PEX piping (shorthand for cross-linked polyethylene) costs less than half the price of copper and installs much faster. And since it’s flexible, PEX makes remodeling jobs easier. PEX has a strong ...

Even into the 1960s, some plumbing pipes were connected by pouring molten lead into the joints — one of the jobs best left to a pro as some still are today. But with basic tools DIYers can handle most ...