Do I need to protect PEX from concrete mix?

TomU

I'm finishing a basement wall with mortar mix, and wonder if I can have the mortar mix touch the pex piping, or if I need to ensure that I don't spill any on it or directly get in contact with it. Should I wrap it in plastic and leave a small space between the pipe (that comes out of the wall) and the concrete wall finish? Sorry if I sound stupid here

Also, if I wash down the wall with TSP (Trisodium phosphate, the real stuff), is this dangerous to PEX piping?

Thanks for any advice

TheEplumber

Any pipe that passes through concrete should be sleeved or wrapped.
As for TSP, I can't say for sure but I'd keep it away just to be safe

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Bondo

Ayuh,... Pex is directly bedded into concrete in radiant heating systems,...

Concrete has No effects on Pex tubing... That's Why it's used in radiant systems...

Daniel Holzman

PEX stands for cross linked polyethylene, a material which is has little reaction to most chemicals. Certainly if you spill some TSP on the PEX, you should wipe it off with a damp sponge, but I would no worry about it. As for sleeving through concrete, it is not the reaction of the concrete with the PEX that is an issue, more if the concrete shifts after construction it could cut the PEX, since PEX is soft. So it might be a worthwhile plan to install an oversize sacrificial sleeve of metal or plastic to run the PEX through.

TomU

Thanks, I'm just paranoid because the pipe coming out of the wall is before the main shutoff valve, so if it fails I can't even shut off the water myself I guess I'll wrap it, just in case, and leave a small gap between the wall finish and the pipe.