- Been there with the torch—sometimes I miss the old-school feel, but crawling under a tub with PEX is just less hassle.
- I always use the stainless crimp rings, never had a callback yet.
- Only time I had pressure issues was a kinked line behind a stud... easy fix, but made me double-check every run after that.
- Copper’s great for exposed runs, but behind tile and drywall? I’ll take PEX every time.
Switching out a tub for a walk-in shower: copper vs. PEX pipes?
Yeah, I’m with you—crawling around with a torch just isn’t my idea of a good time anymore. Used to love sweating copper, but after doing a couple bathroom renos with PEX, I don’t see myself going back unless it’s for something exposed or decorative. The flexibility alone is worth it, especially when you’re trying to snake lines through old framing that’s anything but straight.
I’ve had good luck with the stainless crimp rings too. Tried the plastic ones once and didn’t feel as confident about the seal, so I stick with stainless now. Never had a leak yet (knock on wood). Only issue I ever ran into was when I got a little too aggressive pulling a line and ended up with a kink behind the wall. Had to cut out a section of drywall to fix it... learned my lesson there. Now I just take it slow and use those bend supports if I need to make a tight turn.
Copper does look sharp if you’ve got it running along an unfinished basement ceiling or somewhere you actually see it, but behind tile? No one’s ever going to know, and PEX is just way easier to work with in tight spaces. Plus, no worrying about corrosion or pinhole leaks down the line.
One thing I will say—if your water gets super hot, double-check what type of PEX you’re using. Some of the cheaper stuff can get a little soft if you’re running high temps all the time. Not usually an issue for showers, but something to keep in mind.
All in all, for anything behind walls or under floors, I’d pick PEX every time these days. Makes life a whole lot simpler, especially if you’re working solo and don’t want to mess with fire or flux.
