I’m right there with you on the “YouTube makes it look easy” thing. I just swapped out a faucet and even that felt like a circus act, so I can only imagine wrestling with crimp rings overhead. The fire risk with copper is what pushed me toward PEX for our shower redo. The idea of holding a torch near old insulation freaked me out—plus, I’ve never soldered anything in my life.
I did worry about PEX’s longevity too, but after reading up, it seems like most issues come from bad installs or cheap fittings, not the pipe itself. I double-checked every crimp with the gauge (maybe overkill, but peace of mind matters). Also, being able to snake PEX through weird angles behind our ancient plaster walls was a lifesaver.
Copper does feel more “classic,” and I get why folks trust it, but for a DIYer like me, PEX just made more sense. Less stress, less mess. If I had to do it again, I’d probably make the same call—just with more patience and maybe a better crimp tool...
The idea of holding a torch near old insulation freaked me out—plus, I’ve never soldered anything in my life.
You’re not alone there. I’ve seen more than a few scorched joists from folks trying to learn soldering on the fly. PEX is a game-changer for tight retrofits—especially in older homes where nothing is square and you’re dodging mystery wires behind every wall. Double-checking crimps isn’t overkill at all; I still do it after years on the job. Peace of mind is worth a few extra minutes. Copper’s great, but for most DIYers, PEX just takes a lot of the stress out of the equation.
I hear you on the torch thing—my first attempt at sweating copper ended with me singeing some insulation and nearly melting a plastic vapor barrier. Not my proudest moment.
That’s been my experience too. I did my shower swap last year and PEX saved me a ton of headaches (and cash). The crimp rings made me nervous at first, but after a few practice runs, it was way less stressful than messing with flux and fire. Copper looks nice, but for a budget project, PEX just makes sense.PEX is a game-changer for tight retrofits—especially in older homes where nothing is square and you’re dodging mystery wires behind every wall.
I totally get the nerves with crimp rings—my first few tries, I kept double-checking every connection for leaks. Once you get the hang of it, though, it’s way less stressful than sweating joints in a crawlspace. Have you tried the push-to-connect fittings at all? I’ve heard mixed things about them, especially behind walls, but they seem tempting for quick fixes.
