Everything You Always Wanted to Know About PEX

Part 05– PEX and the Single Installer – My PEX installation experience part 2

Pulling PEX

1. Much like pulling thick wire
   1. My method
      1. Used fish tape to pull mason's line
      2. Tied mason's line to PEX about 4 inches from end.
      3. Taped above & below with electrical tape
      4. Then tied line again closer to the end of PEX.
      5. Wrapped again with electrical tape
   2. Pull extra
   3. Unroll and let it lay straight for 24 hours if "curve memory" is a problem
   4. Can be challenging and require an individual installer to go back and forth between the feed point and the pull point.
2. Supporting PEX
   1. 1" and smaller PEX must be supported horizontally every 32 inches
   2. Vertically, it must be supported at every floor and midway between floors (every 4-6 feet)
   3. https://www.pexuniverse.com/providing-proper-support-long-runs-pex-tubing
   4. Can be challenging to hold in place until secured
   5. Zip ties are your friend!
3. Using a manifold
   1. Determine your needs
   2. Number of hot and cold outputs
   3. Valve type
      1. Handled
      2. Wrench/key
   4. Find a location with
   5. Easy access
   6. Fairly central to avoid long delays for hot water
   7. Limited light exposure
   8. Build or buy?
   9. Costs
   10. Appearance
   11. Materials
   12. Securing manifold in place
   13. Anchor securely
       1. Block wall with anchors
       2. To wood for spanning wall studs (I don't know why I kept saying "Joist" during the recording)
       3. Do not anchor to drywall
   14. Insulate from wall if needed
4. Connecting to the main line
   1. What to replace and what to use
   2. Size matters
   3. Plan to include manifold if needed
5. Connecting to water heater
   1. Where/how to connect
   2. Pipe Unions?
   3. Protect from heat
   4. Shut-off valve
   5. Expansion tank
   6. Silicon tape or pipe dope
6. Connecting to endpoints
   1. What to keep and what to replace
   2. Transition connectors
   3. SharkBite
   4. Solder
   5. Thread
   6. Glue
7. Exterior hose taps
   1. Reuse or replace?
   2. Frost free / anti-siphon
   3. Anchor securely
   4. Help is better!
8. Turning it on!
   1. If using a manifold turn on one section at a time, from the bottom up
   2. Open sink valves
   3. Ease it on a little at a time
   4. Then increase flow
   5. Turn off sink tap (Slowly) to let pressure build
   6. Keep watching for leaks
   7. Coordinate with a partner and communicate (cell phone?)
9. Afterwards
   1. Cover any PEX exposed to light
   2. Watch for leaks
   3. Repair holes
   4. Run water daily to flush out bad taste
   5. Inspection?