Your Resource for PEX Plumbing Systems
On Jan. 22, 2009, the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing and unanimously adopted regulations approving PEX water distribution systems into the California Plumbing Code, set to take effect Aug. 1, 2009.
Now contractors and consumers finally have access to an environmentally superior product that will provide a durable solution to the state's aggressive water conditions, while meeting California’s high standards for drinking-water quality.
Conducted from October 2007 through December 2008, the EIR evaluated PEX tubing on its impact on air quality, water quality and performance, as well as PEX tubing installation, use and disposability and manufacturing processes in the areas of waste, recycling, energy consumption and natural resources.
The EIR concluded the adoption of PEX tubing into the California Plumbing Code with proposed regulations would be “an environmentally superior action with respect to public health and hazards, water quality and air quality.”
In fact, millions of feet of PEX tubing are already in service in plumbing applications throughout California, due to the fact that 180 municipalities and counties within the state have already approved the use of PEX tubing.
To continue our mission of supplying our professional partners with building system solutions, Uponor is also launching a complete line of lead-free brass transition fittings and valves that meet California lead-free legislation and exceed the requirements of the United States Safe Drinking Water Act. Combining these fittings and tubing with our extensive engineered plastic (EP) offering and our innovative ProPEX® Out-of-the-Wall Support System provides a complete lead-free plumbing solution from the inlet to the faucet
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Benefits of Uponor PEX-a Tubing
- Resists corrosion, pitting and scaling
- Eliminates water hammer and singing pipes
- Unique ProPEX® expansion fittings create strong, durable connections without the need for torches, glues, solvents or gauges
- Flexible, with the smallest bend radius of all PEX tubing, reducing the number of necessary fittings
- ProPEX connections cannot be dry fit; never a question if the fitting is made properly
- Highly freeze resistant
- Backed by a 25-year limited warranty when installed by an Uponor-trained plumbing professional
Codes, Standards and Listings
Hydrostatic Temperature and Pressure Ratings: ● 200°F (93.3°C) at 80 psi ● 180°F (82.2°C) at 100 psi ● 73.4°F (23°C) at 160 psi ● 120°F (48.9°C) at 130 psi (1/2", 3/4" and 1" AquaPEX® only)
Manufacturing Standards: ● ASTM F876 ● ASTM F877 ● ASTM F2023 ● ASTM F1960 ● ANSI/NSF Standard 14 ● ANSI/NSF Standard 61 ● UL 1821 ● ULC-ORD C199P ● CAN/CSA B137.5
Product Listings: ● IAPMO ● CSA ● HUD ● UL ● NSF ● ITS ● ICC
Applicable Codes: ● IPC ● UPC ● NSP ● IMC ● UMC ● NPC of Canada ● NBC of Canada
Fire-rated Assemblies for United States: ● K913 - Two-hour concrete floor/ceiling assembly ● L557 - One-hour wood frame floor/ceiling assembly ● U372 - One-hour wood frame wall assembly ● V444 - One-hour steel stud wall assembly
Fire-rated Assemblies for Canada: ● WC/FCA 120-01 - Two-hour concrete floor/ceiling assembly ● WC/FCA 120-02 - Two-hour concrete floor/ceiling assembly ● WC/FCA 60-01 - One-hour wood frame floor/ceiling assembly ● UW/WA 60-02 - One-hour wood frame wall assembly ● UW/WA 60-01 - One-hour steel stud wall assembly
Warnock Hersey Plenum Rating: ● 25 flame spread/50 smoke developed (plenum rated) to ASTM E84 ● CAN/ULC S102.2
Uponor offers several plumbing products, including our extensive engineered plastic (EP) offering and ProPEX® Out-of-the-Wall system for a complete lead-free plumbing system from inlet to faucet.
What is PEX?
An Uponor plumbing system features Engel-method crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing. This is a flexible plastic tubing product that has been used for more than 35 years in radiant floor heating, plumbing and fire safety systems.
PEX is classified into three categories: • PEX-a (Engel or peroxide method) • PEX-b (Silane method) • PEX-c (Electron beam or radiation method)
The PEX tubing industry considers Engel-method PEX-a tubing superior because the crosslinking is done during the manufacturing process when polyethylene is in its amorphic state (above the crystalline melting point). Because of this, the degree of crosslinking reaches around 85%, resulting in a more uniform product with no weak links in the molecular chain.
The properties in PEX-a tubing make it the most flexible PEX on the market, allowing for the tightest bend radius available — as little as 3½" for ½" tubing. Its flexibility also greatly reduces the instance of kinked tubing. However, because of the thermal memory of PEX-a, if a kink does occur, a simple shot from a heat gun returns the tubing to its original shape.
The Unique ProPEX® Connection
The shape memory of PEX-a tubing allows it to expand and then shrink back to normal size. This allows for the use of Uponor’s unique ProPEX® expansion fittings, which capitalize on the shape memory of PEX-a to create strong, durable and reliable connections without the use of dangerous torches, glues or solvents.
Guaranteed
Uponor PEX plumbing systems are backed by a 25-year warranty when installed by an Uponor-trained professional.
Uponor PEX "a" has a 25 year warranty and is 15-% 50% less in price.
