New PPI Report Traces the 50-Year Journey of PEX Tubing

To develop TR-56, PPI interviewed Tomas Lenman, the Swedish engineer who led the creation of the unique requirements. His account is paired with a whole timeline of F876 revisions, together with new sizes, chlorine and UV resistance necessities, and take a look at strategies which have formed the tubing utilized by contractors as we speak. The report additionally tracks how PEX entered North American plumbing codes, starting with the BOCA Nationwide Plumbing Code in 1993 and later into the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) in 2000.

Requirements That Help Contractors and Designers

“North American requirements ASTM F876 and ASTM F877 had been first revealed in 1984,” stated Lance MacNevin, P.Eng., director of engineering for PPI’s Constructing & Building Division. “ASTM F876 contained the first necessities for PEX tubing itself, whereas F877 contained efficiency necessities for fittings for use as a system with PEX tubing. These requirements have advanced to incorporate many new necessities for tubing, akin to chlorine and UV resistance, and for becoming programs to make sure that connections are as sturdy or stronger than the tubing itself.”

PEX as a Market Chief in North America

PPI estimates that greater than 30 billion toes of PEX tubing have been shipped throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico since its introduction, with PEX now the dominant materials for residential plumbing programs and hydronic heating functions. Its ease of set up, dependable connections, and sturdiness have made it the go-to selection for contractors.

MacNevin added, “ASTM F876 has supplied steerage to producers, certifiers, code officers, system designers, installers, and end-users concerning the capabilities of PEX tubing programs, serving to to foster progress and accountable use of PEX supplies. In 2024, it felt like this was the time to file the primary forty years of historical past in a single doc, as an business useful resource.”

Further details about PEX and different plastic stress piping programs is offered from the PPI Constructing & Building Division at www.plasticpipe.org/buildingconstruction.