4 Most Common Types of Plumbing Pipes for Your Home

12 Types Of Plumbing Pipes | How To Recognize And Use Them - Architecture,  Design & Competitions Aggregator

When it comes to the plumbing system to be installed in your new home, you have various options to choose from. Each may have its own benefits and drawbacks when compared to the other. This article lists down some of the most common types of plumbing pipes that you can use for your home. You can refer to this to have a good insight on which one best fits your property. 

PEX Pipe 

PEX pipe is also known as cross-linked polyethylene pipe and this is one of the most contemporary types of plumbing pipes out in the market today. Its main use is to supply water because it is rigid enough to withstand the pressure of the main supply. The seasoned blocked drain plumbers Croydon locals recommend, suggest that you leverage this type of pipe since it is flexible enough to weave through walls, ceilings, and other crawlspaces. PEX even comes in colour codes, with red indicating that it is for hot water, and blue for cold water. 

This type of pipe can also join with a copper pipe effortlessly or cut easily. The great part is that PEX pipes are also quite inexpensive. However, you just need to consider that since this type of pipe is quite new in the market, its long-term capabilities are not yet tested. 

PVC Pipe 

Another common type of plumbing pipe suitable for homes is the PVC pipe or polyvinyl chloride. It is a vent line type of plumbing pipe that is lighter and easier to work with compared to a galvanised steel pipe. Apart from being lightweight, another reason why it gained popularity is that it can be easily installed. 

One of the greatest advantages of using a PVC pipe is that its diameters are clearly marked on the white surface of the pipe. This makes the size of the pipe easy to determine. PVC pipes can also be used for long runs such as for irrigation applications and they are also comparably easier to work with than steel or copper pipes. Perhaps the only drawback of using this type of pipe is that it cannot be unjoined and they tend to degrade in sunlight. 

Rigid Copper Pipe 

There is also the option for you to use rigid copper for the plumbing pipes in your home. Rigid copper pipes are often utilised as water supply lines because they don’t come with any associated health risks. They can also be easily cut with a hacksaw. 

Rigid copper pipes tend to handle heat well enough and they can also withstand intense pressure. They are also easy to recycle and even the wastes can have a certain monetary value. However, rigid copper pipes may come at a more expensive price compared to the other types of pipes suitable for homes. 

ABS Pipes 

Finally, you can also consider using ABS pipes which stand for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. They look very similar to a PVC pipe but the former comes in black colour and it is slightly softer too. Instead of being used as a water supply line, ABS pipes are mainly used as a vent or drain line. 

The Bottomline

The types of plumbing pipes listed above are only some of the ones that you can choose from should you be installing them in your new home or re-piping your property. When you have a good insight into the characteristics of each one, then you will be in a better position to make a more informed decision on which one to use. Just keep in mind to consider the necessary factors that you need to think about accordingly.