I am curious what long-time plumbers are using.



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thats a hard question to answer.
we all have our favorites.

I follow.

Is soldered copper still used much for new construction?

I heard about pex for years, but now propress seems to be mentioned quite a bit.



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I like pex because of the easy install

If it were my own house i would solder

solder and "L" tube


"M" tube was 'originally' for closed systems with low velocity and little 'fresh' water which introduces 'new' oxygen


HOWEVER


not all water conditions are suitable for Cu tube

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

I think you are mixing piping materials and connection methods.

There are many piping materials such as copper, PEX, CPVC, polybutylene, galvanized etc...polybutylene is now banned. Copper has soft copper and hard copper, and hard copper has types M, L, K. PEX has PEX-A, PEX-B, PEX-C. I got the impression that if cost is not an issue, and time is of abundance, most plumbers would choose copper all the way. But PEX has an advantage because you can buy it in large rolls and eliminate intermediate joints altogether, and it is flexible enough to go through tight spaces like attics and crawlspaces, with no need to fire up a blow torch.

Then the connection methods. These are specific to the piping materials. If you are connecting copper to copper, you can solder, braze, you can use a compression, a ProPress, a Sharkbite, a flared, there was even some glued copper kits I have seen. To join CPVC you can solvent weld or use Sharkbites. To join galvanized you have to use threaded connections or IPS sized compression "meter box" couplings. PEX-A tubing are joined typically with cold expansion, PEX-B can be connected with a crimp ring, or a cinch ring. I heard that you can crimp PEX-A but that may void the manufacturer's warranty, and you can also join PEX tubing with Sharkbites but I think it read somewhere that it's better with a "stiffener".

It becomes more complicated when you have to transition from one material to the other, like copper to PEX, or PEX-A to PEX-B, or CPVC to copper. That's when the adapters and transition couplings come out. I think this is why Sharkbites are so popular nowadays because it works with all CTS sized piping in a tight space with no need for any tool, chemicals/solvent or flame, but it's reliability is still a big question.



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sum,

perfect

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

I don't get why SharkBite fittings are still characterized as "unproven". They have been around for 20 years now and are code-approved by both UPC and IPC for in-wall, underground, and concealed uses. Yes, they are expensive but boy do they make the job go quick.

[www.sharkbite.com]

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Not a plumber by trade but a fierce DIYer

Orangeburg drainlines, Polybutylene water lines, Transite ACP water mains, etc. have ALL been "approved" at one time or the other, but WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Approval has little to do with long term performance.

How long does it have to go to demonstrate "long term" performance? 100 years? Even cast iron doesn't last that long....

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Not a plumber by trade but a fierce DIYer

LI Guy, ask any service Plumber and they will tell you about the problems these things cause.

At one time copper was the best choice but the labor and material costs is causing it to dwindle in use. PEX "B" piping seems to be the way to go now by professional plumbers. We have used PEX for years now and it is reliable and not as labor intense.



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it is equally, if not more, labor intense IF INSTALLED AND SUPPORTED PROPERLY


it simply requires much LESS skill and experience to install 'so that it works'



said skill and experience costs more per hour so the total job is more 'labor expensive' even though the labor 'time' may be equivalent


IMO

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638