What Do You Think Is 1 2 PEX Big Enough For Shower or Not?

Are you planning to refurbish your bathroom and use PEX for your shower water supply? But you do not know what size PEX is suitable for it. The most common doubt that will come into your mind is 1 2 PEX big enough for shower. Ideally, ½ inch pex piping is not that big, but you must know how to get the exact pex size for a shower.

As we all know, PEX is the most popular plumbing system nowadays. You can also use PEX for your shower instead of copper pipe. What you do not know is the right diameter for your shower.

If you are in a dilemma about choosing the right PEX and the diameter, we are here to help you choose the right diameters which are replaceable with your old copper pipeline.

So don’t waste time and start reading this article.

How Would You Know: Is 1 2 PEX Big Enough For Shower?

Choosing the right size of PEX is very important. If you want to get proper water flow, it is a must for you to install the appropriate pipeline.

The recommended diameter for a PEX fixture for a shower varies from ½-inch or ¾-inch. If replacing your old copper plumbing, you should choose the pipe depending on the old pipe size of your shower.

Before you prepare for installing PEX, you should know what PEX is and how to determine the right size of PEX for your plumbing system.

Know a Bit about PEX Plumbing?

PEX is a cross-linked polyethylene piping.  It is now replacing the traditional copper piping in the household water supply system.

PEX has become the preferable plumbing because of its durability, flexibility, easy installation, and cost-effectiveness.

Also, it comes in three different colors. So with PEX piping, it is easier to recognize the hot and cold water.

Factors to Consider to Ensure if ½” PEX  is Enough for Shower

Did you make up your mind about installing plumbing for your bathroom or replacing the existing one with PEX? Then it is time to know if your chosen  PEX size is right for your shower or not.

You need to keep in mind a few points to know if ½ inch PEX is enough for your shower while selecting the proper size PEX. The most important factors while choosing PEX are the valve size of the manifold system, the diameter of the PEX, the pressure of your household water supply, potential pressure drop, and the number of fixtures.

To make your work easy, the factors you should consider are described below:

Sizing with the Manifold Valve System

PEX is a plastic-made, flexible and durable tubing system. You will be able to run PEX tubing directly from the manifold to a fixture.

The most extensive PEX line you can install on your manifold to shower fixtures depends on the valve size of the manifold. You can use the tube as the manifold valve size or smaller size, but not larger than the valve.

To know the PEX size, you can install a manifold for your shower and look for the recommended diameter for the valve. 

If your manifold valve is ½ inches, then you can easily install a PEX tubing of ½ inches. Otherwise, if your manifold has a ¾ inches valve, you can install ½ inches PEX by reducing fittings.

Balancing The PEX Diameter with Waterflow

When choosing the PEX, it is important to look for the interior diameter of the PEX. It is the measurement that indicates what the standard size of the tube compatible with the fittings is.

For the most optimal water flow, ½  and 3/4 is the recommended size for the residential water supply. Usually, the traditional plumbing system uses ½ inches of copper pipe for the shower.

So for sure, you can install  ½ inch PEX without any doubt, and it is more than enough. You do not need a larger one for that job.

Consider the Distance Between Manifold And Fixture

To get the proper water pressure, you need to choose the PEX size depending on the distance from the manifold to the fixture.

You should keep in mind that the more long distance between the manifold and the fixture, the wider PEX you will need. There are different recommended lengths for each PEX diameter for proper water pressure.

The recommended lengths for different diameters are for 3/8-inch diameter pipe you can use a maximum 250 feet long tube. Respectively ½-inch PEX can carry water up to 350 feet, and a ¾-inch PEX can supply water up to 500 feet.

For your shower, depending on the distance of your manifold to the shower fixture, you can choose ½ inch PEX or ¾ inch PEX.

The Water Pressure

The size of the PEX lines also makes a variation in water pressure. A small diameter pipe will give less water pressure than a wider one.

For most of the fixtures of a house like a washer, sink, shower, bathtub with enough water pressure, ½ inch PEX is big enough.

A guzzler like a shower can use ½ inch PEX, but using a narrow line like 3/8 inch PEX can conserve water.

Number of Fixtures

There is one last thing you should consider for enough water supply with enough pressure. It is the number of fixtures PEX can have. The more fixtures you are going to have, the wider PEX you are going to need. A ½ PEX can hold up to 4 fixtures with enough water pressure, which is enough for a bathroom. So we can say that ½ inch PEX is big enough for a shower.

Benefits Of Choosing ½  Inch PEX For Shower

The benefits of choosing a ½ inch PEX for shower are written below:

• With a ½ inch PEX, you will get enough water pressure for the shower.
• 1/2 inch is enough for a showerhead and a handheld shower.
• You can get the proper water pressure up to 250 feet range.
• As in old supply lines, most plumbers used 1/2 inch pipes; installing the same size PEX will be easy.

So we can say that using a ½ inch PEX is big enough for a shower you to install.

A Helpful Tutorial You May Need!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Finally, we can answer the question, is 1 2 PEX big enough for shower? The answer is yes. This article describes how you can choose the right size PEX. And from the above discussion, we can say that ½ inch PEX is big enough for use as a shower line.

When you choose a ½ inch PEX for your bathroom or shower, it is enough for a water supply for proper pressure and pressure dropout with increasing distance. This is also the perfect tubing size for a dual head shower.

If you are not a professional and want to do your plumbing project, this article will be beneficial for you to choose the right PEX size for your bathroom plumbing.

You Can Also Read:

• 3 4 or 1 Inch Water Supply Line? Which One is Best for Your House?
• How to Remove Wall Mounted Toilet: Hard Steps Turn Easier
• How to Connect Black Poly Pipe to Pex- All 3 Ways Explained

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