October 15, 2025 - There are some requirements that apply to all PEX pipe used for commercial and residential plumbing applications. Others apply to PEX used in specific systems or applications. A few examples include: ASTM F876, which is the performance standard for PEX tubing.

1 day ago - It is also used for natural gas and offshore oil applications, chemical transportation, and transportation of sewage and slurries. PEX is an alternative to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) or copper tubing for use as residential water pipes.

There are three types of PEX tubing available for plumbers: PEX A, PEX B, and PEX C. The primary differences between these three materials are the methods that the manufacturer uses in order to create them. PEX, of course, is the industry term for cross-linked polyethylene.

Despite being less flexible than its PEX counterparts, PEX-C is valued for its excellent strength and stability that contribute to its resistance to stress and cracking. The electron beam process used in its manufacture gives PEX-C a smoother, shinier exterior which some find more visually appealing.

PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is a commonly used type of pipe in modern plumbing. It has revolutionized the industry with its flexibility, durability, and ease of installation. You might have already noticed that PEX-A, PEX-B, and PEX-C are available on the marketplace, but you are not sure what the differences are among the three types and which one is best for you.

PEX, short for cross-linked polyethylene, is a flexible plastic used for plumbing. The tubing has become quite popular over the years, replacing traditional copper and galvanized steel water supply lines.

April 17, 2024 - The processed material is not expandable and the least resistant to kinks. PEX C: These materials are not as common as PEX A and PEX B. The cross-linking process involves subjecting the HDPE material to an electron beam or gamma radiation. In addition to their unique characteristics, PEX A, PEX B, and PEX C have some shared properties. For example: They exhibit enough flexibility for use in plumbing components.

May 22, 2023 - PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is a type of plastic tubing commonly used in plumbing and heating systems. PEX-a, PEX-b, and PEX-c are three different methods of cross-linking the polyethylene molecules, resulting in different properties and ...

Pitting of the pipes put in question the integrity of the water supply and users at risk. Enter Engel... German inventor, Thomas Engel, pioneered a new way of piping by crosslinking polyethylene using a peroxide method. This method proved both more cost-effective and long-lasting—the piping held up to heat, it was easier to work with during installation, and more reliable against corrosion over time. By the 1980s, homes and businesses were using PEX for plumbing projects and radiant floor heating inside their buildings.

June 13, 2024 - Here, we’ll give you a rundown on all things PEX and how to make the right choice for every job. The term “PEX” is often in reference to one of its three most common types: PEX-a, PEX-b and PEX-c. These letters are used to identify different manufacturing processes and have nothing to do with quality or performance.

In late 2013, a leading US manufacturer ... this type of PEX should be avoided altogether in plumbing applications. While PEX-C may be suitable for hydronic and radiant heating use, it offers little practical advantage over the other (2) types....

PEX-C pipe became a subject of ... type of PEX should be avoided altogether in plumbing applications. While · PEX-C may be suitable for hydronic and radiant heating use, it offers little practical advantage over the other (2) types....

June 9, 2025 - PEX plumbing is a type of plastic tubing used for water systems in homes and buildings. It stands out because it’s flexible, durable, and easy to install. This article will explain what is PEX plumbing and discuss its benefits, drawbacks, and uses.

December 3, 2024 - This PEX pipe is more inexpensive as compared to PEX-A, making it much simpler for you to acquire. The least expensive of those three varieties. They have high crystallinity and hence higher better resistance to scratching. They have higher thermal stability. They are highly resistant to chlorine solutions. If the pipe is subjected to high concentrations of the chemical, it may deteriorate. ... Irradiation is used as one of the manufacturing processes for PEX-C pipes.

May 16, 2025 - Note that each type of PEX tubing comes in a range of sizes, some as narrow as a quarter inch, others as wide as three inches. That said, for many plumbing and heating applications, building codes often specify the use of half-inch tubing—“the same diameter that would be required if copper pipe were used instead,” O’Brian points out. The fine print here is that half-inch PEX tubing tends to deliver a higher flow rate than identically sized copper piping.

February 22, 2024 - For this reason therefore, we think that this type of PEX should be avoided altogether in plumbing applications. While PEX-C may be suitable for hydronic and radiant heating use, it offers little practical advantage over the other (2) types.

December 6, 2021 - Type C PEX is also usually cheaper than the other two types of PEX piping. Plumbers use PEX pipings for both hot and cold potable water.

April 14, 2022 - This was the first method of crosslinking, used for cable jacketing as far back as the 1950s. With the Irradiation method the pipe is extruded first and then passed through an electron beam to complete the cross-linking. The Irradiation method provides more precise control over the degree, consistency and uniformity of cross-linking. This means the tubing is evenly cross-linked, with no weak links within its molecular chains. PEX-c has an identical molecular structure as PEX-a pipe, with the polyethylene chains linked directly through a double carbon-carbon covalent bond.