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Muriatic Acid

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stevel
stevel Member Posts: 25
in THE MAIN WALL
try checking the Rehau website, if you log on to the resources section/construction they have a pdf on the chemical compatibility and plastics. Pex looks good with muriatic acid.

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  • Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes
    Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes Member Posts: 1,243
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    Muriatic Acid

    We will be doing a job in San Francisco in June where the owner wants to stain the concrete after the pour of the radiant slab. This will be done with a muriatic acid wash. The slab will have sheetmetal screeds to isolate cracking and this will be an entry path for the muriatic acid to make contact with the PEX tubing.

    How does muriatic acid affect PEX?

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  • J.C.A.
    J.C.A. Member Posts: 349
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    Why an acid wash ?

    My thinking is ....This can't be good for the tubing , and why bother ?. My father and me put a concrete stain on our basement floor about 2 years after it was poured . All we did was a scrubbing and a couple of good washes . We then used a stain made by Cabot (East coast Co.and a very reputible maker) and 26 years later , it still looks OK, and the dust going upstairs is (still) negligable .

    I think a wet finish screed , and a bit of sanding when dry will suffice . Acid seems a bit too much for the tubing to put up with . I don't have a web site for Cabot Stain , but give it a shot . Chris
  • Steve Bergerson
    Steve Bergerson Member Posts: 38
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    Just a guess

    I'm just guessing, but muriatic acid is shipped and stored in plastic containers... I doubt the pex would be significantly affected. However, you should contact your tubing mfgr. to verify.
  • Heatermon
    Heatermon Member Posts: 119
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    Hate to tell you this Alan ...

    But this is now becoming a common practice for those "slate looking" floors we are now seeing become popular. We haven't givin it much thought, but you do raise an interesting question. However, along with the acid wash also comes a baking soda rinse. I think it should dilute the acid enough. I'm acually going to see the entire process first hand this time from a contractor that is doing it for his own house. The only thing that I can tell you for now is, it will involve lots of water and and alot of scrubbing. Thanks for giving me something else to worry about. :-)

    Heatermon

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  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Do know that muriatic acid instantly liquefies automobile carpeting.
  • munchkin-man
    munchkin-man Member Posts: 247
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    A point made the acid comes in a plastic container

    but what is the chemical make up of the pex and how will it effect it is a question the manfg of the pex should be asked for your own protection.
    I have used it to clean the fingers of my pool filter. It works great to kill the bacteria that can plug it up and render it useless. The device that holds the nylon / polyester fingers is a form of plastic and has not broke down in ten years of doing this treatment??????? However the sheet metal pieces that will be exposed will oxydize / rust.
  • Gary Fereday
    Gary Fereday Member Posts: 427
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    Some plastics

    and Hydrocloric acid (another name)do not go together at all as the acid will disolve it. Check with the Manufacturer!
  • Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes
    Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes Member Posts: 1,243
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    Awesome

    Thanks for all your thoughts. And Steve: that's a brilliant observation.

    I think I want to buy a bottle of the stuff and let a piece of PEX tubing sit in it over the weekend.

    All the best,

    Alan

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  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,158
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    Need to worry

    about the barrier as well as the tubing itself. Might be best to get it in writing from the tube manufacture.

    Let us know! I, too, have some customers that are interested in etching slabs :) It's very popular around here for slabs, both inside and out.

    hot rod

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    Living the hydronic dream
  • munchkin-man
    munchkin-man Member Posts: 247
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    THOUGHT!! You may want to expose the outside surface only

    in other words if you cut a peice and stick it in a container the cut end is exposed to the chemical. In real application only the out side diameter will be exposed so cut pice long enough so that you can bend it in to a container so that the cut end is not in contact with the acid. Like use a shallow long pan or container.
  • Scott25
    Scott25 Member Posts: 30
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    acid

    Alot depends on the concentration of the acid!!! Typically there are many levels of concentrations available from DIY stores as well as chemical manuf.

    I dont think it will be a problem on the cross-linked polyethylene but it may do something to the barrier. I agree that the manuf of the PEX should sign off on exceptable limits of acid exposure. You will also want to take care of the akaline product that you use for pH control. Caustic is very volatile and will produce extreme heat when mixed with water. Much higher than the tubing is rated for. Food for thought.

    Scott
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