution , from boiler to zone valves or manifolds.
Which is better for boilers: copper or plastic?
I agree with what everyone has said here...for most boiler installs copper would be the better (albeit more expensive) pipe choice. With many other piping applications; however, plastic pipe is likely going to prove superior over time. It really hasn't been around long enough to confirm this, but in place of what most steel/cast iron pipe has been used for, plastics (HDPE, PEX, PVC, etc.) will most likely last much longer and at a fraction of the cost. Unfortunately most plastics show a significant strength reduction around 180-200 deg F, which is a shame. Hopefully better high temp plastics will be developed soon.
Does Pex bust open?
If frozen copper will bust open. Pex usually doesn't.
How many gallons of pressurized storage was in the Varmebaronen UB 40?
Varmebaronen UB 40 with 660 gallons of pressurized storage - first fire 10/08/2012.
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Can you use Pex for boiler runouts?
We always run copper or iron from the boiler to the main manifold area at the very least. The manifold itself where you will split off your zones should also be hard pipe. use Pex for your runouts to heat emitters if you want. It can be handy and there is nothing wrong with it when used in the right place or application.
Can you use Pex in an indoor boiler?
Yes, true. But in an indoor boiler situation, I think I would be hesi tant to use pex. A sudden burst of 200+° water could do some serious damage if someone was in range. Boilers can easily go over 220° in an overheat situation. I would stick with copper or black iron.
What type of PEX pipe is used for hot water?
Blue PEX pipe carries cold water. White PEX pipe can be used for either hot or cold water. Gray PEX pipe, like white, can be used for either hot or cold water (although not all DIY centers carry gray).
What is PEX pipe?
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), a type of flexible plastic, is currently replacing traditional copper and galvanized steel as water supply lines in both new construction and remodeling projects. You’ve probably seen rolls of blue and red PEX pipe in the plumbing aisle of your local home improvement store, but might not know that this colorful tubing now makes it possible for enthusiastic DIYers to replace their own leaky water lines instead of calling a pro. Read on to learn more about PEX—what it is, where it can be used, and all the pros and cons of this popular plumbing material.
What type of fittings are used for PEX?
Hundreds of types of fittings, usually brass, are available for connecting PEX to existing copper or steel pipes, and for making connections to fixtures. Fittings are also available for connecting pipes of different sizes. The following five methods are used for making the connections watertight. Photo: amazon.com.
What is PEX tubing?
Choose the tubing best suited to your needs: PEX-A is manufactured using peroxide. This type of PEX is the most flexible of the three types and is suitable for use in all home water-supply plumbing needs.
What color is PEX?
Water flows silently through PEX, eliminating the “water hammer” noise associated with metal piping. Color-coding (red and blue) make it simple to distinguish hot and cold supply lines. PEX can be connected to existing metal supply lines with the correct fittings.
What is the advantage of PEX pipe?
PEX has a distinct advantage over these materials because of its flexibility, which allows one end of PEX pipe to connect to a PEX manifold (the main water control system) and then wind through walls and floors—uninterrupted—all the way to an individual fixture.
How long is a PEX pipe?
PEX is available in a variety of lengths, from short 10-foot pieces (for small repairs) to rolls over 500 feet long, which are used to install a home’s entire water supply system. PEX pipe ranges from 3/8- to 1-inch in diameter and its color-coding makes it a snap to identify what a specific pipe is used for. Although there are three types of PEX (see Label Lingo, below), the different colors don’t connote the distinctions; they simply make it easy for the installer to identify which lines carry hot water and which carry cold.
What is the best method to make PEX?
Many in the industry do not realize there are three different methods for manufacturing PEX — PEX-a, which uses the Engel method ; PEX-b, which uses the silane method; and PEX-c, which uses the electron-beam or radiation method. PEX-a is widely considered to be the superior PEX because the Engel method chemically cross-links the pipe material during the manufacturing process when the polyethylene is in its amorphic state. As a result, PEX-a is more than 80 percent cross-linked, compared with 65 to 70 percent for PEX-b, and 70 to 75 percent for PEX-c.
What is PEX A?
Similarly, PEX-a offers resistance to chemical-dissolving agents contained within the hydronic system to prevent the otherwise damaging effects of water. The unique molecular structure is stable, inert and unaffected by chemicals commonly found in most commercial HVAC systems.
What is the PEX-A pipe support?
Perhaps the most critical feature of the PEX-a Pipe Support is its ability to control the natural expansion and contraction that occurs as the piping heats and cools. PEX-a has a free-body expansion rate 10 times that of copper. Installing anchors every 65 feet and using PEX-a Pipe Supports allows PEX-a to function much like a copper system.
What is the temperature of PEX A?
PEX-a is regulated by ASTM F876, which denotes temperature and pressure ratings of 200 degrees F at 80 psi, 180 degrees F at 100 psi and 73.4 degrees F at 160 psi. These values are well within the range of operation for the vast majority of hydronic systems. This is especially true with the industry’s focus on energy efficiency and the trend to use higher water temperatures in cooling and lower water temperatures in heating.
Does PEX have an oxygen barrier?
Certain PEX manufacturers offer an oxygen barrier with their product . Since all non-metallic (plastic or rubber) pipe is permeable to the passage of dissolved oxygen molecules through its walls, without a barrier, oxygen can corrode ferrous components in the system, such as valves, strainers and pump volutes, which impacts the overall life of the system. The built-in oxygen barrier limits oxygen diffusion to levels below DIN 4726, ensuring the integrity of any metallic components within the hydronic system.
Is PEX pipe better than copper?
Many mechanical contractors and engineers may have a perception of PEX pipe as a cheap and flimsy alternative to copper that is bought at big-box stores for plumbing applications. But PEX is increasingly proving its mettle in various commercial hydronic applications, such as the Dallas Homewood Suites project. Its flexibility, durability, price stability and overall performance make it superior to copper in more ways than one .
Is PEX a good copper?
PEX-a also has a long-term advantage over copper when it comes to performance longevity. It is a static system, meaning its internal surfaces — which are three times smoother than copper — will not pit, scale or corrode and its performance will remain the same during year 25 as it was on day one.