Pex & AL-Pex
Our Pex & AL-Pex products are provided by Italian manufacturer, TIEMME Raccorderie SpA, which has been present in the market for over 40 years and has acquired top-of-the-line certifications for their products such as Kiwa, WRAS, CE, AGA and several others.
PEX
Pex plumbing is a type of plastic tubing made from high-density polyethylene. Apart from being the latest technology developed in water supply management, PEX can also be used for radiant floor heating tubing.
- PEX is flexible and can be bent, so fewer fittings are needed than for rigid piping, which means less pressure drop occurs in the lines
- Flexible PEX piping is a better insulator than copper and is not susceptible to rust
- Manifold systems reduce energy losses as hot water is delivered faster at the tap, especially when a loop or ring is added to the system.
- Flexible and non-metallic pipes, such as Pex, result in quiet and efficient plumbing systems that do not suffer from corrosion, scaling, or microbiological buildup
- PEX tubes can expand up to 15% without bursting which creates a good resistance to freezing damage.
- Manifolds create a central location to turn off the water system.
- Must be installed only in approved locations where it is protected from damage
- Must be kept away from contact with flame or extreme heat, as well as avoiding exposure to direct or indirect UV light.
- High concentrations of chlorine can also damage Pex tubing.
- Do not use pipe thread compounds or mineral- or oil-based products, as they can alter the pipe’s chemical characteristics and can damage the pipe fittings
- Due to the aforementioned point, Pex is not approved for installation near hazardous waste disposal sites or petroleum storage tanks
AL-PEX
AL-PEX piping is a co-extruded crosslinked polyethylene composite pressure pipe with a welded aluminum tube reinforcement between the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer crosslinked polyethylene layers are bonded to the aluminium tube by a melt adhesive.
- AL-Pex usually have a larger internal diameter than Pex which leads to less of a reduction in flow
- AL-Pex expands less than Pex when fluids heat up the tubing
- AL-Pex not only has higher temperature ratings than Pex but also has higher pressure ratings
- AL-Pex does not require an oxygen barrier around the tubes
- AL-Pex retains its shape after expansion caused by heating
- AL-Pex usually costs more than Pex tubing
- AL-Pex is NOT approved for potable water transfer
- Applying heat does not help fix kinks in the pipe
- AL-Pex fittings are difficult to find when compared to Pex, however TIEMME provides a wide range of fittings
