Answer
Every 90 seconds a home fire is reported in the United States. And according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), eight out of 10 fire fatalities occur where Americans feel safest — in their own homes. Industry statistics indicate that installing a smoke alarm in your home cuts your chance of perishing in a fire by 50%. Installing a residential sprinkler system increases your survival rate to 97%.

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Answer
The Uponor fire safety system is actually incorporated into your Uponor PEX Plumbing System. It uses the same Wirsbo AQUAPEX® tubing that provides water to the plumbing fixtures in your home so there is always a ready supply of water to the sprinkler heads

A dedicated manifold feeds ½" Wirsbo AQUAPEX tubing directly to a special fitting equipped with four outlets. This fitting is attached to the sprinkler head. The remaining three ports on the fitting are then used to feed other sprinklers or plumbing fixtures.

The result is an interconnected grid of plumbing fixtures and sprinklers. The combination system reduces cost and ensures reliability. The system also eliminates stagnant water because the same lines that are used to feed your sprinklers are used to feed your facets, showers and toilets. As long as you have water supplied to your plumbing fixtures, you know you have water supplied to your sprinklers.

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Answer
Leaks are not a concern with Uponor PEX when the system is properly installed. With a life expectancy of more than 100 years, Uponor PEX tubing has withstood the most extensive tests in the industry for over 30 years. What's more, all our PEX tubing is thoroughly inspected before it leaves our manufacturing plant. We also offer a 25-year limited warranty when installed by an Uponor-trained plumbing professional.

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Yes. We are so confident about the quality of an Uponor fire safety system that we offer a 25-year warranty on the tubing when installed by an Uponor-trained plumbing professional.

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Not directly. We manufacture the durable Wirsbo AQUAPEX® tubing and supply all the necessary components that are used in Uponor fire protection and PEX plumbing systems. We support the contractors who install our systems with on-going training and design assistance. And we confidently back our products and Alliance member (Uponor-trained installers) with a 25-year warranty on the tubing. Find an Alliance member online or call (800) 321-4739.

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Answer
Uponor PEX carries the following hydrostatic temperature and pressure ratings:

• 200°F at 80 psi
• 180°F at 100 psi
• 120°F at 130 psi (1/2" Wirsbo AQUAPEX tubing only)
• 73.4°F at 160 psi

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Answer
PEX (crosslinked polyethylene) tubing is a specially designed plastic tubing with distinctive properties that make it ideal for radiant floor heating and plumbing systems. Uponor produces PEX-a tubing, which is considered the superior type of PEX.

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Answer
Currently, three methods for producing crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing exist:

• Engel or peroxide method (PEX-a)
• Silane method (PEX-b)
• E-beam (electron beam) or radiation method (PEX-c)

All three processes generate tubing that is crosslinked to varying degrees, and are acceptable for potable water distribution applications according to ASTM F876 and F877 standards.

Uponor manufactures Engel-method PEX-a tubing. The PEX tubing industry considers this tubing superior because the crosslinking is done during the manufacturing process when polyethylene is in it amorphic state (above the crystalline melting point). Because of this, the degree of crosslinking reaches around 85% (higher than the other methods), resulting in a more uniform product with no weak links in the molecular chain. Learn more about why PEX-a Tubing is better.

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Answer
Uponor PEX and associated fittings are manufactured to the following standards:

• ASTM F876 "Standard Specification for Cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) Tubing"
• ASTM F877 "Standard Specification for Cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) Plastic Hot and Cold Water Distribution Systems"
• ASTM F1960 "Standard Specifications for Cold Expansion Fittings with PEX Reinforcing Rings for use with Cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) Tubing"
• ASTM F2080 "Standard Specifications for Cold Expansion Fittings with Metal Compression Sleeves for Cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) Tubing"

Additional standards for Wirsbo AQUAPEX tubing and associated fittings include:

• ANSI/NSF Standard 14 "Plastics Piping System Components and Related Materials"
• ANSI/NSF Standard 61 "Drinking Water System Components — Health Effects"
• UL 1821 "Standard for Safety for Thermoplastic Sprinkler Pipe and Fittings for Fire Protection Service" (1/2" Wirsbo AQUAPEX only)

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Answer
No. Uponor is introducing its fire protection systems on a regional basis to ensure that the proper training is implemented for this life-safety system. For regional availability, contact Uponor at 1-800-321-4739 or your local Uponor representative.

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Answer
Wirsbo AQUAPEX tubing has the following listings:

• IAPMO
• CSA
• HUD
• ICC
• NSF
• ITS
• UL

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Wirsbo hePEX plus tubing has the following listings:

• ICBO
• NSF-rfh

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Wirsbo AQUAPEX tubing is approved in the following codes:

• IPC
• UPC
• NSPC

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• IMC
• UMC

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Specifications are found: Specifications

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Submittals are found: Submittals

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In recent years, ASTM F876 and ASTM F877 have been refined to incorporate benchmarks for chlorine resistance. Under certain conditions, a high concentration of chlorine can contribute to the oxidation of plastics. This, in turn, can affect service life. The upgraded ASTM standards provide an additional level of assurance that PEX tubing manufactured to these standards can withstand the potential oxidative effects of heavily chlorinated water.

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Answer

Crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) are both used for plumbing systems. The PEX manufacturing process chemically joins individual polyethylene molecules through an extrusion process to create a highly flexible tubing product. With CPVC, the manufacturing process starts with PVC resin and adds additional chlorine molecules, which creates a much more rigid tubing product.

While both products are listed to their own respective ASTM standards for use in plumbing systems, PEX provides superior features, installation characteristics and longevity. For example, PEX systems offer:

- Reliable and visual connections

- Flexibility resulting in tighter bend radius

- Quick and simple fitting connections

- Safe air testing

- Fewer fittings

 

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