6 Best Pex Pipes For Greenhouse Watering Systems That Prevent Common Issues
Discover the top 6 PEX pipes for your greenhouse. These flexible, durable options prevent common issues like leaks, freezing, and UV damage.
You’ve spent all spring nurturing seedlings, only to walk into your greenhouse one morning to find a puddle. A tiny drip from a cracked PVC fitting has turned into a major leak overnight, flooding your benches and stressing your plants. This is a story every grower knows, and it almost always comes down to the pipes. Choosing the right plumbing from the start is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for a low-maintenance, reliable greenhouse.
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Choosing PEX to Avoid Common Watering Woes
PEX, or cross-linked polyethylene, is a flexible plastic tubing that solves many of the problems we face with traditional pipe materials. Unlike rigid PVC, which can become brittle and crack from UV exposure or cold snaps, PEX remains flexible and durable across a wide range of temperatures. It’s also far easier and cheaper to work with than copper.
The real magic of PEX for a hobby farmer is its simplicity and resilience. It resists freezing better than any rigid pipe because it can expand, often preventing a catastrophic burst if you forget to drain your lines before a hard frost. This flexibility also means you can bend it around corners, drastically reducing the number of fittings you need—and every fitting is a potential leak point.
There are three main types you’ll encounter: PEX-A, PEX-B, and PEX-C. PEX-A is the most flexible and can even be repaired from kinks with a heat gun. PEX-B is a bit stiffer but is extremely durable and often more affordable. PEX-C is less common in plumbing but is also a viable option. For our purposes, focusing on A and B will cover the best choices for a greenhouse.
Uponor AquaPEX: For Pure, Chemical-Free Water
When you’re growing food, the quality of your water matters. Uponor AquaPEX is the premium choice for growers who want to ensure nothing leaches from their pipes into the water feeding their plants. It’s a PEX-A pipe, known for its clean manufacturing process and certifications for water purity.
This isn’t just marketing talk. Some lower-quality plastics can impart a taste or, in worst-case scenarios, leach chemicals. For organic growers or those raising sensitive microgreens, using a pipe like Uponor provides peace of mind that your water source is as clean as possible. It’s an investment in the quality of your harvest.
The main tradeoff is cost and the installation method. Uponor uses an expansion fitting system, which creates an incredibly strong, full-flow connection. However, it requires a special expansion tool, which can be a significant upfront expense if you don’t already own one.
SharkBite PEX-A: Easiest DIY Installation
If you want to plumb your greenhouse in an afternoon with minimal frustration, SharkBite is your answer. Their system is built around ease of use, making it perfect for the DIY hobby farmer. The PEX-A tubing is incredibly flexible, allowing you to snake it around posts and benches with very few joints.
The star of the show is their push-to-connect fittings. You simply cut the pipe square, push it into the fitting, and you’re done. No crimping, no clamping, no soldering, no special tools required. This speed and simplicity can’t be overstated when you’re trying to get a project done between other farm chores.
Some professional plumbers are skeptical of push-fittings for high-pressure residential plumbing, but they are more than reliable for a greenhouse watering system. The convenience far outweighs any perceived risk in this application. SharkBite offers the fastest path from a roll of pipe to a working system.
Viega PEX Barrier Tubing to Prevent Algae
Algae is the silent enemy of irrigation systems. In a bright greenhouse, any light that penetrates your water lines can cause algae to grow, eventually clogging drip emitters and starving your plants. Viega PEX Barrier tubing is a brilliant solution to this specific problem.
Originally designed for radiant heating systems, this tubing has an outer oxygen barrier layer that also happens to block light. By using this opaque pipe for your main supply lines, you eliminate the primary condition algae needs to thrive. This saves you the immense headache of flushing lines or replacing clogged emitters down the road.
This is a targeted solution. If all your plumbing will be buried or run in a way that it’s completely shielded from sunlight, you may not need it. But for any exposed runs in a high-light environment, using a barrier pipe is a proactive step that prevents one of the most common irrigation failures.
Zurn PEX: A Durable, All-Purpose Choice
Sometimes you don’t need the fanciest option; you just need something that works, is tough, and won’t break the bank. That’s Zurn PEX. As a PEX-B pipe, it’s known for its high burst strength and excellent resistance to chlorine, which is present in most municipal water.
Zurn is a workhorse. It’s a bit stiffer than PEX-A, so you’ll need to use more elbow fittings for tight 90-degree turns. But for long, straight runs down the length of a greenhouse, it’s an incredibly durable and cost-effective choice. It uses the standard crimp or clamp ring methods for fittings, which require simple, affordable tools.
Think of Zurn as the reliable farm truck of PEX pipes. It’s not the most flexible or the most feature-rich, but it’s dependable, widely available, and gets the job done without fuss for years on end. For large projects, the cost savings can be significant.
Apollo ExpansionPEX for The Strongest Joints
For a permanent, "install it and forget it" system, the strength of the connections is paramount. Apollo ExpansionPEX, like Uponor, uses the PEX-A expansion method, which creates the most reliable and leak-proof joints possible. This system is all about long-term security.
The process involves using an expansion tool to stretch the pipe and an accompanying plastic ring. You then insert a slightly oversized fitting, and the PEX’s "memory" causes it to shrink back down, creating an immense compressive force on the fitting. This results in a connection that is actually stronger than the pipe itself.
This isn’t the cheapest or fastest method. It requires the upfront cost of an expansion tool. But if your greenhouse is a permanent structure and you want to eliminate any future worries about leaky fittings behind walls or under benches, the investment in this system provides unmatched reliability.
Everbilt PEX-B: The Best Readily Available Pipe
Let’s be realistic: sometimes the best pipe is the one you can get your hands on right now. Everbilt is The Home Depot’s house brand, and its biggest advantage is its sheer availability. When you’re mid-project and realize you’re ten feet short, you can just run to the nearest store and grab a roll.
As a PEX-B pipe, it’s affordable and durable, with all the standard benefits of being resistant to chlorine and kinking (though it’s not as flexible as PEX-A). It works with all the common connection methods like crimp rings, clamp rings, and push-fittings, making it highly versatile.
Don’t discount the value of convenience. While you might be able to order a slightly better pipe online, the ability to finish a project on a weekend without waiting for shipping is a huge win for any busy farmer. Everbilt is a solid, practical choice that gets the job done.
Key Installation Tips to Prevent Future Leaks
No matter which brand of PEX you choose, its reliability comes down to proper installation. The single most important step is making a clean, square cut. Use a dedicated PEX tubing cutter, not a pair of snips. A jagged or angled cut is the number one reason a fitting will fail to seal.
Next, support your pipes. PEX is flexible, but it will sag over long distances. Use pipe hangers or supports every 32 to 36 inches on horizontal runs to prevent the pipe’s weight from putting stress on the fittings. This also keeps your system neat and tidy.
Remember that PEX expands and contracts with temperature changes—a lot. Never pull a line completely taut between two fixed points. Leaving a little bit of slack or building a small expansion loop in a long run allows the pipe to move without straining the connections at either end.
Finally, stick to one system for your fittings. While a SharkBite push-fitting can connect to any type of PEX, don’t try to use a PEX-A expansion ring on a PEX-B pipe or a crimp ring with an expansion fitting. Use the fitting method designed for your tools and your comfort level, and use it consistently.
Ultimately, plumbing your greenhouse shouldn’t be a recurring chore. By choosing the right PEX pipe for your specific goals—whether it’s purity, ease of installation, or algae prevention—you’re building a reliable foundation for your growing season. A little thought upfront saves countless hours of troubleshooting later, letting you focus on the plants, not the plumbing.
