My plumber neighbor changed how I look at PEX vs copper

Was over at Bob's place last Saturday helping him swap out a kitchen faucet. He's been doing plumbing in Edmonton for 30 years. I asked him why he still uses copper for new builds when PEX is so much cheaper and easier. He said 'sure it's easier today but wait till you have a mouse chew through a line in January.' That comment hit me hard because I never think about long term problems when I reno. Has anyone else had a contractor make you see your own work differently?

2 comments

2 Comments

faith_schmidt19d ago

The mouse thing is overblown though, copper pinholes are just as common.

emma68419d ago

I read a study last year that said copper pinholes are usually from aggressive water chemistry and not age, which makes me think @faith_schmidt has a point about both materials having their issues. Bob's point about mice chewing PEX makes sense but I've heard from pest control folks that copper lines can get chewed by squirrels too, so nothing is bulletproof. I guess the real lesson is to insulate and protect whatever you install, whether its PEX or copper.