Pin hole in pex pipe

[Jlbc212]

My son called me this morning. He asked if I could bring some roofing cement over to fix a leak by his brick fireplace chimney because he has some water in his basement. I realized while driving there that it hadn't rained last night, but it was chilly. Maybe he had turned his heat on. When I got there I found a pin hole leak in an orange, oxygen barrier pex heating pipe in the basement. It was an easy fix. The question is will this be an ongoing problem with the pex? The heating system and piping is only a year old. I've read that some pex has been plagued with pin hole leaks. Is this just a myth? It's also possible that a mouse may have bit into the pipe.

 

[holdover]

I have an outside wood boiler stove, feeds 1" pex to the heat ex changer, my pipe is red for hot feed , blue for return. Just started the stove for year # 11 using it to heat, no leaks ever.. My son's unit is 7 yrs old, no problems..

 

[RVDan]

Pex has proven itself. Polybutylene was the stuff that failed.

 

[James-W]

I have several friends who have PEX in their house and they have never had a leak.

Not saying getting a pin hole in PEX never happens, but I know 2 plumbers quite well and they use PEX all the time. If it was problematic I really don't think they would use it. As far as I know, all new construction around here uses PEX.

 

[Camper]

I had a leak 3 yrs after I installed some Pex pipe. Thats how long it took for the screw I ran through it to rust away.

 

[johninct]

I had a leak 3 yrs after I installed some Pex pipe. Thats how long it took for the screw I ran through it to rust away.

I like that!!!

 

[James-W]

I like that!!!

I have to admit, that was good.

 

[PFSard]

I had a leak 3 yrs after I installed some Pex pipe. Thats how long it took for the screw I ran through it to rust away.

That'll teach you to use stainless screws next time!!! LOL

 

[gwunsch]

I had a leak in my down stairs ceiling 8 years after moving in to a brand new house. It ended up being a pin nail for the floor trim in the upstairs laundry. When I cut out the section of Pex the rusty nail was still inside. Amazing that it took so long to leak. Other than that the rest of the system is still intact. I’ve not seen pin holes/leaks where there wasn’t a reason.


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[PT Doc]

We have Uponor pex. This is used extensively in this region. If there were issues then builders would not be using it. I haven’t heard of any leaks that weren’t related to a frozen hose bib, leak at a joint for a water system installed by some podunk water company. Properly installed PEX should be solid.

 

[Jlbc212]

The pex was bought at a plumbing supply house. I believe it is Uponor, but I'll check when I'm back at my son's house next week. The pin hole leak was no where near anything, such as a nail, screw or fitting, that may have caused the leak. He does get mice in the basement.

 

[BFBOB]

Just a thought - since pex is plastic, it conducts heat much less than metals, especially copper. Would that make it less likely to freeze if in a cold space? And if it does freeze, is it flexible enough to resist rupturing?



aaannnndddd - how 'bout using it for air lines?

 

[dfiler2]

I have PEX for all the water lines in a cabin, they freeze every winter for the past 10 years and no problems. We shut the water off and let the pressure off, but that's it. I've never heard of a pinhole leak in PEX that wasn't put there by mechanical means. We sell close to a million feet a year and I've never heard of a failure someone thought came with the tubing doesn't mean it hasn't happened but I've never heard of it.

As far as airlines we use 1" PEX for thousands of feet and have never had a problem. We are in a safety program where OSHA has agreed to not visit unannounced so I know they are not concerned.

 

[6768rogues]

I have never had problems with PEX leaks. I have seen it enlarged in diameter by freezing for long periods of time, but usually the pipe will absorb freezing while the fittings will break when they freeze.