When it comes to water pipes for your home, you have many options. Material selection is vital for replacing plumbing pipes for various reasons, including cost, longevity, environmental effect, and water quality. Consult a skilled plumber to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of multiple types of water pipes and pipe fittings, ranging from PVC and PEX to copper and brass.

What Materials Are Used For Water Supply and Drain Pipes?

Plumbing waste (drain) lines can be made of cast iron, PVC, or ABS.

Water supply lines are made of chromed brass, copper, galvanized iron, CPVC, and PEX. Main sewage pipes are typically built of cast iron, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), or ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene). Lead pipes may still exist in older homes and should be replaced. Gas pipes are usually made of black iron.

Should I Replace My Pipes?

You might have lead pipes in your home if it had been built in the early part of the twentieth century. While lead pipes have a long lifespan, they can inject lead into your water supply, causing irreversible health problems. If your home was built between 1970 and 2000, you might contain polybutylene (PB) pipes, which are more likely to leak or explode. If your home has lead or PB pipes, contact a professional plumber as soon as possible to get them replaced. PVC and PEX are two considerably better materials that are now accessible. Your new supply lines will last for over a century (80 years for copper lines) and will not leak, crack, or pollute your water supply.

Discolored water, which can signal a corroding pipe, and bubbling drains, suggest a problem with your main sewer line are other symptoms that you should replace your plumbing pipes. If you see any of these indicators that your plumbing pipes need to be upgraded or replaced, call a professional plumber right away before the problem worsens.

What Are My Choices For Pipes?

We've provided a thorough breakdown of each type of pipe that's available to be installed in your home.

PVC Pipes

Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is a form of plastic typically used for main supply lines, drainage pipes, pools, spas, and irrigation infrastructure. PVC pipes are available in a variety of thicknesses known as schedules. PVC schedules 40 and 80 are the most frequent. The thicker the walls, the higher the schedule. The most prevalent PVC kind is Schedule 40. PVC in Schedule 80 is thicker and more robust, allowing it to withstand higher pressures. PVC is usually only used for cold water pipes because hot water will eventually break down the plastic. When exposed to the sun's heat and UV radiation, it can also decay. Before using PVC pipes, make sure to check your local codes. PVC does not rust or corrode over time, one of its many advantages. It's also reasonably priced and simple to fix or replace.

ABS Pipes

ABS is a black plastic pipe comparable to PVC but less flexible and susceptible to breakdown. People began to switch to PVC after they spotted joints breaking loose and the material warping in the sun, even though copper was traditionally the chosen material for home plumbing. ABS is still a sturdy, easy-to-install material that holds up well for underground pipes. Choosing between ABS and PVC can be challenging, so always get advice from a licensed plumber and verify local building codes and laws.

PEX Pipes

PEX (short for cross-linked polyethylene) is a type of plastic often used for hot and cold water delivery lines. It's incredibly flexible, allowing it to curve around corners and impediments readily, and it's long-lasting and corrosion-resistant. Because the material expands and contracts, it is resistant to freezing and allows for fewer fittings than rigid plumbing. There is less pressure loss when there are fewer pipe connections. PEX can also be snaked through existing pipes, making it an excellent repiping alternative. Although the plastic can tolerate high temperatures, it cannot directly connect to the water heater. Instead, a piece of copper or comparable hot-water piping must be attached.

Plastic pipe is less expensive than metal, easier to work with, and highly corrosion-resistant. However, the materials used will be determined by whether or not a piece of the old line will be preserved. For example, the contractor would not want to splice a PVC line between two cast iron lines.

Metal Pipes

Plastic pipes are increasingly being used in place of metal pipes due to their lower costs and ease of installation. However, metal pipes are still employed because of their strength, longevity, and toughness. Metal pipes, while more expensive, tend to survive longer than plastic pipes.

Copper Pipes

Copper pipes are commonly used for hot and cold water pipes because they are heat resistant, corrosion-resistant, and naturally antimicrobial. However, they are more costly than plastic pipe alternatives. Copper piping costs between $2.50 and $3.50 per foot on average, but PEX costs between $.50 and $1.50 per foot, or roughly half the price of copper. Copper pipes require more labor, which is, therefore, more expensive.

Copper has a 50-year average lifespan before the walls deteriorate and need to be replaced. Copper pipes can be utilized in subterranean and aboveground applications; however, sleeves should be fitted underground because some soil might harm copper. Copper pipes are available in three different thicknesses: M, L, and K. The thinnest is M, while the thickest is K.

Cast Iron Pipes

Although cast iron pipes are no longer widely used, they were the preferred material for drain lines in residences built before 1960. They're highly long-lasting, heat-resistant, and sound-absorbing, but they rust over time. Cast iron was the most commonly used material in home construction, but PVC and ABS are the most widely used materials in new home construction. So instead of replacing all of your cast iron pipes, simply the rusty pieces can be replaced with PVC or ABS.

Lead Pipes

As most of us know, lead poisoning can cause significant health problems, including renal and nervous system damage, especially in the aftermath of the Flint lead catastrophe. Human health is jeopardized by any exposure to lead. Up to 1950, lead pipes were widely used. As a result, lead pipes are only seen in old homes. Lead plumbing, whether for supply or drain, can cause lead poisoning; however, the risks associated with lead drain piping are substantially lower. Even yet, the water that passes through your lead drain pipes may wind up in private sewer systems and local aquifers. Therefore, water supply piping that contains lead should be replaced as soon as possible. Consult a skilled plumber about replacing lead drain pipes, which are frequently worn out and need replacement.

How to Select Pipes For Your Home

Contacting a local plumbing specialist is the best and most straightforward approach to choosing the proper plumbing materials and fixtures for your home. Costs, durability, carbon footprint, water quality, and pipes and pipe fittings are critical. It's difficult to choose the proper plumbing materials without a professional inspection because they all have advantages and disadvantages. Not only must local standards and regulations be adhered to, but the ideal plumbing material will also be determined by your demands, tastes, and existing pipes.

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