PEX or Polybutylene

When selecting plastic pipe, why would you typically choose one over the other please?

Edit: Typical, find a hint of an answer straight after posting! Is Polybuylene the one that has the inner barrier to prevent air getting in, i.e., used when doing Central Heating?

Flinstone said:

Edit: Typical, find a hint of an answer straight after posting! Is Polybuylene the one that has the inner barrier to prevent air getting in, i.e., used when doing Central Heating?

Click to expand...

No.

Any plastic pipe used on CH should have an oxygen barrier.

PEX is best IMHO, preferably PEX-A, Rehau or Wirsbo/Uponor.

Polybutylene was withdrawn from the market in the US after an expensive class action law suit. Any web search is likely to turn up references to this. My understanding is that it was the joints that were defective, the tube material itself is OK. I've used it, no problems.

Here,s some info on it here -

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/home/pipes/index.html

I see. As Onetap states, problems occured with the fittings themselves and attacked by the chlorine. So is Polybutylene on the way out to be replaced with PEX-based products? Or have the UK manufactures overcome this?

So would it be wise to err on the side of caution, and use Speedfit (available in PEX) rather than Polyplumb (Polybutylene) products? I'm only picking on these two brands as they seem to be more readily available to the DIY'er ??
Although I know the pipe material used by these two manufacturers, I'm unsure if the fittings themselves are made from something else.

Thanks.

I think the UK pipe like hep and polyplumb has a barrier in the center of the pipe made from a different material to prevent oxygen ingress.

Regarding the acetal fittings that are said to be failing in that link I gave then I would have concerns about JG speedfit as their fittings are made from acetal.
I stand to be corrected as I was a cowboy plumber a while back and the technicalities were never an issue to me before.