Pex and exposure to light?

[tom-ky]

I have read the UV light is harmful to Pex pipe. If that is the case will it be a bad idea to have Pex in area of a man cave that may get some light? By no means will it be direct sunlight but it will basically be in a closet with a water heater, if the door is open light could get in to the walk in closet.

 

[Randy in Maine]

Don't worry about it.

 

[rlitman]

If it isn't exposed to a window, or close up to a fluorescent lightbulb, I'd say you have little to worth about. In a closet, where it isn't getting direct light is not where you need to worry.

 

[Fixin'Stuff]

If you're really worried about it, just cover the pex with some of that split foam insulation. But it takes many, many days of exposure to direct sunlight to cause enough damage for pex to fail. It would take decades of opening the door for a few minutes to let enough light in to be a problem.

 

[Aaron_W]

Agree think it is in reference to direct sunlight.

I have an exterior tankless water heater. PEX runs to some stainless flex line, but there is a small amount of PEX (maybe 1/4") exposed where it comes through the wall. I intended to wrap it with some tape but kept forgetting about it. I was thinking about it and took a look at it a couple weeks ago.

I installed the water heater 5 years ago and the PEX still looks new, there is no difference in appearance between the exposed bit and the rest.

That side of the house is heavily shaded, 90-100% shade.


Unless you have sun blasting through a window directly at that closet and you leave the door open all the time, I don't think I would worry about it.