WIRSBO Vs PEX Pipes Comparison of 2023 – New Guide

Being a plumber, you just sealed the contract to plumb the latest house in town. And you need to secure the best tubing for it. But you are not sure whether to go for Wirsbo or PEX. And the most salient questions on your mind are:

what are the differences between the Wirsbo vs PEX pipe? Which is better between them? The answer to your questions isn’t complex. Both tubings are the same — Wirsbo is PEX, and Pex can be Wirsbo too.

PEX is actually the generic name for Cross-linked(X) Polyethylene. And this is a well-known type of plastic used around the world. Wirsbo, on the other hand, is one of the brand names of the PEX tubing.

Therefore, the question is not the difference between Wirsbo and PEX, but the actual classifications of the Cross-linked Polyethylene.

WIRSBO Vs PEX Pipes – Comparison 2023

WIRSBO Pipe Review

The Wirsbo is one of the brand names under the PEX-A pipe. It’s actually the first and by far, the most famous brand of PEX-A tubing. So Wirsbo is PEX A.

PEX-A isn’t also the only type of PEX tubing. There are two others, PEX B and PEX C. This classification stems from the process applied in the manufacture of each type of PEX tubing.

In the manufacturing of the PEX-A pipe, there’s a cross-linking with an “engel” process (a process involving the mixing of 2% peroxides and high-density polyethylene).

This mixture is done at a low temperature and then cross-linked at an elevated temperature of between 200 and 250 degrees. The polyethylene melts into a liquid state, and the peroxide causes it to cross-link and this, yielding a cross-linked network of 80 to 83%.

This network has great flexibility. It’s also uniform. And has a low tension. It’s generally firmer and softer than other PEX types.

Understanding different types of PEX tubing will help you chose from the myriads of brands available in the market. Aside from Wirsbo, other top brands of PEX-A pipe include Mr. Pex, Uponor, and Rehau.

1. UponorWirsbo F3060750 AquaPEX Blue Tubing

This product, like any typical PEX-A type tubing, is resilient and flexible. So it’s excellent for all your projects, small or big notwithstanding.

Even if you are working on a big scale fire system, this tubing will not fail. It’s built for adaptability without compromising quality. Hence, where reliability matters, this tubing will come in handy.

It will withstand wear and tear for a long time, thanks to its PEX coating.
This tubing is also suitable for the nonferrous water system.

And it is outstanding for hydronic heating systems too. It will perform well for both cold and hot water systems. And you can easily remove kinks with a heat gun while you are working.

More so, it’s easy to work on, so you are not going to be sweating a lot while fitting it.
Each 300ft coil has a shipping weight of 36.9 pounds.

Its dimension is 34 inches of length, 11 inches of breadth, and 34 inches of height. This product also comes in a variant of natural red and blue colors.

It also comes with an amazing ten-year warranty. And even after this warranty is over, you can be sure this product will continue to excel, thanks to its unrelenting strength.

2. UponorWirsbo PEX Plumbing Starter Kit

If you are looking to try your hands on DIY tubing, this PEX tubing could just be what you want. This is non-oxygen barrier tubing, having a coil of 200ft of length.

Furthermore, it comes with a consummate kit. And this kit has everything you need to finish its installation.

It has a Milwaukee system, which you will find easy to use. Just anyone can use its stop lip and expansion rings. You don’t have to be an expert to use it.

And you will find that the tube fittings will be more than enough for your project. You may also sell off the Milwaukee kit when you are done.

This tubing is also suitable for cold and hot water. You can also use it for potable water. It is basically suitable for the non-corrodible water system. So you need to remove non-ferrous materials if you are using this tubing.

Moreover, this tubing is great for family metering, as it is for residential house metering. It packs all the punch that makes the UponorWirsbo Brand.

Overall, it’s dependable, durable, and also goes with the normal PEX connection fitting.

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3. UponorWirsbo A1220313 hePEX Tubing

This is yet another Wirsbo tubing that boasts adequate length to take care of all your house metering needs.

Featuring a coil length of 300ft, this tubing is capable of shouldering all your house tubing challenges, and without compromising quality too.

It also has an oxygen diffusion barrier that satisfies the German DIN standard of 4726.
This means that oxygen won’t penetrate your pipe and won’t enter the water.

So that ferrous stuff won’t corrode in the tubing since the barrier system shuts off oxygen. Most times the barrier system is a coating of aluminum on the PEX tubing.

After this has been applied, no other external coating is needed.
Its tubing system is suitable for both hot and cold water. It will also perform well for hydronic heating.

PEX Pipe Review

As captured before in this article, Wirsbo tubing is only a brand name of the PEX-A type tubing. There are Other PEX types. And they include PEX B and C. We will look at the brands under these PEX types.

However, you need to note that as opposed to PEX-A, B and C are cross-linked after extrusion. PEX B is made with a silane or moisture cure.

And a high-density polyethylene is formed by means of a catalyst. Afterward, the mixture is steam bathed, and this gets it cross-linked.

PEX C, on the other hand, is made by electrical irradiation. Crosslinking is achieved by exposing the pipe to an electron radiation beam. Irradiation will break existing links and initiate cross-linking.

PEX B is widely used. It’s arguably the most popular type of PEX tubing. It is also closely related to PEX C.

Only that PEX C is softer, owing to the percentage of polyethylene that gets cross-linked. PEX B has 65% to 70% cross-linking, whereas PEX C has 70 to 75% cross-linking.

4. PEX Tubing B Pipe 3/4” 100 Feet

This pipe will fit into both home and commercial use. It is made to satisfy the plumbers of all levels. As it has a certain degree of bendability and flexibility.

It comes with a cutter, as you can’t finish your piping without having to cut. So you will find this tool handy.

Fitting this tube to any base or attachment is pretty easy. And you won’t need soldering in order to fit it. This stamps out health hazards associated with soldering. It will also prevent burn hazards.

This PEX tubing comes with an oxygen barrier system. And you don’t have to worry about corrosion.

It can transmit both hot and cold water anywhere across your house and will keep your water safe while at it.

This tube can come in both blue and red colors. Weighing 24.6 pounds, it has a dimension of 26 inches in length, 11 inches in width, and 9 inches in height.

The length of the coil is also 100feet, which should be adequate for any home.

5. SharkBite U870O300 Oxygen Barrier PEX Pipe 3/4 Inch

This is a typical PEX C tubing. It boasts excellent flexibility and strength. And it’s suitable for all house piping systems.

It’s great for hydronic heating but is not fit for potable water. Having an oxygen barrier, this piping system will not allow ferrous appliances to corrode.

Moreover, it has a mighty stress resistance of 630 PSi and can withstand the elements in the long run.

This tubing features a push-to-connect module. It doesn’t require a solvent, glue, or solder.

This reduces contamination and makes sure your tubing performs brilliantly in all conditions.

The tubing is reliable and can be installed in dry or wet situations. And can handle both cold and hot water.

All these amazing features come at an affordable price.

6. SharkBite U880W300 PEX Pipe 1 Inch

If you are looking for an excellent PEX B tubing that can handle just about any piping system, the SharkBite U880W300 could just be what you want.

This tubing is easily installable and dampens the noise from water hammers. So you can have a serene environment.

This apparatus is made for potable water and has both chlorine and UV resistance. It also has freeze resistance and can expand upon freezing.

An oxygen barrier system is included, which can be used for hydronic heating. The oxygen barrier system ensures that neither rusting nor corrosion can take place.

This tubing comes in red, white, and blue colors – red for hot water, blue for cold and white for both. Note that this is strictly for identification purposes only.

Comparison of WIRSBO vs PEX Tubings

Let’s see how both tubings compare:

Configuration

Wirsbo(PEX A) has the same type of configuration with the PEX B and PEX C. Same dimension and same finishing.

Flexibility

Wirsbo Brand affords you more expansion and flexibility. And so it’s really easy to work on because you can easily twist it to any direction you want.

On the other hand, it’s a little difficult to work with PEX B and PEX C. Owing to this, the Wirsbo brand is more expensive than PEX B and PEX C.

Fixing a Kink

You can fix a kink with a heat gun while working on a Wirsbo tubing, whereas with PEX C and PEX B, you only have the option of cutting off the affected part and mending it with two pieces of PEX.

Strength

The Wirsbo Brand has the highest strength because it features the highest cross-linking of 80 – 83%. PEX has cross-linking between 65- 75%, respectively.

Working Temperature Conditions

Again, Wirsbo tubing will more likely burst in extremely cold temperatures. On the other hand, PEX B and PEX C have greater expandability and so hold up well in very low temperatures.

Leaching Chemicals

Wirsbo pipe is also more likely to leach chemicals, whereas Pex B and PEX C types will less likely do that, thanks to the oxygen barrier system.

Conclusion

We will draw the curtains here in this Wirsbo vs PEX pipe comparison.
With this exhaustive review, you now know what PEX type you are buying.

And why you are buying it. You have known the strengths and weaknesses of different PEX types. So you are adequately informed to pick any one that suits your style.

Personally, we think both piping options are excellent choices so you cannot go wrong with any one of them. The one you end up with will depend on your need.