As with any plumbing product, pex has some disadvantages such as leaching chemicals. Pex can be damaged by animals and shouldn’t be installed near heat or hot fixtures like water heaters. Pex is also sensitive to UV light. Pex pipe is permeable, non-recyclable and shouldn’t be installed outdoors.

Disadvantages of PEX Plumbing Aside from the health risks, there are several disadvantages to using PEX plumbing. PEX is more susceptible to damage from UV exposure, which means it must be stored, handled, and installed carefully to avoid exposure to sunlight. PEX is also prone to kinking, which can restrict water flow and cause pressure issues.

The PEX Plumbing disadvantages include that it is fragile, it can not withstand very high temperatures, such as copper cans. Other PEX Plumbing disadvantages are the high coefficient of thermal expansion. Therefore, CPVC may not be the best choice for climates with high temperature variations. In addition, CPVC costs twice as much as standard PVC.