Plumbing Pipes Of The Present Day
Far from the days of clay and earthen pipes, we are now living in a world that has a wide choice of plumbing pipes to choose from. Homeowners can choose as per their requirements and suitability for the job at hand.
This article delves into a few of the standard pipes that are available in the market with the view to give you a clearer picture of quality and suitability.
Galvanized Steel Piping
These are steel pipes that have been coated with a layer of molten zinc. Galvanizing in such a way prevents the formation of rust and corrosion.
The health risk involved in using lead pipes encouraged the invention of this product and this has been a popular choice for most plumbing activities. However, these products don’t prevent rusting, after a few decades of use the zinc coating gets eroded and rust starts to form.
With a life span of about 50 years, this is a good choice as it is comparatively less expensive than copper pipes. These pipes are more durable than copper pipes and are mainly used for connections to baths, sink, and other appliances.
Copper Piping
Copper pipes are durable and highly reliable for most plumbing works both at home and office. They are capable of handling higher pressure and can also withstand both hot and cold temperatures. Though they are a little more expensive, they are known to last for about 70 years with proper installation. This could offset the higher cost. People mostly use these pipes for their gas line plumbing system.
These pipes are anti-corrosive and fire-resistant. Pipes can be fixed to each other by soldering and for this, you need an expert.
PEX Piping
With the discovery of plastic, plumbing activities made a big change. Polyethylene (PEX) is a product that is made from plastic and is now in great use in homes and offices. The main advantage of PEX pipes is that it is easy to lay than the other pipes available. The product is highly resistant to heat and also has great durability. Even though the initial cost of laying the pipes is higher than other pipes, it is, however, maintenance-free and lasts for decades.
This is the ideal choice for homes and offices as it is easy to lay and is corrosion resistant. The pipes are joined together by a pasting method and therefore do not require soldering or threading.
PVC Piping
PVC piping has been in use for many decades now and has been put to a variety of uses like water supply and for the sprinkler system. Poly Vinyl Chloride or PVC is a very cost-effective product that is a good alternative to mainly the lead based pipes that were in common use in the US and Europe.
These pipes can withstand the wear and tear for over 100 years.
PVC pipes can be used for potable water and also for sewage plumbing works. Since PVC is a low carbon recyclable plastic, it is very environment friendly.
