Kink in PEX

[RemodelBob]

Me and a buddy snaked through about 150 feet of PEX today. it was nice being able to run it through studwalls and around stuff, but it sure was a workout. I almost think copper would have been about the same amount of work...so much for savings.

Anyway there can a time or two when pushing and pulling the PEX where we kinked the pipe. when I say kink, I mean it got bent over and when it straightened out it was no longer round.

Did that structurally damage the PEX? or will the water pressure force it back into shape?

PEX seems so delicate I don't know how much abuse it can take.

 

[Cass]

It sounds like your holes were not big enough or you didn't plan it right, I would cut out and splice any and all kinks.

If you were trying to get it through an area where it kinked and you couldn't drill the holes in such a way as to not kink it, you should have just cut it and installed a 90.

If you had that hard a time with PEX copper would have taken you 3 times longer.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Lakee911]

Can't you heat the pex up with a torch until it turns clear and then it will go back to its orignal shape once cooled?

Jason

 

[Bob NH]

Can't you heat the pex up with a torch until it turns clear and then it will go back to its orignal shape once cooled?

Jason

I wouldn't take it that far. I'd be afraid it would wreck it.

Pressure will pretty much make it round and the kink is unlikely to make it fail. I would try it with water pressure inside and then apply a hair dryer level of heat. I would not start with a torch.

If it is the kind with aluminum inside as used for hydronic systems then the kink is never going to come out completely.

 

[Cass]

Why in the world would you trust a kink in a wall or under a floor. Freeze Expansion is not the same as kinking and I bet you can't find anywhere on anyones web site (Mfg.) that will tell you kinks are OK.

 

[Terry]

If the PEX is Wirsbo (Uponor), then heating till clear to get rid of kinks is part of the instruction manual.
I don't know about other brands.

PEX Products for Residential & Commercial Applications | Uponor

PEX Products for Residential & Commercial Applications | Uponor + Uponor offers durable PEX products for plumbing, radiant heating and cooling. Learn why PEX is preferred by plumbers, builders and homeowners alike.

www.uponor.com

 

[Herk]

This really sounds amateurish. I've never kinked PEX while installing it.

 

[Terry]

This really sounds amateurish. I've never kinked PEX while installing it.

Maybe, but when we got our installation instructions from the rep, they made us kink it, and heat it, and see the kink disappear.
We had to do this, and assemble joints before we could get certified to buy the product.

I don't think most in the field plumbers are going to go around kinking pipe, but it's nice to know what to do, if it does kink.

 

[GrumpyPlumber]

One of my biggest gripes with PEX is the fact that it's so deceptively inflexible.
If the kink is in a place where the radius is too tight, then heating it won't resolve the issue...you'll have to cut in a 90 or 45.
If you heat it with a torch, make sure you keep a large distance between pipe and flame..heat it gradually or you'll burnt the PEX.
Best to underheat it than over heat it...take your time.
Not a big fan of PEX myself, have used it extensively working for other shops and wasn't too impressed with the difficulty dragging it through holes, the crimping/expansion tools are cumbersome to use.

 

[Terry]

If the kink is in a place where the radius is too tight, then heating it won't resolve the issue...you'll have to cut in a 90 or 45.

The heating gets rid of the kink, but does not make tight bends.
If a tight bend is needed, then you use a fitting.
If you have kinked the pipe while installing, and there is no reason for a tight bend at that point, then the heat removes the kink in Wirsbo PEX.

 

[RemodelBob]

Thanks Terry, that is great to know. It is Wirsbo and one of the kinks was already gone this morning, the other one is still there. I think it also has something to do with it being almost freezing in my house. I bet the PEX is a lot easier to work with when it is warm.

I am thinking about hiring someone to finish off the supply lines. I am just running out of steam. I have the main lines run, but have eight fixture to hook up and want to make sure they get hooked up right. I am a little scared to call in someone at this point, just because I know what it is like to pick up mid project, but how should I go about it? Any advice on finding someone in Seattle area to tackle this? What do you pros like to hear when someone calls with a project like this? Or should I just keep trucking?

 

[Terry]

Running out of steam?

The nice thing about PEX and repipes, is you can cut in and add anytime.
You don't have to have it drained down completely like you do with copper.
I would just keep doing a bit at a time, you sound close.

 

[RemodelBob]

Yes steam, elbow grease, energy...

The DWV system is almost done, I just need to glue the stuff I dry fit today and fill it with water to test.

The plumbing part is just a small piece of this project and seems like something I should outsource at this point.

We are living in an apartment while this is going on and needless to say we are well behind schedule.

 

[Cass]

I never knew that about Wirsbo, you learn something every day.

Terry, what did the reps have you use to heat up the kinked PEX?

They had me heat it with a torch.
Terry

 

[Herk]

I don't think most in the field plumbers are going to go around kinking pipe, but it's nice to know what to do, if it does kink.

I wasn't criticizing heating the pipe to take the kinks out, Terry - I was criticizing the job with all the kinks. I've had to go behind amateurs and redo their work when they try to use holes that are too small and try to make the pipe do things it wasn't intended to do. And often, that may be the least of their problems.

Sometimes, we plumbers think that something is easy because it's easy for us, but sometimes, it isn't as easy as it looks and experience and training trumps DIY slop every time.

 

[Rancher]

Terry, what did the reps have you use to heat up the kinked PEX?

I used a super cheap HarborFreight heat gun, I'm experimenting with using a standard barbed connector instead of buying an expensive crimping tool for 2 connections. So far so good no leaking.

Rancher

 

[RemodelBob]

I wasn't criticizing heating the pipe to take the kinks out, Terry - I was criticizing the job with all the kinks. I've had to go behind amateurs and redo their work when they try to use holes that are too small and try to make the pipe do things it wasn't intended to do. And often, that may be the least of their problems.

Sometimes, we plumbers think that something is easy because it's easy for us, but sometimes, it isn't as easy as it looks and experience and training trumps DIY slop every time.

All my bends are long sweeps. All my holes are plenty big enough. My goal is to run as much as I can without fittings. My two kinks in over 150' of threading 3/4" pex through a house happened towards the end of the day when we were really tired and the line got bound up in one of the partially exposed joist bays. The reason I came here to ask first was because I was planning on just cutting them out, but wanted to double check...and I am glad I did.

Sure I am doing it the hard way, but I think it looks better and will work better having fewer fittings. Which is why I said I think copper would have been easier, because I could just put fittings in all day long and not restrict my flow. I am sure the quickest and easiest thing to do would be to run the PEX with a lot of fittings, but that just sounds like cheating.

Being in real estate, and attending countless home inspections on both new and old houses, I have seen plenty of hack jobs by licensed and bonded professionals. So don't limit hack jobs to DIYers. There are quality DIYers and there are hack plumbers.

 

[GrumpyPlumber]

Being in real estate, and attending countless home inspections on both new and old houses, I have seen plenty of hack jobs by licensed and bonded professionals. So don't limit hack jobs to DIYers. There are quality DIYers and there are hack plumbers.

True, but not when you hire an established plumber.
That above expression we hear all the time... often said by landlords, handymen, or GC's that use it as an excuse to cut corners or make more money for themselves.
Careful, the help you seek is coming from plumbers here.
A generalized statement like that might not seem friendly to some.
A counter statement could be said that when it comes to underestimating the amount of work involved, R.E. agents & home inspectors are amongst the worst offenders...I've had my share expecting me to to work at rediculous rates as they conveniently overlook details, just to get the home sold at a good profit.
No insult intended, just putting a plumbers perspective on your statement.

 

[RemodelBob]

There are bad seeds in every trade. The fact that we are here talking about this stuff means that we care about the quality of our work. I like to think of this is a hack free zone.