Off Topic - Basement Plumbing

[ndbwhunter]

I'm preparing to finish off the basement bathroom rough-in using PEX. I have a friend that works at a local supply house that sells the viega products. The viega press tool sells for roughly $175 and I really don't want to buy one for one-time use.

Do you guys have any other suggestions on which style of pex to run (crimp vs. press vs. expansion)? I know the tools aren't cheap for any of them, but I could borrow the crimp tools. Also, I'm not really keen on using the off brand stuff from the big box stores, so can anyone recommend a brand that you've had good luck with from the supply houses?

I'm fairly new to plumbing, so I'm just looking for advice on which direction to take. It's a fairly small job, and I really don't want to pay $1,000+ to have a contractor come do it.

 

[Vids]

In my last house I did the basement bathroom using PEX, with a crimp tool from Home Depot. Worked like a charm, plumbed the whole thing in about 30 minutes. I can't speak to crimp vs. press vs. expansion though. I just know I'll never go back to sweating copper....

 

[Netherman]

Some tools should be borrowed and some should be owned. I have the same Home Depot crimp tool and found it incredibly easy to use. I would recommend buying the tool and having a few connectors and a few feet of PEX on hand. If you ever have a late night, weekend, or holiday issue you'll be glad you did. For installing wood floors I'll borrow my Dad's floor nailer. For general home repair and emergency repairs I need to own those tools.

 

[dotman]

I’ve used the press type fittings and the shark bite, shark bite is so much easier to use and I haven’t had an issue using either. No special tool required to install shark bite fittings and they work on pex, pvc, cpvc and copper.

SharkBite PEX Installation: How to Install PEX Tubing & More

 

[sniper61]

Go with sharkbite values and tees and you are done. They make less expensive ones then sharkbite that work great.

 

[Trogon]

I would highly recommend that you not use sharkbite fitting. I had a tankless water heater (domestic and hydronic heat) installed with PEX and all my domestic water lines replaced with PEX. Right after the water heater was put in, one of the sharkbite fittings failed in the night, completely flooded my basement. It was the second one that the plumber had seen fail and the last time they will ever use sharkbites. The other plumber that did the rest of my house used a press fit tool (propex) that worked great, rock solid connections. He also refuses to use sharkbites, in fact I had him replace all the other sharkbites that the previous plumber put in.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I'm a general contractor and I use the shark bite fittings for small jobs. I'd recommend them as well.

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[dotman]

I would highly recommend that you not use sharkbite fitting. I had a tankless water heater (domestic and hydronic heat) installed with PEX and all my domestic water lines replaced with PEX. Right after the water heater was put in, one of the sharkbite fittings failed in the night, completely flooded my basement. It was the second one that the plumber had seen fail and the last time they will ever use sharkbites. The other plumber that did the rest of my house used a press fit tool (propex) that worked great, rock solid connections. He also refuses to use sharkbites, in fact I had him replace all the other sharkbites that the previous plumber put in.

Sounds like an install issue or did shark bite agree their fitting failed? I’ve used them for years without issue, have to make sure your cuts are even and deburred and that the fitting is fully seated correctly, otherwise you can have a issue like this.

 

[Brodie]

Have a cheap crimp tool that I’ve used to re plumb my house, cottage and some other jobs when I did Reno’s. Works great. Plumber I used to work with liked the compression fittings, although they were the only pex fittings I’ve personally seen fail but I think it was operator error.


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[Jauwater]

I’m a licensed Plumber in NC. If you can get it use Rehau Pex. If you got a Home Depot near by they sell a crimp tool with a 3/4” & 1/2” Crimp Head for like $60 bucks or less.

If you do decide to go with the Pex expansion tool use Uponor piping. Feel free to contact me via PM, and we can talk on the phone if you run into something you need help with.

The Shark-Bite fittings mentioned above are easy to install. No tool needed. The fittings are kind of expensive.


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[Rob Patuto]

Licensed plumber in Idaho. Either the copper crimp or stainless band style work well. Stainless crimp requires only one tool while the other requires one for each size. Plastic or brass fittings will work as well the former obviously less expensive. I dont like the idea of burying sharkbite in a wall but to each his own.