Top Ways To Choose Plumbing Pipes For Homes And Offices
Dealing with a plumbing project can be quite an overwhelming job. There are always so many different types of pipes to choose from. It could be quite confusing. However with the right knowledge, you can determine which type of plumbing pipe best suits your project. There are some factors that must be taken into account before selecting a plumbing pipe. They include quality, price, durability, installation methods and resistance to corrosion. These factors play an important part in your plumbing system.
Below are details of ten different types of pipes that are used as plumbing pipes for homes and offices in Pakistan as well as their specific applications, along with their benefits and drawbacks:
PEX:
PEX (short for cross linked polyethylene) is made up of high density polyethylene. It is rigid enough to withstand the water pressure but at the same time, is flexible enough to weave through walls, sealings and crawl spaces. It is relatively new in the piping world, but is very famous due to its flexibility. It is one of the least expensive pipes and its installation can simply be done by soldering or glueing. PEX pipes can withstand high temperatures. Hence they are suitable for carrying both hot and cold water. They are very useful for the purpose of indoor plumbing applications. However, they can not be used in outdoor applications since they are damaged by the UV rays in the sunlight.
PVC Piping:
PVC (Polyvinyl Carbron) pipes are plastic pipes commonly used in house plumbing projects as they can carry normal potable water as well as waste lines. It is light, inexpensive and easier to work with. It is corrosion resistant and usually they last a lifetime if not subject to damage. They are mainly used for sewer water. Despite their benefits mentioned above, they have two drawbacks. Firstly, they are unfit to carry very hot geyser water as they can melt at higher temperatures. Secondly, they are also damaged by UV rays of the sun and are not excellent to carry potable water.
CPVC Piping:
CPVC(Chlorinated Polyvinyl Carbon) is related to the PVC family. But it differs in the presence of extra chlorine content in it. This extra chlorine content in the CPVC solves the major problems of PVC. CPVC pipes and fittings can be used to carry hot water as well, making it suitable to carry geyser water in household applications. Secondly, CPVC Pipes in Pakistan are corrosion resistant up to a large extent under the effect of UV rays of the sunlight. They are easier to install too owing to their solvent joining method. Hence, they provide a good quality and reliable piping system that lasts a lifetime.
Copper Pipes:
Copper piping has had an important place in the plumbing industry for more than five decades. They are corrosion resistant and pressure resistant. Furthermore, they can carry a wide range of water temperatures as their melting point is very high. Unlike plastic pipes, they do not burst or break when the water inside them freezes in cold temperatures. Copper piping is not used much in the modern day as it conducts heat and electricity and is many times more expensive than CPVC or PEX piping.
Galvanised Piping:
Galvanised piping is usually made up from steel or iron. They are called galvanised because they are coated electrochemically with a zinc layer to protect them from corrosion. Besides protecting the pipe from rusting, the zinc coating gives it a shiny grey appearance. These pipes are also pressure resistant. They were once used for household plumbing projects but now their place has been replaced by plastic pipes that do not conduct heat and are cheaper than galvanised iron pipes.
ABS Piping:
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) piping is made up of thermoplastic material and resembles PVC except that it is black in colour and more durable. These are less expensive pipes and resilient to cold temperatures. But just like PVC, they are damaged by UV radiations of the sunlight, restricting them to indoor use. They are mainly used for drain lines. Another negative point of ABS pipes is that they tend to be noisier than most of the other pipes.
Brass Pipes:
Brass is another old option used in plumbing systems. It has the same advantages as copper in that it resists corrosion and many chemicals. It has even more thick walls than copper and has impressive strength. That is why brass is one of the best piping materials for high pressure systems. But brass has several drawbacks as well. It is costly, conducting and noisy. Furthermore, sometimes brass pipes also contain traces of lead which is bad for health. If you need to buy brass pipes, make sure you are getting fully lead free ones.
Flexi Piping:
Flexi piping basically means flexible pipes and they are generally made up of stainless steel. Its most common use is piping connections to appliances such as sinks, geysers and toilets etc. It is not used inside the wall in plumbing projects. It is also rather expensive as compared to the plastic pipes. Hence, it is not much used in piping systems in the modern day.
Cast Iron Piping:
Cast Iron plumbing pipes are recognisable by their dark grey colour. They are manufactured as bell and spigot types. Cast iron pipes are heavier than any other pipes and they are mainly used for underground water supply systems or as main pipe on drainage and sewer systems. Cast iron is not widely used in the modern day because it is prone to rust and corrosion. Plastic pipes have replaced cast iron piping in the modern day for household piping projects.
HDPE Piping:
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) pipes is a plastic family pipe manufactured from ethene monomer. It has a high strength to density ratio and is resistant to corrosion. HDPE pipes in Pakistan are cheaper and stronger as compared to other types of plastics which makes it one of the most used piping systems on a commercial scale. They have several applications including potable water, irrigation and sewage pipelines. They are also used as gas lines and in petrochemicals and wastewater industries. HDPE pipes are very common in the piping industry due to their expanded applications and excellent performance.
This blog gives you an understanding of all the different kinds of pipes and their uses. It also tells you about their benefits and flaws. The choice of pipe depends upon your exact application, but generally for homes and offices, CPVC pipes in pakistan and HDPE in Paksitan provides a quality solution and does not have any major drawbacks. It is also known to last longer than most of the pipes. But again, you should contact a plumber or expert so that you can decide which way is the best to go and choose plumbing pipes for homes and offices.
Prestige Plastics is a piping company in Lahore providing quality HDPE pipes and CPVC pipes in Pakistan. Different sizes and diameters of HDPE pipes and fittings & CPVC pipes and fittings that need to be applied in any kind of application are available at Prestige Plastics. At Prestige Plastics, we manufacture high-quality HDPE pipes and fittings and CPVC pipes and fittings that are designed to withstand the rigors of any project.
Contact us today to learn more about our products and how we can help you with your piping needs!