Uponor PEX-a Tubing vs. CPVC and Copper
Why Uponor?
Because we deliver healthy, clean and safe systems with the longest history in PEX-based plumbing, fire safety and radiant floor heating and cooling. For more than 35 years, over 12 billion feet of Uponor PEX tubing is installed worldwide, providing people with the ultimate in comfort, convenience and peace of mind.
Clean
Unlike metal alternatives, PEX plumbing systems are immune to corrosion and mineral buildup.
Efficient
Uponor PEX plumbing systems retain more heat in hot-water lines and resist condensation on cold-water lines.
Guaranteed
When installed by an Uponor-trained professional Uponor PEX-a plumbing systems come with a 25 year limited system warranty.
Proven
For more than 35 years, over 12 billion feet of Uponor PEX-a tubing is installed worldwide.
Quiet
An Uponor PEX plumbing system dampens rushing water noise and eliminates water hammer and singing pipes.
Reliable
Our unique ProPEX® fitting system assures a strong connection for consistent, leak-free plumbing systems.
Your Resource for PEX Plumbing Systems
On Jan. 22, 2009, the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing and unanimously adopted regulations approving PEX water distribution systems into the California Plumbing Code, set to take effect Aug. 1, 2009.
Now contractors and consumers finally have access to an environmentally superior product that will provide a durable solution to the state's aggressive water conditions, while meeting California’s high standards for drinking-water quality.
Conducted from October 2007 through December 2008, the EIR evaluated PEX tubing on its impact on air quality, water quality and performance, as well as PEX tubing installation, use and disposability and manufacturing processes in the areas of waste, recycling, energy consumption and natural resources.
The EIR concluded the adoption of PEX tubing into the California Plumbing Code with proposed regulations would be “an environmentally superior action with respect to public health and hazards, water quality and air quality.”
In fact, millions of feet of PEX tubing are already in service in plumbing applications throughout California, due to the fact that 180 municipalities and counties within the state have already approved the use of PEX tubing.
Uponor Lead-free Plumbing Systems
To continue our mission of supplying our professional partners with building system solutions, Uponor is also launching a complete line of lead-free brass transition fittings and valves that meet California lead-free legislation and exceed the requirements of the United States Safe Drinking Water Act. Combining these fittings and tubing with our extensive engineered plastic (EP) offering and our innovative ProPEX® Out-of-the-Wall Support System provides a complete lead-free plumbing solution from the inlet to the faucet.
Benefits of Uponor PEX-a Tubing
- Resists corrosion, pitting and scaling
- Eliminates water hammer and singing pipes
- Unique ProPEX® expansion fittings create strong, durable connections without the need for torches, glues, solvents or gauges
- Flexible, with the smallest bend radius of all PEX tubing, reducing the number of necessary fittings
- ProPEX connections cannot be dry fit; never a question if the fitting is made properly
- Highly freeze resistant
- Backed by a 25-year limited warranty when installed by an Uponor-trained plumbing professional
Codes, Standards and Listings
Hydrostatic Temperature and Pressure Ratings: ● 200°F (93.3°C) at 80 psi ● 180°F (82.2°C) at 100 psi ● 73.4°F (23°C) at 160 psi ● 120°F (48.9°C) at 130 psi (1/2", 3/4" and 1" AquaPEX® only)
Manufacturing Standards: ● ASTM F876 ● ASTM F877 ● ASTM F2023 ● ASTM F1960 ● ANSI/NSF Standard 14 ● ANSI/NSF Standard 61 ● UL 1821 ● ULC-ORD C199P ● CAN/CSA B137.5
Product Listings: ● IAPMO ● CSA ● HUD ● UL ● NSF ● ITS ● ICC
Applicable Codes: ● IPC ● UPC ● NSP ● IMC ● UMC ● NPC of Canada ● NBC of Canada
Fire-rated Assemblies for United States: ● K913 - Two-hour concrete floor/ceiling assembly ● L557 - One-hour wood frame floor/ceiling assembly ● U372 - One-hour wood frame wall assembly ● V444 - One-hour steel stud wall assembly
Fire-rated Assemblies for Canada: ● WC/FCA 120-01 - Two-hour concrete floor/ceiling assembly ● WC/FCA 120-02 - Two-hour concrete floor/ceiling assembly ● WC/FCA 60-01 - One-hour wood frame floor/ceiling assembly ● UW/WA 60-02 - One-hour wood frame wall assembly ● UW/WA 60-01 - One-hour steel stud wall assembly
Warnock Hersey Plenum Rating: ● 25 flame spread/50 smoke developed (plenum rated) to ASTM E84 ● CAN/ULC S102.2
Related Documents
Contact Information
For more information about the California EIR or Uponor PEX plumbing systems, contact:
Rich Houle, associate product manager, Commercial Plumbing, at rich.houle@uponor-usa.com, or Dale Stroud, senior manager, New Business Development, at dale.stroud@uponor-usa.com.
Uponor PEX Tubing
Uponor first introduced the world to crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing in the early 1970s. With more than 30 years of service — longer than any other PEX manufacturer in North America — Uponor PEX is the fastest-growing choice for residential and commercial plumbing systems, thanks to its powerful, inherent advantages over metallic and rigid-plastic piping.
PEX is an acronym for crosslinked polyethylene. Polyethylene is the raw material and the X refers to the crosslinking of the polyethylene across its molecular chains.
Features
Smallest bend radius Tested and proven for over 30 years Most flexible tubing Least likely to kink Maintenance free Highest degree of crosslinkingAdvantages
Uponor PEX-a is the clean, green and healthy alternative — no solder, nor torches, no fluxes or solvents. All connections are made with engineered fittings that, when properly installed, are leak-resistant and will last the life of the system.
Uponor PEX-a is lightweight and flexible, requiring substantially fewer fittings than copper or rigid-plastic systems, so it installs more easily and efficiently.
Uponor PEX-a is quiet, with no pipe noise or water hammer. Uponor PEX-a also features low thermal transfer, so it is virtually sweat-free in most environments.
Uponor PEX-a is durable. The superior makeup of our PEX makes it resistant to freezing and to aggressive water and soils — the kinds of problems that cause metal systems to fail prematurely.
Wirsbo AQUAPEX® Tubing
There are several different kinds of PEX tubing on the market and they are not all alike.
Wirsbo AQUAPEX tubing has distinctive properties that make it ideal for plumbing and fire protection applications.
The tubing is UL listed for use in residential fire safety systems.
Uponor's exclusive ProPEX® fittings take advantage of the tubing's unique shape memory to make solid, permanent connections, minimizing the risks of leaks.
