Some companies in Florida will not insure any home with PEX piping, others won’t accept PEX installed before 2010, and some just want an inspector to determine if the PEX is in good condition to issue coverage.

    It’s all because there have been multiple issues and class-action lawsuits over the years regarding failures of PEX. The problems include:
•• Older PEX pipe had brass connectors with a high zinc content. Chemicals in municipal water caused the zinc to leach out of the metal, a problem called “dezincification,” and eventually the fittings failed and leaked. That issue has since been fixed for newer installations with low-zinc brass or plastic fittings.
•• All PEX pipe is extremely sensitive to the UV-rays in sunlight, which causes it to become brittle and fail. Even exposing PEX to sunlight before installation will shorten its life. The material is best suited to installation in total darkness.
•• PEX in walls needs to be protected from nails through the wall, and PEX is also susceptible to being gnawed by rats in the attic.

    And, of course, the less-expensive insurers are more likely to decline PEX coverage or raise the deductible for water-damage related claims. Examples of underwriting standards from several companies are shown below.

    To find out more about PEX pipe, see our articles Can PEX pipe be installed outside? and Is PEX pipe freeze resistant? and What is the average life expectancy of PEX pipe? and Are plastic pipes (PVC, CPVC, and PEX) safe for drinking water? and What do the ABS, PVC, CPVC, PB, and PEX plumbing pipe names mean? and  Can PEX pipe be connected to a water heater? 

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Here’s links to some of our other articles about PLUMBING PIPES:

• How can I protect my pipes to keep them from bursting during a hard winter freeze in North Florida?

• Can galvanized steel pipe still be used for new water lines in a house? 

• How can I tell if I have cast iron pipes in my house? 

• Why can't a sanitary tee be used for a horizontal-to-horizontal drain pipe connection? 

• What is the difference between green and white sewer drain pipes?

• Is a washing machine drain hose required to be secured at the standpipe?

• What are the abandoned pipes sticking out of the wall in my house?  

• What are the code requirements for plumbing vent terminations?

• What are the code requirements for layout of drain piping under sinks?

• What causes a gurgling sound when a bathtub or sink drains? 

• What is a "combination waste and vent" in a plumbing system? 

• What is a building trap?  

• What is a galvanized nipple?

• What are the pipes sticking out near my water valves?

• How do you accurately find a broken water pipe leak under the floor slab?

• What is the difference between water pipe and sewage (waste) pipe?  

• Is a hot water faucet handle required to be on the left? 

• What is a dielectric union? 

• What's that powdery crust on the pipe connections at the water heater? 

• If all the plumbing drains have water in them and you can still smell sewer gas, what's causing the problem?  

• How can I tell what type of plumbing pipe I have?

• Why is there a flexible accordion pipe under the sink? 

• What is the difference between PVC and ABS plumbing pipe?

• Can you connect CPVC pipe directly to a gas water heater?  

     Visit our PLUMBING page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.