Copper’s durability is tempting, but yeah, that price tag made me wince when I got my first quote. I ended up going with PEX for most of the house, but I did a ton of research (and probably annoyed every plumber in town with questions). Here’s what I landed on:
1. For spots where rodents are a real issue—like crawlspaces—I used steel mesh sleeves over the PEX. It was awkward, especially around corners, but not impossible if you take your time. I double-checked for any spots where water could get trapped and left a little breathing room to avoid mold.
2. In the basement, I actually ran PEX inside conduit (the flexible kind). It’s not perfect, but it adds another layer critters have to chew through. Plus, if you ever need to replace the line, it’s way easier.
3. For sustainability, I looked into recycled copper and even some newer bio-based PEX options. The recycled copper was still pricey, but at least it felt a bit better environmentally.
Honestly, every option has trade-offs. If you’re handy and patient, mixing materials and adding protection seems like a decent middle ground... unless you just want to go full copper and eat ramen for a year.
It was awkward, especially around corners, but not impossible if you take your time.
That’s a pretty clever workaround with the steel mesh sleeves. I’ve seen people use metal conduit, but never thought about mesh for just the vulnerable spots. I get what you mean about it being awkward—corners are always a pain.
On the sustainability side, I tried to convince my partner to go with recycled copper too, but the price just didn’t make sense for us either. The bio-based PEX is interesting, though. Did you notice any difference working with it compared to regular PEX? I read somewhere it can be a bit stiffer, but I haven’t actually handled it yet.
One thing I did in our last reno was reusing some old copper lines where possible. It took a bit of elbow grease to clean them up, but it felt good not tossing perfectly usable pipe. Not sure it’s worth the hassle for everyone, but if you’re patient, it’s doable.
Mixing materials seems like the sweet spot for now. Full copper would be awesome, but yeah, that ramen diet isn’t for me either.
Mixing materials seems like the sweet spot for now. Full copper would be awesome, but yeah, that ramen diet isn’t for me either.
Totally agree—copper prices are wild. I tried cleaning up some old copper too, but honestly, it was more work than I expected. Haven’t used bio-PEX yet, but if it’s stiffer, that might be a dealbreaker for tight spots. Mesh sleeves sound way easier than conduit for just protecting the trouble areas.
Mixing materials really does seem like the best bang for your buck—copper everywhere just isn’t realistic unless you’ve got deep pockets. I tried mesh sleeves for my last reno, actually. Way less hassle than running conduit and still gives some peace of mind in the sketchy spots behind walls. If bio-PEX is stiffer, that’s a good heads-up... tight corners are already enough of a pain without fighting the pipe too. You’re definitely not alone juggling costs and convenience.
Mixing materials is pretty much the only way I can afford to do anything at home, honestly. Copper’s great, but my wallet just laughs at me whenever I price it out. I’ve been eyeing bio-PEX too, but hearing it’s stiffer is a bit of a bummer. I already wrestle with regular PEX in tight spots—can’t imagine trying to snake something even less flexible behind an old wall.
Mesh sleeves are a clever move. I’ve only used conduit once, and it was a nightmare—way more work than I expected, and I’m not convinced it added much unless you’re super worried about rodents or something chewing through. I do wonder if mixing materials long-term causes any weird reactions, though. Galvanic corrosion and all that... but maybe that’s just overthinking it.
Anyway, I’m still figuring out what’s actually “sustainable” versus just a marketing buzzword. Sometimes it feels like you trade one hassle for another, you know?
