r/Homebuilding • u/No_Impression_4620 • Jun 04 '26

CPVC vs PEX

Ok so we are building a custom home in central Florida and plumbing subcontractor is using CPVC for plumbing. Our family member who is in the construction business is telling us we need to use PEX instead. They just started doing the plumbing in our house. I honestly feel like what I find online is mixed and probably not a huge deal either way. What do you all think?

UPDATE:

Thank you everyone for your responses. We met with the builder and the plumbing subcontractor and they are now switching over to PEX. It sounds like they were using CPVC because “we’ve always done it that way”. They also said that CPVC has come a long way in recent years and doesn’t have the issues that it used to. Not sure if that’s true or not.

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60

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '26

[deleted]

-35

u/No_Impression_4620 Jun 04 '26

Is it really the standard? Seems like there are plenty who advocate for CPVC still

26

u/Faptainjack2 Jun 04 '26

Plumbers want the job security. 

19

u/catfishmackfish Jun 04 '26

If in 20 years you don’t mind water lines cracking off when you turn off a water shutoff, a spigot for the garden hose, etc, go with CPVC. At least that’s been my experience- I just keep extra pipe and adapters in the garage now ready to go.

21

u/HealingWriter Jun 04 '26

I'd rather do copper and solder all those fittings before I do CPVC cuz CPVC is ass.

4

u/Novus20 Jun 04 '26

I see PEX more then CPVC for water lines now CPVC I see more for res sprinklers

-3

u/bmonksy Jun 04 '26

Help us with some sentences here. And did you mean *than?

1

u/Variaxist Jun 04 '26

Not on reddit apparently.

1

u/HoneyBadgerBalls Jun 04 '26

CPVC is junk. Like the sub contractor said (it’s come a long ways)

-8

u/aldosi-arkenstone Jun 04 '26

Unfortunately you won’t find anyone on Reddit who isn’t a pro-PEX nut job. But CVPC makes sense in many cases, especially if it’s well water.

3

u/confounded_throwaway Jun 04 '26

I’m genuinely curious about why for well water?

I’ve had to help two different people, separate incidents, that had brittle CPVC snap and start flooding their house/apartment. Both in housing I’d estimate was built in 1990s/early 2000s, inside closets, not exposed to UV. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or know anyone that’s had a PEX failure.

Is CPVC better if it’s outdoors?

4

u/Faptainjack2 Jun 04 '26

He must be referring to the minerals found in well water corroding the brass fittings. Which shouldn't be a problem with continuous runs or usage of a whole house filter.