I have some PVC and CPVC that go from under the guest house to a small 4x4 metal building that holds the water heater. The pipes are outside the metal building, to the point they enter the holes in the metal walls. It was like that when I bought it. Over the years I’ve had to replace busted piping time and again. Insulating the pipes helps, to a point, but when the temp hits 20 degrees or below, I get a busted pipe. I put drain valves in the low points of the pipes, thinking that would solve my problem (no water, therefore no freezing), but here I am again with a busted pipe. When we warm up again, I’ll put in PVC again, for the short term.

So…PEX might fix the problem with the outside pipes, but I’ve never worked with PEX. Suggestions? Internet videos? Any specific PEX recommended? Fittings needed? Share whatever you can and assume I know very little.

My trailer at the lease had Pex run in it. It is not a cure all. It will rupture. It allows for some swelling, but severe cold will bust the Pex. The Pex in my trailer busted and it was an easy fix. Pex is easy to work with but you'll need an extra tool for crimping. The tools aren't that expensive but you will need the crimping tool. There are a lot of videos on You Tube. With that, it will be more resistant to the pipes bursting but won't be immune. What actually busted on mine was the 90 dgree elbow. I don't believe the joints allow for as much swelling as the actual "pipe".

Plumb a spigot off of it with a T and then put a freeze miser on the spigot. They start releasing when water temp hits 37*. It'll use some water but should keep the water inside the pipes from freezing.

Deer lease cabin is plumbed with PEX. We've had it freeze numerous times and no breaks yet. Very easy to work with.

Freezer Miser. Gotta look that up. Thanks.

In my experience the pex won't break but as jetdad mentioned it always the 90's or a coupling that isn't pex that will screw you. Now if you're draining it...I'd bet pex would fix your issue because I think it would pull enough pressure off the couplings to keep them from breaking.

Freeze Miser is a good play but I haven't ever personally used one.

Good luck, I hate plumbing.

Why not just wrap it with electric freeze tape and then insulate, you already have power since that where water heater is

No electric outlet nearby. Water heater is Propane. I could use an extension cord and the electric heating tape, but prefer not to do it that way. Happily, I was wrong about having another busted pipe at the water heater last night. I should be fine till warmer weather, so no rush to do anything. There are several ways to solve my problem, but PEX might be the best, easiest, and cheapest. More thought is required, and I have time and PEX studying to do.

Yep.

I ran PEX from an existing faucet on the west side of our house around several corners to the back porch, likely around 50'. The faucet is about 5 feet off the ground and the added faucet is also about 5 feet up. It is all exposed (solid rock) around the foundation. Normally I disconnect at the inlet faucet and open the back faucet to release pressure but having water still in the line around the foundation. It has split a couple times over the years but after that hard cold spell in '21, I got smart and installed an inline faucet at the lowest point so when I remove the line at the faucet, I open the bottom one to drain the water out of the low points. Haven't had any issues since.

also, there are what is called Sharkbite fittings where you need to make joints that work very well and easy to use. I don't have any elbow fittings in my line where I have 5x 90° bends. They make these bent sheet metal things that you bend the PEX into for corners that also work well.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Apollo-3-4-in-Metal-PEX-Pipe-90-Degree-Bend-Support-APXMBEND34/301541123 Corner bend

You must have Gen 1 Pex.

My plumber tested the second generation by taking a piece of 3/4', 12" long. He plugged one end, filled it with water 100% full, then plugged the other end. He put that in a stainless steel bowl, and placed it in the freezer. Of course it froze solid and was swollen. At the end of the day he took that out and let it thaw on the counter. It did not leak.

I asked him if Pex is the greatest thing to ever happen to plumbing and he said yes. I bought all the tools and will never use PVC again, for anything that is not a drain line. During Snowmageddon we got down to -7°F. Pex froze solid. After the thaw, none of it had any damage.

Is it better to crimp the PEX or to use the sharkbite fittings?

You guys have talked me into PEXing. This forum gives me access to people that actually use what they are commenting on, rather than trying to sell me something. That is much appreciated.

By the way JG, “all of the tools” includes what? If I buy one thing less than I’ll need to do the job, it’ll cost me another drive into town. I’m willing to buy more stuff than absolutely needed rather than be one part short.

I chose to get the crimper specific to every size I would need to plumb with 1/2", 3/4", 1".

That could add up to over $200 for quality tools. As you know, most multi-tools are not good at any one thing.

Barbed fittings and crimp rings is what my plumber used, so that's what I use.

Also, you need a little pex cutting knife. Think scissors, but one jaw is flat and solid and the other jaw is a knife on a hinge. No more cutting pipe with a saw.

Depends on how many fittings you need. If you only need a handful of fittings it maybe best to go Sharkbites, you can remove them and reuse them if needed.

Crimp rings and fittings will be cheaper but you will need to buy a crimper tool by hand, those are kinda janky to me.

If you plan on doing alot of crimping just buy a Milwaukee Short Throw for Pex Crimp, they are pretty cheap runs about $800. Home Depot, etc carries them

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/2674-20C

Pex A is desinged for cold expansion for the fitting, so that would be best for freezing.

Pex B I have never seen it bust in freezing temps, it will expand as well.

Just remember if you have any shorts pieces of PEX regardless of A or B they can freeze and bust I am talking like a few inches long.

The work, replacing PVC and CPVC piping (all 3/4”) won’t require long runs of PEX. I’ll go with PEX A, which seems the best option in a location that’s often in low temps in winter. I’ll go with crimps, rather than Sharkbites. I see that PEX tool kits are available, so I’ll get one (suggestions on which one are welcomed) that will allow me to do various PEX pipe thicknesses. The RV and travel trailer both have smaller PEX piping, so sooner or later I’ll probably have to work on them.

As for the water heater, which my wife insists on calling the “hot water heater”, the piping set-up is simple. Piping to and from the water heater come from under the house, go about 3’ to vertical piping that goes about 4’ up and through the metal wall to the water heater. Both hot and cold piping has low drains, and I’ll want to do the same with the PEX. No bends necessary, since I can use straight connections for connection to PVC and CPVC from under the house, and T’s to the vertical and the drain valves. And 90 degree fittings to the water heater. And there will be the trip to the hardware store for the things I forgot I’d need.

Thanks to you guys and the internet, I think I have the basic knowledge I’ll need to either do the job or really screw it up.

I actually look forward to it, as long as I can do it at my leisure.

Good call on crimp vs. Sharkbite. Sharkbite is fine for a while. Some say forever. Some say not forever. Crimp should be forever. Any name brand Pex tools should be fine. Use a cutter vs. saw.