Shorth

Plumbing

If you are reading this article, then it means that you might have an interest in PEX tubing. Let me explain a few things about it. First of all, PEX tubing is made from HDPE. HDPE basically stands for High Density PolyEthylene. The thing to keep in mind is that HDPE usually comes in pill-size granules. They are melted inside the extruder during the manufacturing process and pushed through a die under pressure. This process creates a pipe/tubing. PEX is a term for Cross-linked PolyEthylene and is created during the extrusion process by forming links between molecules. Such cross-linking process generally improves the chemical and temperature performance ratings of the polymer. I also gives it flexibility and extra strength, which is very important as well. PEX is very popular and because of this it has many names. Some people refer to it as PEX pipe, PEX tube or PEX piping.
What I also wanted to talk about is the fact that there are three different types of PEX. Those are A, B and C. None of them are better than the other, but they are simply different. It may be of interest to point out that PEX-B, for example, can withhold higher pressure than PEX-A. It is also true that PEX-B, on the average, performs 30-40% better in chlorine testing than PEX-A and PEX-C. All types of PEX have to comply with ASTM F876 and ASTM F877 standards, so it means that all of them are high quality. You do not have to think that one is a lot better than the other. Of course, there are some differences and in some situations one type may be better than the other. PEX-A is the most expensive, PEX-B is the most typical and affordable, while PEX-C is the newest one and is generally also affordable.