The History of PEX Piping

In the late 1950s, most indoor water piping were comprised of galvanized steel. Due to the substantial growth of our economy, what was necessary at the time was a type of pipe which was easy to install and could withstand corrosion better. Alas, plastic piping systems, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride), were presented as a reliable alternative to the metallic materials in the 1960s. Then during the 1970s, PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) was introduced and proved to be a durable system for floor heating, ice melting and residential water piping.

Once PEX developed into durable alternative to copper piping, the product rapidly gained popularity due to its affordability and longer lifespan than its copper counterpart. Now, PEX has become the most used repiping material in the United States.

The three different ways to produce PEX pipe are the following:

• Peroxide extrusion – By adding peroxide to a base resin, the product is created by using heat and pressure to crosslink the polymer chains.
• Silane extrusion – Silane is used as a catalyst to produce PEX.
• Electron beam – The beam causes the needed crosslinking for extruding PEX piping.

If you’re interested in using PEX to repipe your home or business, do not hesitate to contact our Los Angeles specialist at (818) 408-4100 today.