Copper dominated American residential plumbing for decades before rising raw material costs pushed builders toward cheaper plastic alternatives. PEX tubing transformed the industry after 2000, cutting ...

Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience ...

From copper’s decades-long reign to the rise of PEX and PVC, plumbing materials have evolved with cost, technology, and homeowner needs. Each option comes with unique strengths, weaknesses, and ...

Household plumbing systems use PEX for pipes to supply water and carry away sewage. The term PEX stands for "crosslinked polyethylene." PEX piping is manufactured by melting high-density polyethylene ...

If you’ve never heard of polybutylene piping, chances are you’ve never needed a major plumbing renovation in your house. Polybutylene is often called “poly,” “Poly B,” or “PB.” These days, it no ...

Across the country, states and cities are replacing lead pipes to address concerns over lead-contaminated drinking water, an urgent health threat. But environmental advocates are concerned that a ...

May 2, 2016 — The calls and e-mails arrive as often as several times a week from people with concerns about drinking water. Some of the callers — who include homeowners, architects and builders — want ...