Plumbing is a basic necessity for any kind of a building, be it a house for personal use or perhaps a shopping mall. Owing to the importance of plumbing as a basic technology in all of the buildings, the world of entrepreneurs has never stopped innovating it. The improvement in the plumbing and plumbing services over the decades has been tremendous, to say the least. For instance, the latest technology has now been introduced in the market that makes your home functional and dry. While the fundamentals of plumbing have remained the same, the latest introduction has made a change in the type of pipes to be utilized in plumbing in order to make it more effective and efficient. There is no argument over the fact that plumbing is behind the scenes system, however, there are a few ways which are certainly better than others. So let’s dive deep into what this new technology has to offer and how is it more useful yet less costly as compared to the traditional plumbing options available at our disposal.
A Comparison Of PEX And Metal Pipes:
It is absolutely justified for you to question what PEX is. A crosslinked polyethylene pipe which can be used in plumbing has just been given the fancy name of PEX. While polyethylene in its true sense is a plastic matter, however, thanks to its remarkably higher density, it is not only just safer and easier to use as compared to the metal pipes, but also offers more stability than its competitor.
How Are They Manufactured?
As the name suggests, the PEX pipes are primarily manufactured with the utilization of a technique that is commonly referred to as crosslinking. Have you ever seen a heavy whipping cream that is being folded into a pound cake batter? Crosslinking can essentially be considered the same kind of bonding only much stronger than that. There is a chemical bond which is the cause of strength that the crosslinking method has to offer. The utilization of certain crosslinking agents makes the polyethylene molecules bond together. Thanks to the two reactive ends of the crosslinking agents, they are capable of binding the polyethylene molecules together. With this covalent chemical bond, the structure, shape, and strength of a PEX pipe are solidified.
The Outcome:
This is what makes the PEX pipes much stronger and more flexible than the ordinary metal pipes. It won’t be wrong to consider PEX as a superplastic as compared to the common PVC options available in the market. While PVC is closely related to the PEX, however, due to its brittle nature and lack of flexibility, it is not exactly a suitable option to be used in plumbing. PEX, on the other hand, are unique in offering the same level of strength as the metal pipes, but without inviting the organic matter which makes them rust over time. Last but not the least, PEX are known to be sterile that makes it a far safer option to be used in plumbing.
Cost Effective Solution:
There are a number of reasons why PEX pipes end up being a cost effective solution for plumbing. To begin with, PEX is remarkably lighter as compared to the metal pipes which makes it convenient and cheaper for the manufacturing industries to ship the material. Once the cost has been cut on shipping, it directly translates into the customers has to pay a reduced markup. It should also be taken into consideration that being lighter, PEX is relatively easier to deal with for the plumber during the installation of the pipes that translates into the customer having to pay for reduced hours of labor.
What’s more is that PEX pipes have a significantly higher flexibility to offer. It is far more convenient to make these pipes turn and bend throughout the building that doesn’t only help a great deal in installation, but it does also mean fewer elbow joints as in the case of metal pipes. It should go without saying that these elbow joints and excessive fittings are the very reason why the possibility of leakage in metal pipes is far higher as compared to the advanced technology of PEX pipes in plumbing.
Last but not the least, another major benefit of PEX pipes over the traditional metal ones for plumbing is that the requirements of tools in case of PEX installation is absolutely minimum. There are only three tools which are required for the installation of PEX pipes namely a pipe cutter, a crimping tool, and of course a de-crimping tool. This implies that your hired plumber will be able to travel faster and lighter. Secure brass or steel fittings may as well be needed for installation specifically for the purpose of joining the pipes in the areas where it has to be cut and joined.
Conclusion:
In the light of the information mentioned above, it won’t be wrong to conclude that all in all, PEX happens to be an advanced yet simpler technology that has been recently introduced in the market and offers a highly flexible product that refuses to make a compromise in terms of the strength as well. The introduction of PEX technology in the world of plumbing has certainly taken the industry by storm since it is already making plumbing in a new construction, or perhaps in a renovation much more convenient, efficient, and cost-effective than ever before.
With such a huge range of benefits at your disposal, what else could you possibly ask for? There is no argument over the fact that spending your precious money on the PEX pipes for plumbing is going to be a commendable idea. The product is going to provide value to every single penny that you end up spending. Rest assured, you won’t have to be disappointed in making the decision of choosing PEX pipes in place of the traditional metal pipes for plumbing. All you have to do is give it a go and you would be able to see the difference for yourself.