QA

Quick Answer: How To Cut Pex Tubing

How do you cut PEX without a PEX cutter?

Use a utility knife to make minor cuts in a pinch. While a utility knife is not the ideal choice for cutting PEX tubing, it may be used in an emergency. Hold the knife perpendicular to the piping and insert the tip of the blade into the middle. Pull the blade downwards to cut through the piping halfway.

Can you cut PEX tubing with a PVC cutter?

PVC cutters are made to cut various sized pipes up to two inches in diameter. If you have decent hand strength, you can easily ratchet the cutter until it cuts right through PVC pipe. These cutters are also great for cutting CPVC and PEX.

Can you cut PEX tubing with a hacksaw?

These saws will just tear up the pipe and in fact, the pipe might even explode while cutting it this way. That’s no good. Maybe you want to use is a hack saw. Well, you might be able to get halfway decent results, but what will probably happen is you will get ragged edges from the teeth on the blade.

Does SharkBite work on PEX?

SharkBite brass push-to-connect fittings are compatible with PEX, Copper, CPVC, PE-RT and SDR-9 HDPE pipe. SharkBite fittings come with a PEX stiffener pre-loaded into the fitting for PEX, PE-RT and SDR-9 HDPE. The PEX stiffener does not need to be removed for Copper or CPVC applications.

What is PEX A and PEX B?

PEX A is made using the Peroxide, or Engel, method. PEX B is formed using Silane, or Moisture Cure, method. This is the most common PEX pipe type out there. PEX C is created using the Electronic Irradiation, or Cold, method of cross-linking.

Can you bend PEX pipe?

PEX tubing is also very easy to bend. To help PEX tubing make turns, you have a choice of three methods: 90-degree elbows, bend supports, and clamps.

What do you cut PEX tubing with?

Tools needed: Three-quarter-inch PEX is easy to cut with a pipe cutter, especially one made to take the diameter of PEX tubing. A pipe cutter allows you to cut the tube straight without much effort. It works the same for large and small tubing diameters.

Why do plumbers not like shark bites?

Soldering has been around much longer than push-fit fittings. Another possible disadvantage to using SharkBite fittings is that many plumbers feel that these fittings simply aren’t strong enough to create a tough, durable connection.

Why you shouldn’t use SharkBite fittings?

A SharkBite fitting contains a rubber O-ring, which is not best for permanent connections. We don’t recommend using a SharkBite fitting outside because sunlight can dry out the rubber O-ring and cause it to crack or split.

Do shark bites ever leak?

SharkBite fittings can leak due to one of these reasons: The pipe was not properly deburred prior to installation. The pipe was not squarely cut. The pipe has scratches or debris on the outside that is preventing the O-ring from getting a watertight seal.

How close can PEX A fittings be to each other?

To support bare PEX, space hangers between 32 inches and 48 inches apart, depending on the applicable code.

How far can you run 1-inch PEX?

PEX Diameter The flexible tubing comes in rolls of 50 feet up to 1,000 feet. PEX tubes range in diameter from 3/8-inch to 1-inch for residential applications. For adequate water flow, it’s a good idea to install 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch PEX for your main lines.

How far does 1/2 PEX go into SharkBite?

Pipe Insertion Depth Chart SharkBite Fitting Size Nominal Pipe Size Pipe Insertion Depth (in.) 1/2 in. 1/2 in. CTS 0.95 5/8 in. 5/8 in. CTS 1.13 3/4 in. 3/4 in. CTS 1.10 1 in. 1 in. CTS 1.31.

What is the life expectancy of a SharkBite fitting?

How long do SharkBite fittings last? SharkBite fittings last a long time. In fact, SharkBite warrants the fittings for 25 years when used with SharkBite tubing.

Is SharkBite deburring tool necessary?

Sharkbite fittings are very good but also rather expensive, so I did not want to take a chance using tubing with burrs, however small. The tool is useful, but not really necessary, for marking off the depth of insertion line. However, for that the tool should cost only a few dollars.

Do plumbers cut pipes?

Plumbers spend a lot of time cutting copper pipe, so it’s not surprising that one of our pro’s favorite tools is a tubing cutter, but not just any tubing cutter. You’ll find similar tubing cutters at some home centers and hardware stores.

How do you cut PVC pipe without a cutter?

Wrap the cotton string halfway around your PVC pipe, and teeter-totter the ends back and forth in a sawing motion. The friction of the cotton string against the PVC pipe will cut right through it. You can also loop a piece of butcher’s twine, or kite string, all the way around the PVC pipe.