"Copper definitely has that reassuring track record, but honestly, I went with PEX to save some cash. No regrets yet... fingers crossed it stays that way, or I'll be back here eating my words in a few years, lol."
Yeah, I hear you on the cost savings with PEX. I redid my boiler plumbing about five years ago and went with PEX too—mostly because copper prices were through the roof at the time. Honestly, it's held up great so far. One thing I really appreciated was how much easier it was to route through tight spaces compared to copper. No soldering, fewer fittings, and way less hassle overall.
That said, I still used copper for the sections closest to the boiler itself, just for peace of mind. Maybe it's overkill, but I figured the extra heat resistance couldn't hurt. If you're careful with your fittings and keep an eye on things, PEX should serve you well. Just make sure you use the oxygen barrier type for heating systems—seen a few folks overlook that detail and regret it later.
Good call on mixing copper near the boiler—definitely not overkill. Boilers can crank out some serious heat, and PEX isn't always thrilled about being right up close and personal with that. I've seen a few DIY setups where folks ran PEX straight into the boiler connections... let's just say they ended up redoing it sooner than planned. Your setup sounds solid though—just keep an eye out for any discoloration or warping near those fittings, and you'll probably be golden.
Yeah, copper near the boiler is usually the way to go. Have you checked your fittings for galvanic corrosion though? I've seen setups where folks mixed metals without dielectric unions, and it turned into a real headache down the line. Also curious—did you go with threaded or sweat connections on your copper fittings? Threaded can be convenient, but sweat joints tend to hold up better under constant heat cycles. Just something to think about...
"Have you checked your fittings for galvanic corrosion though?"
Good point about galvanic corrosion—I've seen a few setups where people skipped dielectric unions, and it wasn't pretty after a couple years. Did you also double-check your pressure relief valve placement? I've heard some horror stories from guys who overlooked that step... definitely something worth confirming before firing up the boiler. Also curious if you insulated your copper lines near the boiler—helps a lot with efficiency and safety.
"Did you also double-check your pressure relief valve placement? I've heard some horror stories from guys who overlooked that step..."
Fair point on the relief valve, but honestly, I've found that most boiler setups these days are pretty straightforward if you're following the manufacturer's instructions. The real issue is usually when folks start improvising or mixing and matching fittings from different systems—then things get sketchy fast.
About galvanic corrosion... dielectric unions can be helpful, sure, but they're not always a magic bullet. I've seen plenty of cases where they actually caused more trouble than they prevented—especially if they're installed incorrectly or cheaply made. Sometimes a good brass fitting or even just careful material selection can do the job just as well without introducing another potential failure point.
Insulating copper lines near the boiler is generally a good idea for efficiency, no argument there. But safety-wise? Eh... unless you're running your boiler at unusually high temps or pressures, it's probably not making a huge difference in terms of safety. Efficiency gains are legit though—definitely worth doing if you've got easy access and some spare insulation lying around.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet: did you pay attention to your expansion tank sizing and placement? That's another area people tend to overlook, and it can cause headaches down the road with pressure fluctuations and premature wear on valves and fittings.
Anyway, sounds like you've got most of this figured out already—just thought I'd throw in my two cents based on what I've seen over the years. Boilers aren't rocket science, but there's definitely room for debate on some of these finer points...
