Last month, I decided to move my washing machine to the opposite wall. In an old house like mine, that usually means calling a plumber to solder new copper lines, dealing with open flames near wooden studs, and paying a hefty invoice. But after some research, I decided to try the gray stuff: PEX. Specifically, I bought a kit of PEX Pipe Fittings and a manual crimping tool. I am not a professional, but I can follow instructions.

The first thing I noticed was the silence. Working with PEX Pipe Fittings is quiet. There is no hammering of pipe straps or hissing of torches. You cut the tube with a scissor-style cutter, slide on a copper crimp ring, insert the brass fitting, and squeeze the tool. The tool has a specific jaw size. You have to squeeze until the tool releases. It sounds simple, but my first two connections failed the "pull test." I didn't push the pipe onto the fitting all the way. I learned to mark the insertion depth on the pipe with a marker. For 1/2-inch pipe, you usually need about 1 inch of insertion. Once I started marking the pipe, every connection was solid.

I also discovered the "Go/No-Go" gauge. A cheap plastic card that tells you if your crimp is tight enough. If the gauge slides over the ring easily, you are done. If it stops, the fitting might leak. I checked every single one of the 14 PEX Pipe Fittings I installed. Four needed re-crimping because I hadn't aligned the jaws perfectly straight. This tool saved me from a flood behind my new drywall.

By Sunday afternoon, the water was on, and the machine was spinning. No leaks. No drips. The flexibility of the pipe meant I drilled only three small holes in the joists instead of notching them for rigid copper. If you are thinking about switching, buy a decent cutter (a dull one ovalizes the pipe) and buy one extra bag of crimp rings. You will drop a few. Working with PEX gave me the confidence to tackle the bathroom sink next. Just remember: measure twice, cut square, and always, always use the gauge.