Can you bury pex pipe

Remember that water pressure decreases by a half-pound per square inch for every foot pipes extend above your water supply. Is PEX safe for drinking water?

The inner pipe for drinking water is made of a plastic called cross-linked polyethylene PEX. There are no health risks associated with drinking water from PEX pipes. A few types of PEX-pipe may cause prolonged undesirable taste and odour if the water remains in pipes over time. Can SharkBite fittings be buried? Underground burial of SharkBite brass fittings requires that the fitting be wrapped in an impermeable material to protect the connection from ground contaminants.

Why is PEX banned in California? Uponor Wirsbo said its PEX pipe was introduced in California in and that the product helps solve problems in areas with aggressive soil conditions that copper pipe cannot solve. Will PEX burst if frozen? Due to its flexibility polymers , PEX has a small margin of expansion under the damaging pressure caused by ice formation.

If the weather gets cold enough, PEX pipes can and will freeze — — like any plumbing. However, PEX may be less likely to rupture as a result of freezing. Flexibility - PEX-A is the most flexible, allowing for it to be fastened by cold expansion, which allows the end to be fluted prior to inserting the fitting.

This type of PEX tubing has the highest cross-linking, therefore, the most softness and flexibility. In terms of which type of PEX is best for burying underground, A is second-best.

The extreme flexibility allows the PEX tubing to have better expansion against freezing water, which provides a high degree of resistance to cracking against frigid temperatures. Then the tubing goes through steam formed within a silane catalyst that causes the polymers to create cross-links. The production process causes PEX-B to have more rigidity, making it more difficult to manipulate during installation. But it also makes it more durable against bursting under freezing temperatures.

The higher bursting pressure is one of the main reasons why PEX-B is the best tubing for burial. Not only will there be less chance of pipes bursting, but there are also fewer issues with leached chemicals. This type of tubing has cross-links formed due to the exposure of the HDPE tube to gamma radiation or an electron beam. When used for burial, this type of piping will require frequent repairs due to damage. The best use for PEX-C is when you need a sturdy, straight pipe, or need to make short repairs.

A big selling feature of PEX tubing is that you can run it for long distances without using a lot of fittings to seal joints. When there is the need to connect PEX with fittings, it must be done with mechanical fasteners transitional or directional but never with solvent cement. Many times, there will be brand-specific fitting systems. All fittings have regulations that define the standards for material and performance. You should see a certification mark from a third-party agency, including among others —.

There may be limitations on what types of fittings may be used in direct burial applications since these areas are typically inaccessible, making repairs more difficult. Cold expansion is one of the most common types of fittings. This method involves placing a reinforcing PEX ring over the end of a PEX piping and then expanding the tubing before inserting the fitting.

The end of the pipe then forms a seal over the fitting as it retracts back into its normal shape. To perform the expansion of the PEX ring and tube, you will need an expander tool. A metal compression sleeve goes over the connection once the piping returns to normal size to keep the fitting in the pipe.

You also need a tool to expand the tubing and for slipping the sleeve into place. Metal crimp rings fit over the PEX tubing and keep it held onto the fitting. Crimp rings are copper or stainless steel, while the fittings can be bronze, plastic, brass, or copper with a ribbed or barbed annular end.

But PEX pipes are flexible and as a result, they will expand a bit during freezes making them less likely to burst. The durability and flexibility of PEX tubing has been tested for over 50 years. PEX piping is NOT recommended for outdoor use unless it is buried or protected somehow such as wrapping it in insulation.

The reason is because it deteroriates when exposed to continuous UV rays sunlight. For outdoor piping we recommend using Copper pipes.