My house is due for some plumbing work and I have decided to go with copper pipe for said work. The thing is I am garbage at soft soldering copper. I never do it so I’m awful at judging the temp and I hate dealing with flux. On the other hand I’m a refrigeration mechanic so brazing copper pipe is my bread and butter. I could practically make a good leak free braze joint with my eyes closed. Also, considering most of the plumbing will be copper to copper connections, I could just use silphos filler rod and not have to worry about flux for most of it. I know brazed joints are not standard for water pipe but I already have the tools, the skill set, and I don’t see any way it could be worse than soft solder. Sure it’s overkill but is there any other reason I shouldn’t just braze my water pipes?
It still doesn’t beat the long term durability and 100% recyclability of copper though. If I was doing an install in a factory or somewhere where the plumbing would require frequent modification then the fact that pex is easier to work with would probably make me go that route. But in my house where I will be replumbing once and then it will be almost entirely burried in the walls and left alone for decades, I would rather just put the extra work in and do it with copper.
Like the other person said, PEX will last 50+ years, but I find it funny that you would use PEX in a factory but not at home while I would do the exact opposite. Factory is for professional hardened installs while house is for easy installs that get the job done and last.
I’ve already had to redo the copper setup several times 😂
PEX has a lifespan of 50+ years. Copper pipes have a lifespan of about 70. Both are permanent solutions.
They have pros and cons. Both can freeze, but only copper pipes will actually burst. PEX never will. PEX offers way better flexibility and less joints, and easier connections (you literally just crimp it).
It’s your house but I wouldn’t be so quick to knock PEX. I did a whole new bathroom with it. Only thing I’d say to stay far far away from is CPVC. Avoid that shit like the plague as it’s basically a ticking time bomb