Red and Blue Plastic Water Pipe?
By Dan Miller
The plastic pipes eliminate that rattling you
sometimes hear with copper pipes. PHOTO: Joe Link
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I walked into the garage of our Idea House and Farmstead
outside of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and saw thick groupings of
red and blue lines running down one portion of the stud
wall. The bright colors grabbed my eyes. But then I wanted
to know what they where. The answer was surprising. In our 2004 Idea House the
builder has installed the Vanex PEX (cross-linked
polyethylene) water-supply system. Except at the connection
points, there is no copper tubing in the entire house.
"I've been using this for about eight years, probably
more," says Patrick Hatcliff of Hatcliff Construction.
Hatcliff likes this plasticlike water-supply system
mostly because it is resistant to splitting when the
temperature drops below freezing. In fact, this piping
expands a bit under the increased pressure of frozen water.
The piping also eliminates the pipe rattling you
sometimes hear with copper pipes.
In the end, it's an easy system to install, Hatcliff
says.
Vanguard Piping Systems Inc. at McPherson, Kan.,
manufactures this flexible tubing system. Vanex tubing is
recommended for, among other uses, hot (red) and cold (blue)
water-delivery systems.
Hatcliff likes the fact that Vanex can be pulled through
his homes in long, continuous lengths. Vanex comes in
lengths up to 1,000 feet.
There are fewer connection points, and there is no
sweating of the connections. The connections are made with
copper bands and a special crimping tool.
Overall, Hatcliff says there is really no price
difference in this system compared to copper water systems.
The connectors are more expensive, but his labor costs are
much reduced.
Vanguard points to several homeowner advantages,
including the following:
Fewer fittings mean less potential for leaks.
No electrolysis, corrosion or mineral buildup means
the inside of the tubing remains free from deposits, which
can degrade pressure and flow rates.
It is resistant, although not immune, to
freeze-related breakage.
The system operates quietly without a hammering noise
and its damaging effects.
The flexibility of Vanex PEX allows it to be installed
under a concrete slab and in a continuous run.
The Vanex system is installed in a home-run pattern
(similar to an electrical system) that centers on a manifold
(like an electrical fuse box) from which dedicated water
lines run to fixtures. That reduces water waste and energy
consumption.
For more information, go to www.vanguardpipe.com.
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