Yeah, I hear you on the push-to-connect stuff. Had a SharkBite fitting let go in a rental once—luckily it was out in the open, but still made a mess. Like you said,
Can’t say I love the extra work, but finding a leak before closing up drywall is worth every minute. I’m always a bit skeptical of “quick” solutions behind walls... seen too many shortcuts bite folks later.“Pressure testing is a pain, but it’s saved me more than once.”
Man, pressure testing is a pain, but nothing like mopping up after a surprise leak. I’ve had a SharkBite pop off in my basement—right after I bragged to my wife about how fast the job was going. Karma, I guess. Do you trust push-to-connect for anything behind tile or just stick with soldering? I always debate it, but end up dragging out the torch anyway...
I get the appeal of SharkBites—super quick, no torch, no mess. But after seeing a couple fail during pressure tests (and one behind drywall, which was a nightmare), I just can’t bring myself to trust them behind anything permanent like tile or finished walls. For exposed spots or temporary fixes, sure, but otherwise I drag out the torch too. Have you ever tried PEX with crimp rings as a middle ground? I’m always weighing cost vs. peace of mind...
“But after seeing a couple fail during pressure tests (and one behind drywall, which was a nightmare), I just can’t bring myself to trust them behind anything permanent like tile or finished walls.”
Yeah, I hear you. SharkBites are like that friend who’s awesome at parties but you wouldn’t trust to house-sit. I’ve seen a few pop off under pressure too—nothing like a surprise indoor waterfall to ruin your day. For anything hidden, I’m with you: torch or crimp rings only.
PEX with crimp rings is my go-to for most stuff now. It’s not as fast as SharkBite, but it’s way less nerve-wracking than sweating copper in a crawlspace. Plus, the tools aren’t crazy expensive anymore. Only thing is, you gotta double-check your crimps—miss one and you’re in for a wet surprise later.
Honestly, I’ll use SharkBites for emergencies or temp fixes, but if it’s going behind drywall, I want to sleep at night. Peace of mind’s worth the extra 20 minutes and a couple of sweat stains.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had decent luck with SharkBites—at least for quick fixes. Still, I wouldn’t trust them behind a wall either. Once saw a guy try to use one in a ceiling and it held… until it didn’t. PEX crimp rings just feel more solid, and like you said, the tools are way cheaper now. I still double-check every crimp though—paranoia pays off in plumbing, I guess.