Pipes & Fittings Installation Guides

PEX has completely changed residential plumbing. It's flexible, freeze-resistant, doesn't corrode, and you don't need a torch to install it. The learning curve is way shorter than copper. The main decision is which connection method to use -- crimp, clamp, or expansion -- and that comes down to your budget, the tools you have, and what your local code allows.

Push-fit fittings are the fastest way to make a plumbing connection. No soldering, no crimping, no special tools -- just push the pipe in and it locks. They work on copper, PEX, and CPVC. The trade-off is cost ($8-$15 per fitting vs $0.50 for a copper elbow) and the fact that some plumbers don't trust them for permanent, behind-wall installations. We use them constantly for accessible repairs and emergency fixes.

Working with PVC and ABS drain pipe is about as beginner-friendly as plumbing gets. Cut it, prime it (PVC only), cement it, hold it for 15 seconds -- done. The joints are permanent and incredibly strong when done right. The trick is getting your measurements and dry-fit right before you cement, because once that joint sets, there's no adjusting it. You get one shot.

Soldering copper -- or sweating pipe, as plumbers call it -- is one of those skills that looks intimidating but becomes second nature after a few joints. The technique is simple: clean the pipe, apply flux, heat the fitting (not the solder), and let capillary action pull the solder into the joint. Nine times out of ten, a leaking solder joint comes down to one thing -- the pipe wasn't clean and dry enough.