Apr. 03, 2024

Why Jordan Homes Only Uses Uponor PEX-a Pipe

by Brooke Roberts

A conversation with Jeff Gibson, Senior Purchasing Manager, Jordan Homes  

OVIEDO, FLORIDA — How strongly does Jeff Gibson of Jordan Homes believe in Uponor PEX-a piping and ProPEX® ASTM F1960 fittings?  

Strong enough to have another brand’s PEX system with crimp connections entirely removed from a new home he was building and replaced with Uponor.  

This bold and dramatic move demonstrates Gibson’s unwavering dedication to achieving client satisfaction by using the best materials available — including a proven and reliable plumbing pipe system he always insists on including in all his homes.  

As the senior purchasing manager of Jordan Homes, Gibson has more than 25 years of experience in the residential building field. His employer typically works on single-family, multifamily, and light-commercial properties, which are ideal applications for Uponor PEX-a piping systems. 

Gibson first encountered Uponor products in 2013 through a plumbing contractor friend and professional colleague, and he’s been a true believer ever since. 

That same year, Gibson also replaced the plumbing in his newly purchased, 40-year-old home. Prior to the installation, he contacted Uponor Regional Sales Manager Sonny Edwards to schedule a quick training session for his project supervisor and plumber.  

“I was able to replumb my home and create an addition to the house by connecting the piping myself,” he explains. “I added another 480 square feet and ran the PEX through the attic to it.”

During this pivotal learning experience, Gibson and his team saw first-hand how to install PEX-a pipe using the unique ProPEX connection system, which requires one simple tool to expand the pipe and an expansion ring before inserting a larger-diameter fitting.

This connection process capitalizes on the “shape memory” of the PEX-a pipe and expansion ring, which immediately shrink back to their original size and form a strong, durable seal around the fitting. 

The ProPEX connection method also eliminates the possibility of blowoffs and leaks from dry fits that occur when an installer forgets to finish a crimp, clamp, or solder connection. Plus, Uponor expansion fittings are quick to learn, and proper connections are easy to identify, helping to address the skilled-labor shortage. 

Since repiping his home, Gibson now trusts Uponor for all his professional homebuilding projects. After joining Jordan Homes in 2022, he began asking his plumbing subcontractors to use Uponor PEX-a exclusively. 

Gibson’s strong convictions about Uponor PEX-a came into play right after an improperly made PEX crimp connection failed and flooded a brand-new townhome just one week before closing. He promptly had the crimp system removed and replaced with Uponor PEX-a and ProPEX fittings throughout the entire 58-unit complex. 

Gibson cites three key reasons why Uponor PEX-a has become a standard for Jordan Homes:  

• Installation speed: Jordan Homes recently capped a 176-townhome project called City Place in Kissimmee, Fla., featuring commercial units on the first floor and townhomes on the second and third. The site also includes a courtyard, garage, and apartments. Gibson’s team finished the entire project in just one year, citing the ease of installation as a major role in meeting the demanding project schedule.
• No leaks: The problem with previous piping products was the inability to spot a leak until the pressure-testing phase. That, in turn, inevitably exposed a project to inadvertent leaks and, worst-case scenario, flooding, as described above. “Uponor PEX’s no-dry-fit capability alone is worth its weight in gold,” says Gibson. “I don’t ever have to worry about flooding.”
• Certified training and support: Gibson appreciates that Uponor continues to help with jobsite learning while also responding to any questions or requests. A particularly illustrative example occurred during the recent City Place project.

Gibson believes that showing the architectural design and engineering teams how products will be used in advance makes it easier to get them written into the plans before construction begins. For City Place, Gibson initially pitched architects and engineers on using Uponor PEX-a — unsuccessfully. He then asked Uponor Residential Account Manager Mary Lou Napolitano to create isometric (three-dimensional) piping layouts, figuring the project designers would better relate to these schematics.  

And that’s exactly what happened. Thanks to the isometric drawings, the design team approved Uponor PEX-a into the project.  

Over the past decade, Gibson has continued to ask for Uponor on his personal and professional projects to benefit from faster installations, reliable connections, and prompt expert training and sales support. In fact, Gibson says he now works solely with plumbing subcontractors who use only their own Uponor-trained employees as installers rather than outside mechanics with no experience using PEX-a.  

“With a good company with good people who create good products, you stay,” he says. “There's no reason to move on. That's my stance.”