I am more than familiar with copper plumbing installation and repair, but I am new to pex tubing. Our house right now is in the state of flood repair after our town was devastated by flood waters on August 19 2007. Volunteer plumbers installed all new pex tubing, and we cannot afford the expensive tools to install the rest. But I was told we can instsll compression fittings, and I have the metal inserts and compression valves. But I need to know the proper procedure to install them before cutting into the tubing. Any help would be a blessing.

Thank You Chris R. Rushford MN

I copied this from a PEX sight. "The QS-Style fittings are compression style fittings and don't require a special tool. Therefore they should be used for smaller applications, and one-time applications that don't require a lot of connections. The QS-Style fittings include fitting assemblies to attach the loops of a radiant heat system to a manifold. " You can read the entire text here How to Install a Radiant Heat System, Use Compression Fittings, Uponor Wirsbo Propex Expander Tool, SSC Clamp Ring Tool

I ca't find a decent resource, so here goes:

1) Cut the lines square
2) Put the nut on the tubing the right way - tis step is important
3) Put the ferrule on the tube
4) Insert the metal insert firmly
5) Inset the pipe into the socket and HAND TIGHTEN the nut.
6) Using a wrench and hold both sides and tighten one full turn.

This will take some effort becaue the ferrule has to deform a bit.

Watts makes some CTS fittings that work on PEX and don't require a tool, bit like a Sharkbite. They aren't cheap $3.50 to $4.50 a fitting.