Service
PEX Repiping
Repiping a property in PEX, which can often be routed through existing cavities, cutting the amount of wall and ceiling that has to be opened.
- Licensed and insured
- Price agreed before work
- A plumber who works your area
Flexibility is why it damages less
The practical argument for PEX in a repipe has little to do with the material and a lot to do with the route.
Rigid pipe needs a fitting at every change of direction, and every one of those fittings has to be reachable while it is being made. That is an opening in a wall or a ceiling, one per corner.
PEX bends. A run can be pulled in a continuous length around corners, through joist spaces and along cavities, needing access only where it starts, where it ends, and occasionally in between.
A route that would take six openings in copper might take two. Since making good is a substantial share of what a repipe actually costs, that is where the saving is.
Manifold or trunk
There are two ways to lay out a PEX system, and it is worth choosing rather than accepting the default.
Trunk and branch looks like conventional pipework: a main run with branches teeing off to fixtures. Less pipe, familiar, perfectly sound.
Manifold runs a dedicated line from a central distribution point to every fixture. That puts all the isolation valves in one labelled place, so turning off one bathroom means one valve rather than a search. It also means there are no concealed joints anywhere between the manifold and the fixture, which is the part that matters inside a wall.
Manifolds use more pipe. Pipe is cheap. The convenience lasts as long as the house does.
Does this sound familiar?
Problems this service solves
- Failing supply pipework that needs full replacement
- A property where opening every wall is impractical
- Copper suffering repeated pinholes from water chemistry
- Pipework in an area where freezing is a recurring risk
- Polybutylene that needs replacing throughout
Signs you need pex repiping
If more than one of these is true, the problem is usually past the point a plunger or a store-bought cleaner will fix.
- The existing system is failing in several places
- Wall and ceiling access is limited or expensive to restore
- Copper has developed repeated pinhole leaks
- Runs pass through spaces that get genuinely cold
What to expect
How the visit works
Plan the pulls
PEX is flexible, so it can be pulled through cavities, joist spaces and around corners. Planning where it can go is what keeps the openings few.
Choose the layout
A trunk and branch layout resembles conventional pipework. A manifold layout runs a dedicated line to each fixture, with all the isolation in one place.
Install with proper support and protection
PEX is supported at the right intervals, protected where it passes through framing, and kept away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
Pressure test and label
The system is tested before closing up, and where a manifold is used, each port is labelled so future isolation is obvious.
What's included
What you get on every job, whoever we send.
- Routed through existing cavities where possible
- Fewer concealed joints than a rigid system needs
- Optional manifold layout putting every isolation valve in one place
- Labelled and tested before anything is closed up
Questions
PEX Repiping questions
Why does PEX mean less damage to the house?
Because it bends. Rigid pipe needs a fitting at every direction change, and each of those fittings has to be accessible while it is made, which means opening the wall or ceiling at that point. PEX can be pulled around corners and through joist spaces in continuous lengths, so a run that would need six openings in copper might need two. Less opening up means less making good, and that is a large part of what a repipe costs.
What is a manifold layout?
A central distribution point with a dedicated line running from it to each fixture, rather than a main trunk with branches teeing off. It puts every isolation valve in one place, so shutting off a single bathroom means turning one labelled valve instead of hunting for a stop tap. It also means no concealed joints between the manifold and the fixture. It uses more pipe, which is inexpensive, and it makes the system much easier to live with.
Does PEX handle freezing better than copper?
It tolerates it better, though it is not freeze-proof and should not be treated as such. PEX can expand somewhat as water freezes inside it, where copper is rigid and splits. That means a PEX line that freezes has a reasonable chance of surviving intact. It is a genuine advantage in cold climates, but the pipe still needs proper insulation and routing, because repeated freezing will eventually damage it too.
Related services
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Replacing failed or failing sections of supply and waste pipework, where repeated repairs on the same run have stopped being worth the money.
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Get it fixed
PEX Repiping, handled locally
Call with your ZIP code and what you are seeing. We route you to a licensed plumber in your area who does pex repiping every week.
- Licensed and insured
- Answered 24/7
- Price before work