April 2, 2026
Finding Truth Series: Why Plastic PEX Pipe is Better Than Metals
By Kim Bliss
What is truth? Truth is based on facts. Proven facts. Why is truth important? Because it aligns actions with reality and leads to a foundation of trust.
Knowing the truth about piping materials is essential to ensure long-term system reliability, avoid costly repairs and repipes, and promote sustainable solutions that are better for the earth.
Gaining knowledge and understanding the differences between plastic pipes, such as PEX, and metallic piping, such as copper, iron, or galvanized steel, is important to promote truth and trust in plumbing as well as hydronic piping systems.
In this “Finding Truth Series” you’ll learn the facts about plastic pipes along with the hard realities of metallics. From corrosion resistance to installation efficiencies and more, you will discover why the building industry is turning away from metals and toward plastic piping.
Corrosion Resistance
One of the biggest flaws with metallic piping is the susceptibility to corrosion, rust, pitting, or scale buildup. These fatal weaknesses are the kryptonite that destroy plumbing and hydronic distribution systems in homes and buildings worldwide and incur expensive repipe repairs for owners.
Plastic piping systems, such as Uponor AquaPEX®, will NEVER corrode, rust, pit, or experience scale buildup. It’s impossible. PEX pipe is naturally resistant to these failings that plague metal pipe. That means there is never a concern that a plumbing system with PEX will fail due to corrosion, rust, pitting, or scale buildup.
That kind of confidence is extremely reassuring in a world where trust can be broken easily. With PEX, the truth is fact: no corrosion, rust, pitting, or scale buildup EVER.
Lighter Weight
Seeing “Lighter Weight" as a benefit might be confusing to some that think heavier is stronger and better. However, with piping systems, lighter-weight PEX is actually a benefit for trucks that transport the product, contractors that install the system, and structures that house it.
PEX, in general, weighs about three to four times less than copper. For example, a 300-foot coil of ½" PEX weighs approximately 18 pounds; the same amount of Type L copper pipe weighs around 85 pounds.
This lighter weight makes it easier for installers to move the product around a jobsite and also helps reduce back and body injury. It also minimizes or completely eliminates the need for heavy equipment machinery, such as forklifts or cranes, to move the product.
Once installed in a structure—especially a multi-story high-rise building—the lighter weight of PEX is beneficial because it reduces the overall structural load, potentially helping to minimize material usage, reduce foundation size, and lower construction costs. PEX is also lighter for trucks to transport, alleviating added weights on our roads.
More Sustainable
According to this white paper, there are several sustainability factors supporting the superiority of PEX over copper. For example, according to the Journal of Cleaner Production, “…energy and global warming potential reductions for PEX piping compared to copper piping (average for copper pipes types K, L and M) are 44% and 64%.” Additionally, the Journal of Cleaner Production further states that “acidification potential, water intake, criteria air pollutants, smog formation potential, ozone depletion potential, ecological toxicity, and habitat alteration categories improve from 21% to 85% by electing PEX pipes over copper.”
PEX is also highly resilient in freeze/thaw cycles. This PPI Technical Report TR-52 proves the exceptional resiliency, which helps reduce the risk of system damage, repipes, and unnecessary product waste. The rigid nature of copper, on the other hand, makes it highly susceptible to damage in freeze/thaw cycles, adding to repipes and product waste.
Regarding recyclability, PEX can be recycled through specialized processes. In fact, a partnership between four corporations — Neste, Borealis, Uponor, and Wastewise — began an initiative aimed at the chemical recycling of PEX waste from pipe production operations into feedstock for new PEX pipe production.
While copper is recyclable, the mining process is resource-intensive and contributes to significant environmental degradation. This also results in significantly more greenhouse gas emissions compared to PEX manufacturing, transport, and installation.
Finding More Truth
Want to find out more about the realities of plastic pipe? Visit https://plasticpipetruth.org/ to get all the facts on this durable, reliable, and sustainable product for plumbing and hydronic piping systems.
Knowing the truth about piping materials is essential to ensure long-term system reliability, avoid costly repairs and repipes, and promote sustainable solutions that are better for the earth.
Gaining knowledge and understanding the differences between plastic pipes, such as PEX, and metallic piping, such as copper, iron, or galvanized steel, is important to promote truth and trust in plumbing as well as hydronic piping systems.
In this “Finding Truth Series” you’ll learn the facts about plastic pipes along with the hard realities of metallics. From corrosion resistance to installation efficiencies and more, you will discover why the building industry is turning away from metals and toward plastic piping.
Corrosion Resistance
One of the biggest flaws with metallic piping is the susceptibility to corrosion, rust, pitting, or scale buildup. These fatal weaknesses are the kryptonite that destroy plumbing and hydronic distribution systems in homes and buildings worldwide and incur expensive repipe repairs for owners.
Plastic piping systems, such as Uponor AquaPEX®, will NEVER corrode, rust, pit, or experience scale buildup. It’s impossible. PEX pipe is naturally resistant to these failings that plague metal pipe. That means there is never a concern that a plumbing system with PEX will fail due to corrosion, rust, pitting, or scale buildup.
That kind of confidence is extremely reassuring in a world where trust can be broken easily. With PEX, the truth is fact: no corrosion, rust, pitting, or scale buildup EVER.
Lighter Weight
Seeing “Lighter Weight" as a benefit might be confusing to some that think heavier is stronger and better. However, with piping systems, lighter-weight PEX is actually a benefit for trucks that transport the product, contractors that install the system, and structures that house it.
PEX, in general, weighs about three to four times less than copper. For example, a 300-foot coil of ½" PEX weighs approximately 18 pounds; the same amount of Type L copper pipe weighs around 85 pounds.
This lighter weight makes it easier for installers to move the product around a jobsite and also helps reduce back and body injury. It also minimizes or completely eliminates the need for heavy equipment machinery, such as forklifts or cranes, to move the product.
Once installed in a structure—especially a multi-story high-rise building—the lighter weight of PEX is beneficial because it reduces the overall structural load, potentially helping to minimize material usage, reduce foundation size, and lower construction costs. PEX is also lighter for trucks to transport, alleviating added weights on our roads.
More Sustainable
According to this white paper, there are several sustainability factors supporting the superiority of PEX over copper. For example, according to the Journal of Cleaner Production, “…energy and global warming potential reductions for PEX piping compared to copper piping (average for copper pipes types K, L and M) are 44% and 64%.” Additionally, the Journal of Cleaner Production further states that “acidification potential, water intake, criteria air pollutants, smog formation potential, ozone depletion potential, ecological toxicity, and habitat alteration categories improve from 21% to 85% by electing PEX pipes over copper.”
PEX is also highly resilient in freeze/thaw cycles. This PPI Technical Report TR-52 proves the exceptional resiliency, which helps reduce the risk of system damage, repipes, and unnecessary product waste. The rigid nature of copper, on the other hand, makes it highly susceptible to damage in freeze/thaw cycles, adding to repipes and product waste.
Regarding recyclability, PEX can be recycled through specialized processes. In fact, a partnership between four corporations — Neste, Borealis, Uponor, and Wastewise — began an initiative aimed at the chemical recycling of PEX waste from pipe production operations into feedstock for new PEX pipe production.
While copper is recyclable, the mining process is resource-intensive and contributes to significant environmental degradation. This also results in significantly more greenhouse gas emissions compared to PEX manufacturing, transport, and installation.
Finding More Truth
Want to find out more about the realities of plastic pipe? Visit https://plasticpipetruth.org/ to get all the facts on this durable, reliable, and sustainable product for plumbing and hydronic piping systems.