Flex pipes are the duct tape of plumbing—ugly, but they get the job done. I’ve seen a few clog up, but honestly, it’s not as common as some folks make it sound. The inside’s ribbed, so yeah, gunk can build up faster than in a smooth pipe, but if you’re not dumping bacon grease down there every week, you’re probably fine. I’ve had one under my own sink for years and it’s still flowing. If it ain’t broke, I say let it ride... just don’t forget it exists.
I get the “if it ain’t broke” logic, but flex pipes have burned me before. Had one under my old sink that looked fine until a slow leak started, and by the time I noticed, the cabinet floor was warped. Those ribs can trap gunk, but they also make it harder to spot tiny leaks. If you’re doing a DIY fix anyway, swapping for a rigid PVC trap isn’t much harder and gives some peace of mind. Just my two cents—sometimes the ugly shortcut comes back to bite you.
If you’re doing a DIY fix anyway, swapping for a rigid PVC trap isn’t much harder and gives some peace of mind.
I get where you’re coming from—had a flex pipe under my bathroom sink that looked fine until it started leaking right at the joint. Still, I went with another flex because it was cheap and quick to install. Honestly, I’m always weighing cost vs. hassle. Has anyone found a decent rigid setup that works in tight spots, or do they just not fit sometimes?
Honestly, I’m always weighing cost vs. hassle. Has anyone found a decent rigid setup that works in tight spots, or do they just not fit sometimes?
That’s a fair point—sometimes flex pipes just seem like the only thing that’ll squeeze into those weird angles, especially in older houses where nothing lines up. I’ve run into a few setups where rigid PVC was a pain to fit, but with a couple extra slip joints and maybe a street elbow, you can usually make it work. It does take a bit more time to dry-fit everything and cut to size, but once it’s in, you don’t have to worry about it sagging or leaking at the accordion folds.
Honestly, I get why you’d go with flex for a quick fix. I’ve done it myself when I was in a rush or just didn’t want to deal with crawling under the sink for an hour. But if you’ve got the patience, rigid setups really do hold up better long-term. Sometimes it’s just about picking your battles... and how much you want to avoid another leak down the road.
Rigid setups do fit in tight spots, but it’s definitely more of a puzzle than just jamming in a flex pipe. I’ve had to get creative a few times—used two street elbows back-to-back once because nothing else would line up under an old farmhouse sink. It took forever, but it’s never leaked since.
- Flex pipes are super tempting when you’re tired or in a rush, but I’ve had those accordion folds start leaking after a year or two. Sometimes the plastic just gets brittle if it’s near a garbage disposal or dishwasher that puts out heat.
- For weird angles, I keep a small stash of different elbows and couplers. Dry-fitting is a pain, but you can usually make rigid work with enough patience (and maybe a few extra trips to the hardware store).
- I’ve also noticed that once you go rigid, you don’t have to babysit it. With flex, I’ve had to retighten things every now and then, especially if someone bumps the pipes while storing stuff under the sink.
That said, if you’re dealing with a really cramped cabinet or pipes that just won’t line up no matter what, flex might be the only reasonable option short of re-plumbing the whole thing. I’d still use rigid for as much as possible, then maybe just one short flex section if you really need it.
Kind of comes down to how much time you want to spend crawling around and whether you want to gamble on the quick fix holding up. I’ve regretted the quick fixes more often than not, honestly... but sometimes you just want your kitchen back before midnight.
