Pex piping or tubing is a cheaper option than copper. This one sentence is more than enough to explain why people use pex fittings over any copper or aluminum build pipes.
If you go deep inside the build process, you will get to know that the pex is one of the most durable and flexible pipes.
Also, the Pex piping will allow you to use it in the water heater and flow the heated water through the pipings. They are highly manufactured to resist heat.
Can you use PEX for baseboard heat?
You can use pex for basement heat since it has a high-heat resistance material that can resist heat up to 200°F or 93.°C. It is more than enough for a pipeline or tubing to convey the heated water from the basement. Still, you can consider going through the codes and requirements of basement piping.
Since there are different types of pex available in the market, it might be challenging to choose the right one for your basement heat. Here we come up with six different pexes that are mostly used pipings.
Red PEX :
You can use the red pex for baseboard heat. It will withstand approximately 200°F temperature, enough for the basement heat. You cannot just come across and find out the desired tubes for your basement heat.
Only the PEX can give you the perfect solution by resisting pressure and heat.
Uponor PEX :
The Uponor pex has different PSI ratings for different heat resistance capabilities.
You must find out your basement requirements and try to sort out the problem soon. It will make your basement safe and sound for transferring the heated water.
1/2 PEX :
If you don’t produce a high amount of heat in your basement, you can use the ½ pex for your basement heat. It will resist the heat perfectly without any major issues.
But it is not suitable if you have a high-heated basement. You should go for something else that will match your requirements.
3/4 PEX :
If you have cast iron or aluminum radiators, you can use the ¾ pex safely.
It is one of the most recommended pex for your basement heat. You can also alter it with the ⅝” pex. They both are the best-recommended pex for the basement heat.
Oxygen barrier PEX :
If you want to get the highest quality pex, you should use the oxygen barrier pex on your basement heat. It has the EVOH, making the pex more compatible with the other heat basements.
Is PEX allowable for baseboard heating?
PEX is allowable for baseboard heating, but you must be sure to use the oxygen barrier pex. It will ensure the best quality PEX pipe suitable for all the basement heat and snow melting.
If you want to be in the safe zone, you must know about your requirements and concentrate on buying the right PEX pipe.
Maybe, you can buy the ¾” or ½” or the ⅝” pex for the basement heat, but the best practice would be to use the oxygen barrier pex. You will get the EPOH coated pipeline that will successfully resist the heat from different surfaces.
Before buying the PEX, you must go for the compatibility chart and check if the requirements fit the PEX and basement heat.
Can you use PEX for hot water baseboard heat?
You can use the PEX for hot water basement heat. It can bear heat up to 200°F depending on the PSI rating. If you buy the highest rated PEX, you will get the best pipe with the hot water baseboard heat.
You don’t need to think about compatibility or security; instead, check the basement heat requirements, then go for the perfectly suited PEX.
You will find different pex for your basement heat. First, you need to calculate or know the amount of heat that the pex needs to resist.
Then check the pex characteristics and find out the perfect one. It will not take much time; instead, it will be your best choice.
What size PEX for baseboard heat?
You can use different sizes of pex for basement heat. They all go with the basement heat perfectly. Let’s see some of the most compatible size pex for basement heat.
¾” Pex:
Most of the basement requires the ¾” pex for the heat. If you have a high heated water line, you should use the ¾” pex for the basement heat. It will give you the safest pipe run among the other sizes.
Moreover, the ¾” pex size is the most popular because of the regular basement requirements.
If you go through the basement requirements and the pex codes, you will get to know that the ¾” pex has the most compatible features with the others.
⅝” Pex:
Another great compatible pex size is ⅝”. It’s another excellent pex that will go with the basement heat perfectly. You don’t need to think about the second option if you find the ⅝” pex in your hand or your stock.
Before installing the ⅝” pex, you must be sure about the basement requirements. You cannot use it for the below-average heated basement. It will require another pex size.
½” pex:
You can use the ½” pex for the basement heat if it is not the highest heat-producing basement. ½” pex is not the regular pex, only if you give it a little heat and don’t produce too much heat like 200°F, you may use the ½” pex.
What color PEX for baseboard heat?
You can use red, white, and gray color pex for basement heat. Typically, you will find several colors pex that you can use in your basement. If you don’t know about them, you will know them here.
First comes the red pex, the most used pex for the basement heat. The color itself indicates the heat. Therefore, you can securely use the red color pex for basement heat. It will be the safest option for any heated surface.
Before buying the pex pipe, if you’re unsure about the heat or cold basement, you should buy the white pex because it will go for both basement heat and cold. Therefore, white color pex is the most secured pipe for the basement.
How to run PEX for baseboard heat?
PEX can be used for baseboard heating because it is savvy, adaptable, strong, and simple to introduce. While doing this, make certain to protect the PEX completely. Here we have shared the process that PEX can run for baseboard heat.
Remove the face Plate:
There are two baseboard heaters, electric and hydronic warmers. Sort out what type you have before beginning any work.
For this situation, you moved a hydronic heater. Stop the water lines to the specific zone you are working with. Sit tight for the lines and baseboard warmer to chill off.
Then, detach the PEX supply and return lines and allow them to channel into an isolated room. Eliminate the baseboard cover and copper line and blades.
Preparing the Holes:
Measure where you believe the storm cellar heater should go.
Take out any baseboard trim from the divider—drill two openings where the lines will get down to the mechanical room. Introduce the hydronic baseboard to the ideal divider.
Position the Pipes:
After positioning the pipes, introduce the hydronic baseboard to the ideal divider.
Firmly attach the two ends of the copper pipe to the holes. Then, utilize a PEX extension instrument to grow the sleeve that has the option to fit over the copper fitting.
Get the baseboard component and painstakingly put the PEX tubing into the openings that were bored before. Shut up the baseboard cover, turn on the pot, and water again.
What temperature can PEX withstand?
Pex can withstand 200°F temperature without any problem. Please buy the highest PSI rated pex to get the manufacturer’s best temperature-resistant PEX. Also, the best part of the PEX is the different PSI ratings.
You will find the PEX that will resist the heat up to 150-180°F. If you check the basement heat calculation or know your heat quantity, you can buy the required PSI rated PEX to withstand the required heat generated from the basement.
It will also be better to check the basement appliances requirements and get to know the perfect match PEX for your basement.
And the best PEX should come with the highest rated heat resistant feature and best build material. Nothing can beat the highest rated PSI and the perfect size PEX for your basement heat.
Final Thoughts
Since it has all the quality features and top-notch build quality, you can use the pex for basement heat. But the pex color and size must be compatible with the basement requirements, and you should install it in the right way. It would be better to use the red pex, and the size is ¾”.