# Kitec pipe and fittings



## huffdawg (Feb 16, 2011)

A question for the heating and plumbing techs.  Do any of you know about kitec pipe . The reason I ask is I needed a few more fittings to finish some heating loops in my house.  The wholesaler I go to said that the kitec product has been discontinued and that they couldn't get it anymore .

I went home and googled Kitec and I found that there has been a lot of lawsuits against I-pex (the manufacturer of Kitec).
because of  some corrosion issues  causing floods in many homes.

Then I talked to the contractor that designed my system and he said that the problems were with the domestic water applications and not the heating applications.   He also said not worry.lol.

I also read somewhere that  pex al pex fittings would work but I cant find any 5/8" pex al pex fittings.
Does anyone know where to get some 5/8 kitec fittngs.

Huff


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## bigburner (Feb 16, 2011)

How many do you need? May have a few left. We used miles of the stuff with zero problems. Issue was in the domestic water in Vegas and the yellow bras fittings.


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## snowman49820 (Feb 16, 2011)

I have over a mile of 5/8" Kitec pex in my building. Two weeks before they went out of business I got the last of the 5/8 fittings. If you were lucky to get American made solid brass ones you are in good shape. If you got the ones made in Taiwan, expect leaks. They call it dezincification. I'm on a class action lawsuit from D.C. but the lawyer said it could take years to see anything, and you might only see a couple hundred bucks. Just shy of the $12,000. I have invested. Farmtek.com has 5/8 pex-al-pex, but I don't know if they have fittings. Good luck


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## heaterman (Feb 16, 2011)

huffdawg said:
			
		

> A question for the heating and plumbing techs.  Do any of you know about kitec pipe . The reason I ask is I needed a few more fittings to finish some heating loops in my house.  The wholesaler I go to said that the kitec product has been discontinued and that they couldn't get it anymore .
> 
> I went home and googled Kitec and I found that there has been a lot of lawsuits against I-pex (the manufacturer of Kitec).
> because of  some corrosion issues  causing floods in many homes.
> ...



What the contractor told you is correct. The issue was with their product used for DHW and plumbing applications and the failures were with the fittings for the most part. I have seen pictures of tube with black specs appearing from the inside out but again it was in domestic and combination domestic/heating use. (Something I think is insane but that a whole 'nuther discussion) 

I am seeing tons of Chinese pex fittings flooding the market and frankly it dismays me to see people using them. Yeh, they are cheap but for crying out loud, you're talking about something that could cause thousands of dollars of damage or even ruin your house........and people want to save a buck on a fitting? They are not all created equal. Buying pex and fittings at one of the big box stores is for lack of a better word....stupid. You have no idea what you are buying and in most cases neither does Lowes or HD or Menards. We just installed about 500' of Chinese O2 barrier 1" pex for a customer. He got it at HD. The stuff had lumps and irregularities all over it. Had all the right ASTM numbers on it but I wouldn't put that crap in my house for any reason.


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## huffdawg (Feb 17, 2011)

Im not sure if my fittings were US made or the cheap ones , but I never bought any of my piping and plumbing fitting at the Big Box stores.  
I bought them all at the only plumbing wholesaler we have.All the contractors buy there. But thats not saying much all the black iron fittings I bought there were made in China. I asked  specifically for US. made but they said thay dont sell them here .

BigBurner I will have a look at what fittings I need when I get home from work on Sat. and let you know. 

I have the 5/8 kitec on my baseboards upstairs .  They have been operational now for two years and no leaks so far . (knock on wood).


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## Frozen Canuck (Feb 17, 2011)

Huff: Suggest you give Bartle & Gibson (B & G) a call. Thats the plumbing wholesaler I use here in Edmonton, AB. They were stocking wholesalers for Kitec. 

I bought all my PAP & fittings from them, yes Kitec & yes zero problems to date. 

B & G has a warehouse on the coast & may have, or be able to direct you to any remaining supply. If that fails just email IPEX they will know if anyone has leftover stock. Best of luck.


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## Wyld Bill (Feb 19, 2011)

I have some 5/8 fittings & a crimp tool for sale. PM me if interested.


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