- Gotta admit, I’m still not 100% sold on PEX for the long haul. Copper just feels more “solid,” you know?
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Inspection cameras are a lifesaver, but man, some of the stuff you find in old walls... not for the faint of heart.
Totally agree—found a petrified mouse once.
- Curious if anyone’s had issues with PEX fittings leaking after a few years? Or is that just internet horror stories?
I get where you’re coming from about copper feeling more “solid.” There’s something reassuring about the weight and rigidity, especially after seeing how PEX can flex around corners. But I’ve been on a few jobs where old copper had pinhole leaks from corrosion, so it’s not always bulletproof either.
About PEX fittings—haven’t personally seen any major leaks yet, but I’ve only been working with it for a couple years. Most of the issues I’ve heard about seem to come down to bad installs or using the wrong type of fitting for the water chemistry. Like, if you use brass fittings in areas with aggressive water, dezincification can be a real problem. The crimp rings need to be set just right too. If they’re off even a little, you might not notice until years later.
Inspection cameras are wild, by the way. Last week we found an old screwdriver wedged behind a stud—no idea how it got there. Makes you wonder what else is hiding in those walls.
Has anyone here run into issues with rodents chewing through PEX? I keep hearing stories about that but haven’t seen it myself yet. Wondering if that’s more of a regional thing or just another internet myth...
Copper definitely *feels* more reliable, but I’ve seen enough green corrosion on old lines to know it’s not invincible. When we bought our place, the inspector found a tiny leak in a copper joint behind the kitchen wall—probably from years of hard water. Fixing it was a pain, and honestly, it made me rethink the whole “copper is forever” idea.
We’ve got PEX in the basement (previous owner’s DIY job, I think), and I was nervous at first. It just looks flimsy compared to copper. But after two winters and a couple of pressure checks, no issues so far. The flexibility is actually kind of nice when you’re crawling around trying to trace lines. I do worry about the crimp rings, though. I watched a few YouTube videos and it seems like there’s a lot that can go wrong if you’re not careful.
Rodents chewing through PEX… I keep hearing that too. My neighbor swears he had mice gnaw through his hot water line, but he’s also convinced squirrels are plotting against him, so who knows. We’ve had mice in the attic but never seen any sign of them messing with pipes. Maybe it depends on what else they’ve got to chew on? Or maybe it’s just one of those things that gets blown out of proportion online.
Inspection cameras are wild—I borrowed one from a friend and found an old beer can inside a wall cavity. No idea how it got there, but it made me laugh. Makes you wonder what else is hiding back there after decades of random repairs.
I guess every material has its tradeoffs. At this point, I’m just hoping nothing springs a leak while I’m out of town…
Rodents chewing through PEX… I keep hearing that too. My neighbor swears he had mice gnaw through his hot water line, but he’s also convinced squirrels are plotting against him, so who knows.
I’ve seen a few chewed PEX lines over the years, but honestly, it’s pretty rare unless you’ve got a real rodent party going on. Copper’s not immune either—had a job once where mice nested in the insulation and corroded a pinhole right through a copper elbow. Inspection cameras are a game-changer, though. Found a petrified sandwich in a wall once. Still no idea how it got there...
Had a similar thing happen in my crawlspace—found some gnawed PEX, but it was only after a winter when we had a mouse problem. Fixed it myself and wrapped the new line in steel wool and tape. Haven’t had an issue since. I agree, copper isn’t foolproof either. Honestly, if rodents want in, they’ll find a way. Just gotta keep up on sealing gaps and checking things every so often.