Are you undertaking a DIY plumbing project or hiring a professional to do your plumbing for you? This experience may prove a bit hectic for you, because of the vast array of plumbing pipes that you’ll need to choose from. You may not know what types of pipes are required for; the sewer, drainage and even water supply. Here are the main types of pipes that you may use in your home.
1. The. PEX pipe
Also known as cross-linked polyethylene, a PEX pipe is among the most popular and newest pipes in the market. It is only used for water supply. This kind of pipe is rigid, so as to withstand pressure from the water being supplied. It is however flexible, allowing it to be woven through the walls, basements, ceilings, and crawlspaces. They are efficient when it comes to water-supply plumbing. There are many advantages to using the PEX pipe. They include high flexibility qualities. They are color coded with red representing hot water, and blue representing cold water. They are easy to cut, and finally, they can be joined with copper pipes.
2. The PVC Pipe
Polyvinyl chloride is a vent line or drain type of pipe. PVC became popular because of its ease to work with, and it’s lightness in weight, in comparison to pipes made out of galvanized steel. They are generally easy to put in place and requires little effort to cut. You can also glue them together with most solvents. Their advantages include; they are inexpensive and can be used for a long time in projects such as irrigation. They are flexible, and finally, the diameters are marked clearly on the pipes’ white surfaces.
3. The rigid copper pipe
It is usually used for the water supply lines. You can easily cut it using a hacksaw or a special cutter. Connection of rigid copper requires you to have the skill and experience, of soldering the copper pipe together. They are great when it comes to water supply, as they don’t bring you any health risks. Advantages of rigid copper include; they can be bent slightly. They handle heat well. They can withstand intense pressure and are easily recyclable.
4. The ABS pipe
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene pipes are mainly used for drain line and as vents. They look quite similar to PVC pipes, but are a bit softer and are black. Advantages of using this pipe include; They are stronger than the PVC ones. They are suitable for the underground, exterior use. Finally, they work well in low temperatures.
5. The flexible copper pipe
The flexible copper tubing is used to serve as final runs to refrigerators, water heaters, and some sinks. You can only use it for short runs, and it is easy to cut through. You can bend it to make it fit well around corners. Some advantages of using this pipe include; it fits in really tight and unusually shaped places, and it is highly heated tolerant.
These are the main types of pipes that you can use around your home while plumbing. Hiring professionals such as the Drain Rescue Plumbers will ensure that you have professional, and quality plumbing is done around your house.