I get the appeal of push-to-connect—especially when you’re dealing with old, unpredictable copper. But I’ve seen a couple of those fittings fail after a year or two, usually when the pipe wasn’t perfectly clean or had a tiny dent you couldn’t even see. Compression’s a pain, sure, but at least you know exactly what you’re getting if you take your time. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but I still trust a good old-fashioned compression fitting for anything behind a wall. For exposed stuff or quick fixes, push-to-connect is hard to beat... but I’m not ready to give up on the classics yet.
Compression’s a pain, sure, but at least you know exactly what you’re getting if you take your time.
I hear you on that. I’ve had push-to-connect fittings leak in rentals after a year or two, usually because the pipe wasn’t spotless or had some weird nick. Compression is more work, but at least you can see if it’s tight. Curious—have you ever tried PEX with crimp rings for behind-the-wall stuff? I’ve found it more reliable than push-to-connect, but not as “classic” as compression. Wondering if anyone else has had luck with that combo.
PEX with crimp rings has been a game changer for me, especially when running lines through tight spots. I used to be all about compression, but after sweating over a few tricky connections behind drywall, I switched to PEX for those runs. Never had a crimp ring leak yet, as long as I double-check the tool calibration and make sure the pipe’s square-cut. Only thing is, it doesn’t have that “old school” feel—just feels less hands-on, if that makes sense. Still, for reliability and speed, it’s tough to beat.
PEX is definitely faster, I’ll give you that. I’ve had a few tenants who can’t help but hang things off exposed pipes, though, and I do sometimes worry about long-term durability compared to copper. That said, for runs behind walls or in those awkward corners, PEX makes my life a lot easier. I miss the satisfaction of sweating a joint, but my back doesn’t! Just make sure to keep track of tool wear—I’ve seen a couple folks get lazy and end up with slow leaks months later.
Just make sure to keep track of tool wear—I’ve seen a couple folks get lazy and end up with slow leaks months later.
I get the concern about tenants hanging stuff on pipes—seen it happen in my rentals too. For exposed runs, I still lean copper, just for peace of mind. Behind walls though, PEX is hard to beat for cost and flexibility. I always double-check fittings and use pipe supports, especially where someone might be tempted to hang a towel or two. Tool maintenance is key, like you said—one bad crimp and you’re chasing leaks months later.
