If you’re patching pinholes every couple years, that’s basically your warning light.
Couldn’t agree more—once you’re chasing leaks, it’s usually time. I held out longer than I should’ve, too. Old copper just doesn’t last forever, no matter how careful you are. Swapping to PEX was a game changer for me.
Yeah, chasing pinholes is like playing whack-a-mole—you fix one, another pops up. I’ve seen folks try to milk a few more years out of old copper, but honestly, it’s just asking for a midnight flood. PEX isn’t perfect, but it’s way less stress.
I hear you on the midnight flood—been there, mopping that. PEX does take a lot of the anxiety out of the equation, but I’ve run into folks who worry about rodents chewing through it or fittings leaking if they’re not crimped just right. Ever run into any weird issues with PEX installs, or is it mostly smooth sailing once you make the switch?
- PEX has been mostly chill for me, but yeah, rodents are the wildcard. Had a squirrel in the crawlspace once—chewed right through a line.
- Fittings can be tricky if you rush. I double-check every crimp now... learned that the wet way.
- On the plus side, way fewer leaks than my old copper ever had.
- If you’re eco-minded, less metal mining is a bonus, but plastic’s not perfect either.
- Overall? I’ll take PEX over rusty pipes any day, just gotta keep an eye out for critters.
“Fittings can be tricky if you rush. I double-check every crimp now... learned that the wet way.”
Yeah, nothing like a surprise shower to teach you patience with those crimps. I’ve seen folks get a little too confident and skip the gauge—never ends well. PEX is great for most stuff, but I still get nervous about critters. Had a mouse chew through a line behind a dishwasher once... whole kitchen turned into a slip-n-slide. Copper’s not perfect, but at least rodents don’t seem to have a taste for it. Still, I’d rather deal with PEX than chase pinhole leaks in old galvanized any day.