Vent: A plumber told me my PEX crimps were 'just asking for a leak'

Honestly, he said I was using the wrong size go/no-go gauge for my fittings, which was letting me crimp too tight. Anyone have a favorite brand for those gauges that's actually clear to read?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela_patel7516d ago

Can confirm, my crimps have a trust issue.

nina_hall4816d ago

Yeah, the wrong gauge size is a sneaky way to mess up a crimp. I've found the ones with the colored ends, red for go and green for no-go, are way easier to read in bad light than the ones with just tiny stamped letters. Getting that crimp just right is everything, too loose and it leaks, too tight and you can crack the fitting.

the_emma16d ago

My last crimp gauge was the stamped letter kind, and I swear I needed a magnifying glass and a prayer to read it in my dim garage. @nina_hall48, you're totally right about the colored ends being a lifesaver for tired eyes. I've definitely over-squeezed a fitting or two trying to guess if I was looking at a "go" or a "no-go" in the shadows.