PEX vs. hungry critters...

leo g_13

that we had done 2 years previous. Rats and poly-b. 2 years ago squirrels got into an attic of a reno we had completed just a year previous. Pex. mostly chewed through the top of the pipe, and just enough for the tubing to weep. Have also had some kind of critters chew through ABS drainage pipe.

If it was me, I would go with the copper if you have a history with toothy-chewy critters.

Leo G

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Drew Stamps

PEX vs. hungry critters...

Perhaps an odd question...

But does anyone have any idea if mice, squirrels, etc. have a taste for PEX tubing? I'm considering PEX for some piping runs that will be inaccessible to humans after they're done, but this house has a history of small and toothy animals getting in where people can't. I'm concerned about inaccessible fittings in copper -- which could someday spring a leak -- but I wonder if PEX could have its own vulnerabilities.

Thanks,
Drew

Scott Kneeland

toothy critter

You know you bring up an excellent point, I have used many feet of pex and never even thought of that. I have never heard of anyone having it chewed up but who knows. Remember that guy Murphy.

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Mark Eatherton1

If it CAN happen.....

it WILL happen. I thinnk it was HR that had an episode with mice chewing through PEX, looking for a drink of water...

ME

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jeff_51

well, when you consider that

polyethylene has been used for decades for well lines with nary a problem ( at least to my knowledge) and I have been using poly or pex or other varieties for over a decade with never a problem, I would say you are pretty safe.

Weezbo

I think Ham Steers like to chomp on anything....

i think they sharpen thier teeth just to see if they can make a hole in anything....i use to have a couple of them.Hamsters:)..you would swear they were related to beavers...I wouldnt put it past them...theyare devious despite thier suave appearance *~/:)

Paul Cooke

Mice

About a month ago I got a call from a homeowner with a radiant floor system we installed 3 years ago. Water was dripping from a piece of half inch hePex where it passed through an inch and three eigths hole in a fir floor joist.

Apparently the mouse was using the pipe as a freeway and when it got to the hole in the joist it had to enlarge the opening so it could get through. The Pex was easier than the wood to chew on. I've seen this before with romex where it passes through joists.

I'll post a picture of the chewed up Pex when I get a chance.

jerry scharf_3

Another idea

Drew,

What if you ran the pex through a piece of metalic liquitite conduit. They both will snake around to a fair degree, and I doubt the critters could work through the metal inner jacket. If you do this, just make sure the grind any burrs off the ends after cutting.

jerry

Ken_8

I wonder if...

They eat copper (:-o)?

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Drew Stamps

if I have mice tough enough to eat metal...

then I think I have bigger worries than just a little leaky leaky. I'll be sure to rub the pipe with Kryptonite just to be safe. ;-)

BillW@honeywell

OK,I couldn't resist...

Who remembers Metal Munching Moon Mice? You get extra points if you remember what their favorite food was, besides knowing what TV show they played a part in.

John Felciano

Mice...

We had one last winter.House was roughed in by someone else and we finished the heating system.Filled the system and had a leak between first and second floor.After cutting the sheetrock we found a mouse had chewed through the tubing where it passed through a joist.It appeared like he was trying to get through the hole where the pex ran through.Didn't chew all the way through the tube but ate enough to make a leak.

Kinda has me worried but in the 15 years we've been useing pex thats the only time I've seen it happen.

hr

Ideally

you would be better treating the critter problem. I know, easier said than done. Seems hungry rodents will find SOMETHING to chew on. Romex, plastic pipe or tube, wood, whatever??

Steel studs or poured concrete, copper, and cast iron drainage. Bx for the wiring. That should cover it

hot rod

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wsdave

To answer the question concerning metal munching moon mice (and without giving my age) Rocky & Bullwinkle Show!

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

I had mice eat through 1 pex pipe

I tell my customers to use rat poison in the spring and fall

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BillW@honeywell

Exactamondo!

And their favorite snack??? TV antennas!

Dale

gopher gard

Almost all new nat gas lines are PE. We've had a few chew throughs from woodchucks but in some parts of Kan and Neb. the problem is so bad plexco now performance pipe came up with an outer liner of hard corrugated plastic the critters don't like to chew, used on all new const. in the gopher unfriendly areas.

Jim\"Rocky\"Kelleher

Brick House

I guess it's time to build brick homes and pipe them with copper, steel windows and concrete.Good grief !

Jim\"Rocky\"Kelleher

Back in my Day ! !

Let's throw away all our pex pipe, fittings and crimpers and start building homes out of brick instead of wood, steel instead of plastic and concrete.We can even start using the out house again. Ya thats the ticket, reminds me of Dana Carvey's grumpie old man skit on Saturday Night Live.
"Back in my day all we used was Copper,Copper Copper and more Copper, pipe rotted out and sprayed water all over, causing thousand of dollars worth of damage and we liked it "!!

Drew Stamps

Thanks for the war stories and ideas...

I agree that keeping critters out is the preferred solution. For added insurance, though, I want to minimize the damage that an errant critter could do if it gets in. Copper, or some sort of armor around the PEX, should at least make me sleep better.

Thanks, all!!

-Drew