Howdy ags,

About 3 years ago when we built my shop we had the water well controls/pressure tank built inside of my shop bathroom.

One of the 90 elbows has developed a slow leak and I'd like to repair, but I cannot find 1-1/8" pex tubing or fittings. Anyone have any suppliers that might be able to help???

Printed on the tubing is 1-1/8" but I've struggled mightily trying to find anything 1-1/8". I live 70+ miles from a lowes/Home Depot and I don't want to get it wrong.

I was just in my attic. We moved into this house in April and I'm wondering how much I need to worry about the pipes freezing. (The house is new to us but not new construction. We think it made it through the 21 freeze okay - nothing was disclosed to us but you know they may have simply chosen to lie.) I have PEX up there. Red, white, and blue. What are the different colors of PEX used for? I'm guessing they're not just being patriotic.

Some of the PEX is insulated under the attic insulation, some had the "pool noodle" insulation, and there are lengths of it without any insulation. Unfortunately, some of this is in a part of the attic that is a small crawl space and not very accessible. I had a very hard time getting to it to see if it was insulated or not.

We're concerned about it freezing… we're leaving the attic door open to let heat get to the attic. I KNOW we have critters in the attic and pray they do not come down during the next few days.

I had PEX done after 2021 freeze and I've got noodles around it all. Im a little nervous, but I had another plumber confirm this is the right approach and all his customers with PEX didn't have issues. Im not too concerned about leaving attic door open. Wish I would have put a valve to all hose bibs - idiot move by me.

I wrapped my hose bibs in a kitchen towel and then put on of those hard styrofoam covers on them.

combat wombat said:

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I was just in my attic. We moved into this house in April and I'm wondering how much I need to worry about the pipes freezing. (The house is new to us but not new construction. We think it made it through the 21 freeze okay - nothing was disclosed to us but you know they may have simply chosen to lie.) I have PEX up there. Red, white, and blue. What are the different colors of PEX used for? I'm guessing they're not just being patriotic.

Some of the PEX is insulated under the attic insulation, some had the "pool noodle" insulation, and there are lengths of it without any insulation. Unfortunately, some of this is in a part of the attic that is a small crawl space and not very accessible. I had a very hard time getting to it to see if it was insulated or not.

We're concerned about it freezing… we're leaving the attic door open to let heat get to the attic. I KNOW we have critters in the attic and pray they do not come down during the next few days.

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Red should be a hot line, blue is cold and white can be used for either. If it's a repipe, might have been done in phases.

For this level of freezer, I would be a bit surprised if you had an attic pipe freeze...

Just know that if it freezes, it's not like copper lines! Copper lines freeze and burst whereas PEX lines may freeze and will expand but not burst. After the PEX line thaws, the lines return to their original configuration.

The noodle type insulation will help to keep from freezing, however if there is a separation between the insulation, there's a good chance it may freeze in that area. Just ask my neighbor!

The lines may not burst but couplings can.

combat wombat said:

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The lines may not burst but couplings can.

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That's the reason I do only insulated PEX homeruns in the attic...no fittings or couplers for that particular reason!

what kind of critters?

I only ask because the last freeze, I had a family of about 10-20 roof rats move into my gd attic and it was about $1500 paid to basically the Dog the Bounty Hunter of ****ing rats and 3 months to get rid of the *******s.

The *******s also crawled into my car and chewed up my seats.

Probably the same.

They'll need to close some of the holes in the eaves and catch all the rats.

Gary79Ag said:

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Just know that if it freezes, it's not like copper lines! Copper lines freeze and burst whereas PEX lines may freeze and will expand but not burst. After the PEX line thaws, the lines return to their original configuration.

The noodle type insulation will help to keep from freezing, however if there is a separation between the insulation, there's a good chance it may freeze in that area. Just ask my neighbor!

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I have a pier and beam I just crawled out from under, fixing a PEX break. Between a fitting and elbow the line bulged and split. Out of PVC, CPVC , galvanized and copper pipes under my house, PEX was the only one that burst.

oklaunion said:

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Gary79Ag said:

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Just know that if it freezes, it's not like copper lines! Copper lines freeze and burst whereas PEX lines may freeze and will expand but not burst. After the PEX line thaws, the lines return to their original configuration.

The noodle type insulation will help to keep from freezing, however if there is a separation between the insulation, there's a good chance it may freeze in that area. Just ask my neighbor!

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I have a pier and beam I just crawled out from under, fixing a PEX break. Between a fitting and elbow the line bulged and split. Out of PVC, CPVC , galvanized and copper pipes under my house, PEX was the only one that burst.

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Was the burst line Pex-A ( expansion fit) or Pex-B with the metal compression ring?

Was the burst line Pex-A ( expansion fit) or Pex-B with the metal compression ring?

No idea.