Uponor PEX pipe, rings and fittings

What it is, what to order and the catches.

By Isaac Daniels, journeyman plumber · Licensed in Georgia, #JP507711

Updated Oct 22, 2026 · Rebuilt with a ProPEX order counter, a pipe print decoder, tool and head rules and the warranty and lawsuit facts

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On this page

What it is
ProPEX order counter
Read the pipe print
Ratings and limits
Flow through fittings
EP or brass fittings
Make the joint
Tools and heads
Can you crimp it?
Warranty and lawsuit
Is it discontinued?
Handling rules
Plan the run
Freezing
Parts kit
Uponor vs other PEX
FAQ
How I wrote it

Quick answer

Uponor PEX is PEX-a pipe (AquaPEX) joined with ProPEX expansion rings, not crimp rings. For a 1/2 in. line: the F1040500 coil, Q4690512 rings, ProPEX EP fittings and an expansion tool.

The pipe I’d start with: AquaPEX white 1/2 in.$80.47 at AmazonPrice as of Oct 24, 2026, 5:30 AM EDT

Check it on Amazon

What Uponor PEX is, in one table

Four parts make a ProPEX joint. Each one has its own part number and its own job.

Part	What it does	1/2 in. part number	Pack
AquaPEX pipe	PEX-a water pipe, made by the Engel method	F1040500 (100 ft white)	Coil
ProPEX ring with stop	Gets expanded with the pipe end, then shrinks back over the fitting	Q4690512	Bag of 50
ProPEX fitting	Elbow, tee, coupling or adapter that the expanded pipe slides over	Q4760500 elbow, Q4755050 tee	Bag of 25
Expansion tool	Stretches the pipe and ring so the fitting fits inside	Milwaukee 2532-20 (M12)	Tool only

Uponor’s catalog says it plainly on every ProPEX fitting page: a ProPEX tool is required, and rings are sold separately. That’s the first surprise for most people. The fitting bag has no rings in it, so you order both.

The joint works because PEX-a remembers its shape. You stretch the ring and pipe, slide them over the fitting, and the pipe shrinks back down tight. There’s no o-ring, no glue, no torch and no crimp, per Uponor’s installation manual.

Count your rings and fitting bags

Enter the fittings on your job. The counter adds one ring for every pipe end.

The counting rule is simple: every pipe end that meets a fitting gets one ring. A tee has three ends, so it takes three. A male or female threaded adapter has one PEX end, so it takes one.

My call: buy a few more rings than the count. A ring that sits too far from the fitting shoulder means cutting the joint out, and that new joint takes a new ring. On a bag of 50 the spares are already there for most bathroom jobs.

What the print on the pipe means

The four-digit code printed along AquaPEX tells you how it handles chlorine and sunlight.

Print you see	Pipe	Chlorine (1st digit)	Sunlight (2nd digit)
PEX 5106	AquaPEX white, white with red or blue print, purple	5: highest rating, hot water all the time	1: up to 1 month
PEX 5306	AquaPEX blue and red	5: highest rating	3: up to 6 months
NSF-pw	All AquaPEX	Listed for drinking water	—
ASTM F876 / F877	All AquaPEX	PEX pipe and system standards	—
ASTM F1960	The fitting system	Cold-expansion fittings with PEX rings	—

Uponor’s design manual says AquaPEX is listed PEX 5106 to NSF-pw, CL5. That means it passed chlorine testing for continuous use at 140 °F and 80 psi, and it exceeds the 50-year minimum life the test requires.

The UV digit is the one that bites on real jobs. White AquaPEX is rated for one month of sunlight, total. Leave a coil on a sunny job site for a summer and you’ve used up its rating before it’s in the wall.

Color	Use it for	Part numbers (100 ft, 1/2 in.)
White	Hot or cold; one color for the whole house	F1040500
Red	Hot lines, so they’re easy to trace	Red AquaPEX coils
Blue	Cold lines	Blue AquaPEX coils
Purple	Reclaimed water, where code calls for it	Purple AquaPEX

The pipe inside is the same; the color is for whoever opens the wall later. AquaPEX has no oxygen barrier, so heating loops use Wirsbo hePEX instead, Uponor says. Red and blue have the better UV rating, which helps if the job runs long. The 3/4 in. white coil is F1040750, and Uponor also lists 300, 500 and 1,000 ft coils for 1/2 in.

Ratings and limits that matter at home

From Uponor’s plumbing design and installation manual. Your local code still has the last word.

Spec	AquaPEX figure	What it means
Chlorine rating	CL5: 140 °F at 80 psi, continuous	Fine for a recirculating hot loop on city water
Recommended max pressure	80 psi	Set a pressure reducing valve if street pressure runs higher
Minimum burst (ASTM F876)	480 psi at 73 °F (1/2 in.); 475 psi (3/4 in. and up)	A big margin over house pressure
Short-term malfunction	210 °F at 150 psi, up to 48 hours	What it survives if a relief valve fails, not a working range
Minimum bend radius	6 × pipe OD: 3¾ in. (1/2 in.), 5¼ in. (3/4 in.), 6¾ in. (1 in.)	Tighter than that, use a fitting or a bend support
Horizontal support	32 in. for 1 in. and smaller (Uponor’s table)	Check local code; some ask for closer

Two notes from the manual that people miss. First, a house with a check valve, backflow preventer or pressure reducing valve is a closed system, and Uponor says it needs an expansion tank. The water heater expansion tank guide covers sizing.

Second, a kink isn’t the end of the pipe. With the line depressurized, Uponor says to straighten it and heat it to about 265 °F with an electric heat gun (about 450 watts), never an open flame, until it returns to shape. Bend supports hold a tight 90 without kinking; the PEX bend support guide matches supports to each pipe maker.

Why expansion fittings flow more than crimp

The pipe stretches over the fitting, so the fitting’s bore can be close to the pipe’s own.

Size	ProPEX EP (F1960)	ProPEX brass (F1960)	Crimp brass (F1807)	Crimp plastic (F2159)
1/2 in.	0.116 sq in.	0.112 sq in.	0.096 sq in.	0.078 sq in.
3/4 in.	0.273 sq in.	0.278 sq in.	0.221 sq in.	0.166 sq in.
1 in.	0.488 sq in.	0.496 sq in.	0.396 sq in.	0.292 sq in.

These flow-path areas come from Uponor’s own comparison table, so read them as the maker’s numbers. A 3/4 in. ProPEX EP fitting has about 64% more open area than a plastic crimp insert by that table. On a long run with a lot of elbows, that’s pressure you keep at the shower.

It matters less on a short 1/2 in. run to one sink. It matters more on a 3/4 in. trunk line feeding a whole bathroom, where every fitting takes a little more pressure.

ProPEX EP or LF brass fittings

Uponor makes ProPEX fittings in engineered plastic (EP) and lead-free brass. Both use the same rings.

Point	ProPEX EP	ProPEX LF brass
Material	Engineered polymer	Lead-free brass (NSF/ANSI 61 Annex G and 372)
Reuse after cutting out	No; discard it	Yes, per Uponor’s manual
Sunlight	Not over 30 days in direct sun	No UV limit given
Burial and closed walls	Allowed; no o-rings	Allowed; no o-rings
Common use	Elbows, tees and couplings inside walls	Threaded adapters, stub-outs, valves

Uponor says both can be buried or covered in a wall without an access panel, because there’s no o-ring to fail. One more rule from the manual: don’t put a heat gun on an EP fitting to make the pipe shrink faster. It can damage the fitting.

My call: EP elbows, tees and couplings for the runs, and LF brass where something threads in or a valve hangs on it. The full plastic-versus-brass trade is in brass vs poly PEX fittings.

How a ProPEX joint goes together

Uponor’s steps, in order. The whole joint takes about as long as reading them.

1
Cut it square
Cut the pipe square with a PEX cutter and take off any burrs or loose bits.
2
Slide the ring on
Push a ProPEX ring over the pipe end until it hits the ring’s stop edge.
3
Expand
Expand the pipe and ring together, turning the tool or pipe between strokes if your tool doesn’t rotate on its own.
4
Insert the fitting
Slide the fitting in right away until the pipe and ring sit against the fitting shoulder.
5
Don’t hold it open
Uponor says not to hold the pipe in the expanded position; that over-expands it.
6
Seat it fully
If the fitting won’t go all the way to the stop, pull it out right away and expand one final time.
7
Check the gap
If the ring is more than 1/16 in. (1 mm) from the shoulder, cut it out and redo it.

Pipe size	Minimum pipe between fittings	Recut distance if a joint fails	M12 2432 expansions (standard heads)
1/2 in.	2 in.	2 in. from the fitting	7–8
3/4 in.	3 in.	2 in. from the fitting	11–12
1 in.	3½ in.	2 in. from the fitting	See Uponor’s table

Uponor adds that cold pipe takes fewer expansions below 40 °F, and that experience, technique and weather change the real count. Its table lists different counts for each tool, so check the one for yours.

A square cut matters more than people think. A slanted cut leaves one side of the ring short of the shoulder. The PEX cutter guide has cutters that keep it square.

Which tools and heads work with ProPEX

Uponor lists its own ProPEX tools and Milwaukee’s. Heads don’t swap between the two brands.

Tool	Listed by Uponor	Head notes
Milwaukee M12 and M12 FUEL	Yes	Uponor heads fit but don’t auto-rotate; Milwaukee heads don’t fit Uponor tools
Milwaukee M18, M18 FUEL 2 in., M18 FORCE LOGIC	Yes	Bigger sizes; same head rule
ProPEX 201 corded tool	Yes	Uponor H-heads; not for Milwaukee tools
ProPEX hand expander	Yes	Small jobs and repairs; slow on a full house
Crimp or clamp tool	No	Not a ProPEX tool; see crimping below

The Milwaukee 2532-20 is the M12 FUEL ProPEX expander with 1/2, 3/4 and 1 in. RAPID SEAL heads. It’s a bare tool, so you bring your own M12 battery and charger. I’ve used Milwaukee’s M12 and M18 press tools; the expander runs on the same packs.

For a one-off repair, a hand expander does the job. For a bathroom or more, a powered tool saves your hands. Tools compared side by side are in the PEX expansion tool guide and DeWalt vs Milwaukee PEX expander.

Can you crimp Uponor PEX?

Yes, it’s allowed. The catch is the warranty.

Connection	Works on Uponor pipe?	Warranty
ProPEX ring and ProPEX fitting	Yes, the system it’s designed for	25-year transferable limited system warranty
Crimp or clamp (F1807 / F2098)	Yes: Uponor says any SDR9 PEX fitting works	Mixing brands limits it
Compression with an insert stiffener	Yes, with the stiffener	Mixing brands limits it
Other brands’ expansion rings	Uponor cautions against it	Limited
ProPEX rings on PEX-b or PEX-c	No; Uponor says the pipe can crack	Not covered

Uponor’s manual says its pipe can be used with any type of SDR9 PEX fitting, including crimp and compression fittings with an insert stiffener. So if you own a crimp tool and need one repair, you can crimp AquaPEX.

The warning goes the other way. Uponor cautions against expanding PEX-b or PEX-c pipe with ProPEX rings, because their lower, less even crosslinking can crack during expansion. Background on why: PEX-A vs PEX-B. Crimp tools are in the PEX crimp tool guide.

The warranty and the Uponor lawsuit

One is about what’s sold now. The other is about brass fittings from years ago.

Question	Answer	Source
Warranty length	25-year transferable limited warranty	Uponor; Amazon product data
What keeps it whole	Uponor PEX pipe with ProPEX rings and fittings	Ring listing: “when used with Uponor PEX pipe and a ProPEX fitting”
The lawsuit	George v. Uponor, Inc., No. 12-CV-249 (D. Minn.)	Berger Montague case page
What it was about	High-zinc yellow brass fittings (Model 1960) alleged to dezincify, restrict flow and leak	Berger Montague
Outcome	Settled; $21 million, with an extended warranty and reimbursement	Berger Montague

The lawsuit was over yellow brass fittings, not the PEX pipe. The plaintiffs said zinc leached out of the brass, which narrowed the flow path and led to leaks. The case was settled for $21 million.

What Uponor lists today is ProPEX EP and lead-free brass, built to ASTM F1960. If you’re buying a house with Uponor PEX from the early 2010s, have a plumber look at the brass fittings, not the pipe.

Is Uponor PEX discontinued?

No. The name on the website changed; the pipe and fittings didn’t.

Uponor’s US site now carries the GF Building Flow Solutions name at the top, and it still lists AquaPEX pipe and ProPEX fittings. The part numbers on this page are from Uponor’s current catalog and match the Amazon listings.

On Amazon, match the Uponor part number in the listing title. The links on this page go to listings whose part numbers matched Uponor’s catalog on Oct 22, 2026.

Handling rules from Uponor’s manual

These are the lines in Uponor’s storage and handling list that trip up home jobs.

Rule	Uponor’s limit	Why it matters
Storage	Indoors, in the original packaging until you install it	The carton keeps sunlight off the pipe’s UV allowance
Torch near the pipe	No soldering, brazing or welding within 18 in.	Sweat copper stub-outs before the PEX goes on
Water heater hookup	Direct to electric and power-vented gas heaters where code allows	For other gas heaters, follow local code and the heater’s manual
Recessed lights	2 in. from IC-rated fixtures; 12 in. from non-IC	Closer than that, insulate the pipe
Fluorescent and LED lights	Not within 5 ft of direct view without UV-blocking cover	Shop lights in a basement count
Gas	Never use it to carry natural gas	AquaPEX is a water pipe only

The 18 in. torch rule is the one I’d tape to the wall. Sweat the copper stub-out or the valve adapter first, let it cool, then make the PEX connection. Uponor’s LF brass sweat adapters exist for exactly that order of work.

The light rule surprises people. Uponor counts the UV from fluorescent and LED tubes, so a run exposed under basement shop lights needs a sleeve or insulation within that 5 ft view.

Plan the run: growth, supports and water hammer

PEX moves with temperature much more than copper. Uponor’s numbers show how much, and what holds it.

Point	Uponor’s figure	What to do
Free growth of the pipe	9.2 × 10⁻⁵ in. per in. per °F; about 1.1 in. per 100 ft for a 10 °F rise	Leave slack; don’t pull runs tight between fittings
Copper, for comparison	0.11 in. per 100 ft for a 10 °F rise	Copper habits leave PEX too tight
With Uponor’s PEX-a Pipe Support (3/4–1 in.)	0.028 in. per 100 ft per 10 °F in its test	Use the support channel on long straight runs
Fixed points	Not needed for 1 in. and smaller	Clamp at supports; let it move
Stiffness	About 91,350 psi vs copper’s 16,000,000 psi	PEX flexes under surge; codes may still want arrestors

On a house job the slack rule is the one that counts. A hot line pulled tight in a cold basement will try to grow about an inch per 100 ft for every 10 degrees it warms. Let runs sag a little between straps, and the pipe takes that up without stressing a fitting.

For a fixture header, Uponor lifts the PEX header above the fixtures so there’s room for the minimum pipe between tees and for drops down to each fixture. On a vanity or a laundry box, that same 2 in. rule decides how close the tees can sit.

What happens when Uponor PEX freezes

PEX-a takes a freeze better than copper. It isn’t a reason to leave it unprotected.

Point	What Uponor says
Freeze test	1/2 in. pipe, ProPEX rings and EP couplings passed a freeze and thaw test
Safe ways to thaw	Hot water, hot towels, a space heater, or a hair dryer while you feel the pipe
Not safe	An open flame; Uponor warns against flame on its pipe
Prevention	Insulate it and keep it out of unheated spaces where you can

A frozen line still stops water, and fittings, valves and fixtures can split even if the pipe doesn’t. For what to do with a frozen line now, see how to thaw frozen pipes.

The Uponor parts for a 1/2 in. job

One coil, one bag of rings, the fittings you counted and a tool. I’ve used every part in this kit.

Coil of Uponor AquaPEX white half-inch PEX pipe

Best for hot and cold runs