Installing PEX pipe in a mobile home is usually easier than working with rigid pipe because PEX is flexible, lightweight, and can make long runs with fewer fittings. But mobile homes have one major difference: much of the plumbing runs underneath the home, where it is exposed to movement, cold temperatures, and limited working space….
The main difference between PEX-A and PEX-B is how the tubing is manufactured. PEX-A is generally more flexible and has stronger shape memory, while PEX-B is typically stiffer and often less expensive. PEX-A is commonly used with compatible expansion fittings, whereas PEX-B is widely used with crimp and cinch fittings. Neither type is automatically better…
Cutting PEX pipe is simple when you use the right cutter and make a clean, square cut. For most residential plumbing jobs, you need a sharp PEX cutter, a tape measure, and a marker. Straighten the tubing, mark the cut, position the cutter perpendicular to the pipe, and squeeze until the blade passes completely through….
If you need to know whether your plumbing uses PEX-A or PEX-B, start by looking at the printing on the tubing. The manufacturer, product name, PEX designation, standards, and other information printed along the pipe are usually more reliable than color, flexibility, or the type of fitting you see. If the printing is difficult to…
If you’re comparing PEX vs PVC, there isn’t one universal winner. The better pipe depends on what you’re using it for. For residential plumbing, PEX is commonly used for hot- and cold-water distribution because it is flexible and relatively easy to route through walls and around obstacles. PVC is a rigid plastic pipe commonly used…
PEX has been around for more than 50 years, but there is not just one date that explains when it was “invented.” Quick Answer PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) was developed during the 1960s, with German inventor Dr. Thomas Engel playing a central role. Early work dates back to 1965, while 1967–1968 marks important development milestones. Commercial…
PEX plumbing is made primarily from cross-linked polyethylene, a type of plastic that has been chemically or physically modified to create stronger bonds between its polymer chains. This cross-linking gives PEX the flexibility, strength, heat resistance, and pressure performance needed for plumbing applications. In simple terms, manufacturers start with a polyethylene-based compound, form it into…
If you have looked at modern plumbing tubing, you have probably seen the letters PEX printed along the side. But what does PEX stand for? PEX stands for cross-linked polyethylene. The name describes the material used to make PEX tubing: polyethylene that has been cross-linked during manufacturing to change its molecular structure and give the…
If you have ever opened a plumbing wall and found a red or blue plastic tube instead of copper, you have probably seen PEX pipe. PEX stands for cross-linked polyethylene. It is a flexible plastic piping material widely used for hot- and cold-water distribution, and specific PEX products are also made for applications such as…
If you’re researching PEX-A tubing, the short answer is simple: PEX-A is a flexible type of cross-linked polyethylene tubing made using the peroxide, or Engel, manufacturing method. Its flexibility makes it useful for residential plumbing, water distribution, radiant heating, and other approved piping applications. But there is more to choosing PEX-A than seeing the letter…