Pex pipes

You mean Pex? Yes it will break if water freezes in it and there is no where for it to expand.

Pex won't break but the joints will.

PEX tubing is a lot less likely to burst if it freezes than copper, as it's more elastic. It's not completely impossible, but a great deal less likely.

The fittings usually used with the PEX are less resilient and are more commonly the source of bursting due to freezing. The net result is much the same, of course--lots of water everywhere once it thaws if you have the city water connection or the pump on.

AND it never breaks in a easy repair spot.

"PEX tubing is a lot less likely to burst if it freezes than copper"
"AND it never breaks in a easy repair spot"

I have PEX piping in the cabin 70 miles outside of Los Anchorage. Having failed to drain the water system completely a time or two prior to Halloween (go-by date for winter), I can attest that both of the above are true...although compared to a break in RV piping, almost anywhere in the cabin is an easy fix spot.

I believe (if I remember correct) that PEX can expand to 4 times it's size and return to it's original size. It's the only pipe I want in my RV or stick house.

dbbls wrote:
Pex won't break but the joints will.

Ditto.

But it will take a hard long freeze. I have been in the 20's for a couple of weeks now and water in my camper freezes (slushes) but the daytime is warm enough to thaw and not cause damage (yet.) Will winterize this weekend.

If it had been in the 20's the whole time I would be concerned.
Don't rely on my experience- DYODD.

I have experienced Pex freezing last winter with no issues.
I had removed all existing water lines and plumbed all water lines with Pex, before heading south.
I winter in southern TX, while there my furnace decided to quit working. When my son-in-law checked on my house and found no water flowing from the spigots. He shut off the city water supply inside the home, shut off all gas lines, opened the most upper and most lower spigots, opened the drain on water heater and left.
Upon arriving home in April the only problem was a frozen and split ball **** shutoff before the water meter, also frozen water meter.
Luckily the ball **** was split above the ball so no water would flow. Had city shut off outside, changed ball **** shutoff and water meter. Everything else held secure thanks to the Pex. That experience made me a believer in Pex

I wouldn't worry about the Pex pipes as much as they are not the weakest link of the water chain. I would be more worried about the appliances the Pex pipes supply. Such as faucets, Heads of showers and Toilet connections.

b

bka0721 wrote:
I wouldn't worry about the Pex pipes as much as they are not the weakest link of the water chain. I would be more worried about the appliances the Pex pipes supply. Such as faucets, Heads of showers and Toilet connections.

b

And last but not least the water heater. Why not winterize?