I’m in the same boat with an older house, and honestly, I went back and forth on this for weeks. Ended up going with PEX for my shower redo last fall, mostly because I could actually run it myself without sweating bullets (literally and figuratively) about burning the place down. The flexibility was a lifesaver—snaking it through weird old framing was way easier than I expected.
Funny thing, I did find a chewed-up bit of insulation near one of the runs, so the rodent thing crossed my mind too. But like you said, if critters are getting in deep enough to mess with pipes, I’ve probably got bigger headaches to deal with. I figure I’ll just keep an eye on it and patch if needed.
I get why folks love copper, but after seeing my dad chase down a hidden leak in his 70s ranch (not fun), I’m not convinced it’s the “install and forget” gold standard people make it out to be. For me, knowing I can cut and crimp a new section of PEX in an afternoon is worth a lot. Maybe in 20 years I’ll regret it, but right now, it fits my budget and my nerves.
Copper vs. PEX is one of those debates that never seems to die, huh? When I swapped out my tub for a walk-in a couple years back, I actually tried to stick with copper at first—mostly because that’s what was already there. But after one too many burns and a couple of very questionable joints, I caved and went PEX for the new lines.
Here’s how it went for me:
1. Cut out the old copper—ended up dealing with a bunch of green corrosion I hadn’t even noticed.
2. Fished PEX through the weirdest nooks in the wall framing (I swear, whoever built this place hated straight lines).
3. Crimped everything up in maybe an hour, no torch, no stress.
I get the “install and forget” thing with copper, but honestly, the old stuff in my house was anything but maintenance-free. Plus, I like knowing I can fix PEX with a $20 tool and a couple minutes if something goes sideways. Only thing I keep an eye on is making sure it’s not getting chewed or exposed to the sun.
If you’re handy and not looking to set off the smoke detectors, I’d say PEX is hard to beat for this kind of job.
I get the appeal of PEX, especially for tricky retrofits and tight spaces. No denying it’s a lot less hassle than sweating copper joints overhead or in a crawlspace. But I’d be careful about calling copper “anything but maintenance-free” based on one batch of corroded pipe. That green corrosion you found—most times, it’s from a slow leak or poor water chemistry, not the copper itself failing. In a lot of older homes, the real culprit is acidic water or bad soldering from decades ago.
PEX is great for speed and flexibility, but it’s not bulletproof. I’ve seen more than a few pinhole leaks pop up after rodents got curious, and UV exposure is a real concern if you’re running lines anywhere near sunlight. Plus, PEX fittings can be a weak link if you don’t use the right crimp rings or if the tool calibration’s off. I’ve been called out to fix a handful of “quick” PEX jobs that turned into small floods because someone rushed the install or used cheap connectors.
Copper’s not perfect, but it’s still the gold standard for longevity—assuming it’s installed right and your water isn’t eating it alive. I’ve opened up walls in 60-year-old houses where the copper looked almost new. With PEX, we just don’t have the same track record yet. If you’re planning to stay in the house for decades, it’s worth weighing that.
Not saying PEX is a bad choice, just that it’s not always the slam dunk people make it out to be. Sometimes the old ways stick around for a reason...
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I went with PEX for my shower swap and haven’t regretted it. I’m not super handy, but the flexibility made it way less intimidating. Didn’t have to mess with a torch or worry about burning the house down—just cut, crimp, done. The rodent thing had me worried at first, but my plumber said as long as it’s behind drywall and not in an attic or crawlspace, it’s not a big risk.
Copper does last, but in my area the water’s pretty hard and I’ve seen neighbors deal with pinholes in old copper lines. Maybe it’s just our local water, but that kind of put me off. PEX might not have the decades-long track record, but for a bathroom reno where everything’s accessible and new, it felt like a safe bet. If I was redoing the whole house or planning to stay forever, maybe I’d think twice... but for a single shower? PEX just made sense.
