- Rodents and PEX are a nightmare combo, no doubt. I’ve patched more than a few chewed lines under houses—sometimes it feels like a losing battle if you’ve got critters around.
- Copper’s durability is tough to argue with, but I do worry about pinhole leaks in older homes, especially where water chemistry isn’t ideal. Seen some nasty surprises behind walls after decades.
- One thing I always check: local code and insurance requirements. Some places are picky about what’s allowed behind showers, especially for accessibility remodels.
- Curious if anyone’s tried those newer PEX sleeves or rodent-resistant wraps? I’ve heard mixed things, but haven’t seen them hold up long-term yet.
- For folks doing walk-in showers, do you ever run into issues with copper sweating or corrosion from all the extra humidity? Or is that just overthinking it?
Switching out a tub for a walk-in shower: copper vs. PEX pipes?
For folks doing walk-in showers, do you ever run into issues with copper sweating or corrosion from all the extra humidity? Or is that just overthinking it?
I’ve wondered about this too. In my case, we went with copper for the shower upgrade, mostly because I was nervous about rodents and PEX. I haven’t noticed any sweating yet, but maybe that’s just luck or newer pipes. The plumber did mention that as long as you’ve got decent ventilation, humidity shouldn’t really cause problems with copper behind the wall. Still, I do worry about pinhole leaks down the line since our water’s a bit on the hard side.
I looked into those rodent-resistant PEX sleeves—some folks swear by them, but the reviews are all over the place. It’s a tough call when you’re trying to future-proof things and not break the bank.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from. I’ve had the same debate in my head—copper feels “safer” somehow, but then you read about pinhole leaks and start second-guessing. I totally relate to this:
It’s a tough call when you’re trying to future-proof things and not break the bank.
We went with PEX in our last reno just because it was cheaper, but I did lose sleep over the rodent thing. No issues so far, but I keep checking the crawlspace just in case. I think as long as you’ve got good ventilation and keep an eye on things, either way is probably fine. It’s just hard not to overthink it when you’re the one paying for repairs down the road.
It’s a tough call when you’re trying to future-proof things and not break the bank.
That’s the core of it. In my experience, copper does have a longer track record, but pinhole leaks can be a real headache, especially in areas with aggressive water. PEX is more forgiving during installation—less risk of a bad solder joint—but you’re right, rodents can be an issue if you’ve got any access points. I’ve seen jobs where PEX was chewed, but honestly, it’s rare if everything’s sealed up and you don’t have an active rodent problem. For a walk-in shower, either will work, but I’d lean toward PEX for the flexibility and fewer fittings behind the wall. Just make sure to use proper supports and don’t let it rest directly on sharp edges or anything that could cause abrasion over time.
Had this exact debate with my uncle when we redid his bathroom last year. He was dead set on copper because “that’s what lasts,” but we went with PEX in the end. Honestly, running it through those tight spaces was way easier, and we didn’t have to worry about burning anything with a torch. Haven’t seen any rodent issues so far, but we did take extra time to seal up the crawlspace just in case. If you’re careful with support and don’t kink it, PEX is pretty forgiving.