Plumbing Pipes
Plumbing pipes are available in the market in many varieties ranging from different sizes to diameters. Plumbing pipes are made from different materials like copper, steel, plastic, brass, and galvanized wrought iron. While going in for a kitchen remodeling project or building a new home you will have to choose which material would be best for you. The type of plumbing pipe you will use will depend on the type of water it will convey. Below is a brief run down of the most popular pipes available in the market:
Copper pipes: are very popular and are used for drain, vent and potable water supply. It could be used both for hot-water and cold–water systems. It is durable, easy and flexible to install making it safer in natural disasters and adaptable to varying weather condition. Copper plumbing is resistant to microbes. For many years contractors have preferred copper plumbing for its dependability and solid value because it is competitively priced and of its high resistance to corrosion relative to lead pipes. Homeowners also prefer copper plumbing because it generally increases the resale value of homes. It also ensures a clean, safe water supply for lead has been eliminated from the manufacturing process. Copper pipes no longer pose a health hazard unlike with galvanized pipes that contain lead and may cause lead poisoning.
CPVC pipe or polyvinyl chloride: is a rigid plastic pipe that is joined together with solvent. PVC is used for conveying cold water into a building. They are perfect for areas of the country that have aggressive water that eats away at copper pipes. This aggressive water can sometimes eat through copper pipe within eight years. CPVC is unaffected by aggressive water, and its smooth inner surface won’t collect mineral deposits. CPVC plumbing pipes do not contaminate the water. Though these pipes have many advantages, they suffer from one major drawback. In case of fire or electric spark they omit poisonous gases. If this is an issue with you or your kitchen does not have a good exit point, then it is wise to stick to copper.
PEX pipe: is the newest entrant in the plumbing scenario. It is a flexible plastic pipe than can be installed much like electrical wiring. It can be bent at any angle or length. According to the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing as posted in their website, Toolbase.org, the applicability of PEX tubing for water supply lines is remarkable for “in parallel layouts where supply lines are dedicated to one fixture, only two fittings are used. It lowers the labor costs compared to rigid piping system installations.”
PEX pipes are versatile; it is suitable for use with both hot and cold water, they can also be used in conjunction with steel, copper, PVC and CPVC plumbing pipes. They are also durable and highly resistant to bursting. PEX tubing exhibit better performance compared to the heat loss signature of metallic pipes. This particular class of tubing allows less water to be wasted in parallel installation, for the small diameter of the tubing permit only small amount to be delivered on demand.
Installing a manifold inside the house provides benefit to PEX. It allows water to be turned off to any fixture that you want to access. When you need to repair a certain fixture or replace an old one, simply turning the handle should cut the water supply off.
PEX tubing is rapidly becoming the standard in the plumbing industry, proving it the better-quality product compared to other plumbing pipes.