When it comes to the plumbing project, people mostly concern about the types of plumbing piping they should select. There are various choices that people with no expertise will find themselves bamboozled by all options. Choosing the wrong pipe will take them to start over the whole new project.
If recently you are working on your own plumbing stuff, you might find these tidbits helpful. Or else, for you who also get yourself prepared for the upcoming plumbing issue that might come, you are on the perfect page. Check the information dealing with plumbing piping down below.
Types of Plumbing Pipes Materials
Talking about the plumbing pipe, you cannot simply say you want to purchase a pipe in a hardware store. There is a long list of plumbing types available in the market. Those types differ from one to another based on the materials used in the making.
In the old times, there are two major materials for pipes. Those are lead and iron. However, as the era changed and technology is getting more advanced, more and more materials have been developed for plumbing systems. Now, there are more than 5 materials that are involved in the pipe-making process.
Copper is used in plumbing due to its resistance to high temperatures. It can even face a temperature of more than 100 degrees Celsius. However, copper is quite hard to bend, making it the least option when flexibility is needed in the plumbing system.
Another type of plumbing pipe is stainless steel. It is a very rigid material. Copper and stainless steel are indeed 2 types of plumbing piping material that need lots of effort to make a little curve. However, in corrosion-resistant and aesthetic aspects, stainless steel has a higher score than copper.
Plastic piping is also recently used in the plumbing system. This material has high flexibility that is advantageous when the pipe needs to fit certain spaces. Furthermore, plastic can also reduce heat much better than previous materials. Plastic pipes come in various forms like PVC, CPVC, and PEX.
Different Types of Plumbing Piping
Different piping materials create different types of plumbing piping. Each type represents its own function. Therefore, it is hard to conclude the best pipe to be installed in a general environment. Unless you know exactly where the pipe will lie and what to connect, there is no such best type of pipe.
Nowadays, there are 7 most used types of plumbing piping. Some of the types are appropriate for residential use, whereas others might be more suitable for commercial or office buildings. Those types are stainless steel pipe, PEX pipe, copper pipe, PVC pipe, and cast-iron pipe.
Stainless steel pipe is perfect to be installed in places that are prone to corrosion. You can use it in the bathroom or beach area. Now, a stainless steel pipe is available in both rigid and flexible forms. However, in terms of price, this pipe is expensive compared to other types of plumbing piping.
PEX pipe is the best choice for residential use. It is flexible, has low maintenance, fast, and easy to install. However, this type is suitable merely for indoor use as the sun rays might harm the plastic material.
Copper pipe is seen as having high durability and corrosion resistance. You can use copper piping for both cold and hot water. Unfortunately, this pipe is not easy to install. You might need assistance from a plumber to install it well.
A PVC pipe is multifunction. It can be used as sewer pipes or pressure water pipes. Its thickness is varied depending on for what purpose it is being installed. If you use this type of pipe, pay attention to whether the pipe has fulfilled the standard of health effect requirements or not.
A cast-iron pipe is usually installed underground for assisting water transfer or drainage system. This piping type is the heaviest among others. That is why the installation process of the cast-iron pipe needs special heavy tools.
Plumbing Pipe Types and Sizes
Each plumbing pipe type has its own size. However, the main essential thing to be understood when talking about pipe size is that it does not deal with physical appearance. The American National Standard has set a certain standard.
As for PVC, stainless, brass, and other types of pipe, except for PVC, PCVC, and copper pipe, the pipe sizes come in 1/8” until 12”. The outside diameter is ranging from 0.405” to 12.750”. The thickness of the pipes is also something noteworthy before you purchase them.
Each piping type has its own plus and minus values. There is no such one-fit-all pipe. You should know the needs of installing the pipe in advance. Only then can you decide which types of plumbing piping are most appropriate for you.
