The plumbing system of any house requires thoughtful planning. You need a reliable pipe tubing system that can weather the storm and does not disturb the peace of your mind.
The market provides you ample choice regarding material to choose from, but you need to keep certain things in mind if you want to bury a PEX pipe properly.
Whether you can bury PEX tubes or not, what happens if you bury PEX, and a surprise element is what you’ll read in this article. So, without any further ado – Let’s get started!
Can You Bury PEX Tubing?
If you are looking for a pipe that you can use underground in any climate, you should consider PEX pipe. You can easily bury them as this type of pipe is made for this purpose, and they can easily bear the adverse impacts underground.
To further highlight this point, let us look at the various attributes of PEX tubing and their role in the burial of PEX tubing.
Cross-linked polyethylene pipes, also known as PEX pipes, are popular due to their ability to withstand different types of temperatures so they can be buried in any weather and climate without the hassle of being ruptured or damaged.
PEX tubing is durable and flexible polyethylene tubing that maintains its integrity even when it comes in contact with very hot or cold liquids, making it ideal for burying as most other pipes can not withstand such factors.
PEX has a high-temperature flexible plastic pressure tubing, widely used in the European market and guaranteed by extensive testing for durability and material performance. Their smooth interior walls also make them resistant to scale formation when used with hard and soft water. So you have reliable and durable tubing for burying without worrying about leakage.
These pipes are made of structurally modified plastics so that they are much more resistant to impact, resistant to traction, and high temperatures up to 110 degrees Celsius. They tend to shrink less as compared to other materials. By their nature, PEX pipes will not run or stall so that they can withstand some natural disasters as well.
What Happens If I Bury PEX Tubes?
As mentioned above, PEX tubing has many benefits over other tubing, but there are drawbacks as well. Your job does not end when you bury the pipe. You have to be wary of many things.
PEX tubing is traditionally used to transport water for underground heating systems, and this can sometimes mean that it is exposed to ground frost and similar bad weather. In summer, PEX tubing can also overheat if the inside of the tubing is not adequately protected.
Contamination
In the past, some homes with PEX plumbing experienced water contamination from the harmful chemicals MTBE and t-butanol. After the problem occurred in several houses, it was finally determined that the PEX tubing was the contamination source, not the groundwater.
The water with the highest levels of MTBE and t-butanol sat the longest in PEX tube. The longer the water remains stagnant, the more chemicals diffuse into it. It means that people who used the water lines frequently had much lower levels of chemical concentration.
Rodents
Rodents present another potential problem with PEX tubing. Unlike metal tubing, rodents searching for water can chew through PEX tubing and cause leaks. Leaking water causes all kinds of issues, including water and mold damage.
Recycling
Those interested in recycling PEX tubing see copper tubing as less environment-friendly. Builders reuse copper pipes because they last for many decades. PEX tubing, however, has a much shorter life. Once it is time to tear down the house, PEX tubing goes to landfills instead of a new home.
Make sure you pick quality PEX tubes along with the crimp tools or expansion tools. Plus, the crimp rings’ quality is also important.
PEX Tube Burial Tips
Keeping the consequences of PEX tubing burial in mind, here are some tips that you need to consider before burying PEX tubing.
1. Weather and site conditions often affect a pipe’s performance; it is best to consult professionals before installing a PEX pipe.
2. Have a local or national water testing company test your water for harmful impurities.
3. The tubing burial is essential, and the trench or digging site should be deep enough to avoid any kind of water freezing. It should be below the frost point.
4. Check for any leakages before installing the pipes. It can be by simply filling the tubing with water. And removing the damaged pipes that leak water. Check again when you have installed the piping to find if there is any leakages. Better late than never.
5. PEX pipes are available in various forms. These include the insulated, the aluminum core, and the multilayered types, and you can choose whatever works for you. But make sure you are aligned with the local law.
6. Carefully plan your plumbing system. The distances from the primary water source should not be too long. The shorter the length, the better.
7. PEX tubing is flexible and can go around the bends easily; however, it may need joints in certain places. Make sure to utilize the approved joints and elbows. If the pipes are not tightened properly, and the joints are not secured, the plumbing system can be affected.
8. If you consider the aluminum cored PEX, in heating installations, the aluminum layer works as an oxygen barrier, delaying oxidation over time, better than average or insulated PEX pipes.
9. To avoid leakage problems, it is crucial that the respective tests are carried out and that the manufacturers’ instructions are followed to prevent any future risk.
10. In some cases, it is necessary to place oxygen barriers for the pipe system so that there is no water contamination since PEX pipes have a waterproof membrane. An insulated PEX pipe means that the water will maintain much of its temperature and not be exposed to freezing problems. Insulated PEX tubing is flexible, which means it can be used like any other type of PEX tubing, including mounting around bends.
Read: Top Rated Backflow Preventers for Plumbing System
Conclusion
The choice is now yours. Choosing the best for the plumbing system of your house needs careful consideration. PEX tubing, in its various forms, offers an excellent economical choice for the plumbing system of your home.
It’s easy to handle and manageable. If you take precautions and follow the tips, you will surely get the maximum out of the elegant pipes.
Any minimum depth requirements whenburied