I hear you on the peace of mind thing. I’ve seen push-to-connects hold up fine in some cases, but I’ve also been called out to jobs where they failed after a couple years—usually because someone didn’t deburr the pipe or there was a nick in the copper. Solder joints, if done right, are basically bulletproof. The only time I really lean on push-fits is for temporary fixes or when I know it’s going to be accessible later.
That said, I get why folks reach for them in a pinch. When you’re standing ankle-deep in water at 2am and just want to stop the bleeding, you’re not exactly thinking about long-term reliability—you just want the water off and the mess contained. But once things calm down, I always recommend going back and doing it right with solder or even PEX with proper crimp rings if you can.
Curious—has anyone here actually had a push-to-connect fail behind a wall? Or is it mostly just anxiety talking? I’ve seen plenty of horror stories online but not as many firsthand as you’d expect. Maybe it’s one of those things where the risk is low but the consequences are high enough that it’s just not worth rolling the dice.
Also, what’s everyone’s take on PEX with expansion fittings? Personally, I trust those more than push-fits for anything permanent, especially since they’re less likely to get knocked loose by vibration or movement over time. Just seems like if you’re already opening up a wall, might as well do it once and not have to think about it again...
Yeah, I totally get where you’re coming from. I’ve seen push-to-connects work just fine in open spots, but behind a wall? That’s a gamble I’m not usually willing to take. Like you said, if you’re already tearing things open, might as well do it right and save future headaches. Expansion PEX has been solid for me—never had one fail yet.
I hear you on expansion PEX—it’s been pretty reliable for me too, but I’ve seen a couple of those fittings sweat a bit in older houses with weird water chemistry. Ever run into that? Push-to-connects behind a wall make me nervous, but I’ve also seen solder joints fail from bad prep or vibration. Sometimes I wonder if we’re just trading one risk for another. Curious if anyone’s actually had a push-to-connect fail behind drywall, or if it’s just one of those “better safe than sorry” things we all say.
I get what you mean about push-to-connects behind drywall—makes me sweat just thinking about it. I’ve never had one fail (knock on wood), but I always wonder if it’s just luck or if they’re actually that solid. Is it really safer than a good old solder joint, or just easier? I keep thinking, if something’s gonna leak, it’ll pick the worst possible spot...
- Had the same debate with myself last year when I redid a bathroom.
- Ended up using push-to-connects in a spot I couldn’t reach with a torch—felt weird, honestly.
- No leaks so far, but I still check the wall for damp spots every time I walk by...
- Solder joints just feel more “permanent” to me, but maybe that’s just old habits talking?
- If something’s gonna fail, it’ll be at 2am on a holiday, guaranteed.
