Understanding Your Options for Plumbing Pipes

When the question arises which type of pipes you want in your plumbing – you can refer to our descriptions to assist you with your decision.

Galvanized Piping – Old School!

First, we have galvanized piping, the term refers to the coating of steel or iron with zinc, it has been in use for a long time in the early 20th century, galvanized piping replaced cast iron and lead in cold-water plumbing. Typically, galvanized piping rusts from the inside out, building up plaques on the inside of the piping, causing both water pressure problems and eventual pipe failure. These plaques can flake off, leading to visible impurities in water and a slight metallic taste. Your water will have a slight brown or gold rust colored look to it for a second and then seem clear. If you boil the water and pour it into a clear cup or bowl you will see that the color is still there. While galvanized piping does last a long time it is still on the low end as for as water piping goes. You will not find this on the market today it is out dated and not good for you for so many reasons

CVPC Plumbing Piping – Buyer Beware

Next, we have CPVC which stands for chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, you will see this product sold at almost all hardware stores under the name FlowGuard Gold made available in 1991. In 1985, the CPVC water system was sold under the name FlowGuard. While this system is better than galvanized it has a down side. In winter months this piping is notorious for freezing as are most water pipes, but when these pipes freeze it tends to split from fitting to fitting leading to a disaster in your home. While cost affective, these pipes can become brittle over time especially when exposed to sunlight. Plumbing companies that re-pipe in CPVC only usually put a guarantee on it for 1 year; there is a reason for this.

The Most Common – Copper Plumbing Pipes

Copper piping was first introduced in the late 1920’s.  You can get it in different thicknesses and there are Types K, L, M – K being the strongest of the pipes. It is estimated that 85% of homes in the U.S. have copper water piping installed. This is for a reason, copper is safe, clean, and dependable. Copper will stand up to UV degradation and is 100% recyclable. Copper is easy to winterize and is quiet, no more banging when you turn on a faucet or flush the toilet. Copper is on the higher end on the piping scale as far as quality goes but it still second from the top.

The Winning Plumbing Pipes – PEX

Finally, we have our rock star of the piping industry PEX. PEX contains cross-linked bonds in the polymer structure, changing the thermoplastic to a thermoset. One estimate is that residential use of PEX for delivering drinking water to homes has increased by 40% annually, and there is substantial evidence that PEX is or will soon become the dominant piping for carrying water in homes and businesses in the next decade. What makes PEX so much better is that it is a seamless system meaning fewer joints fewer weak spots. PEX can freeze and thaw out with no breaks. It is a system like none another truly clear drinking water. PEX installs quicker then copper and is used in so many application that it is taking over the industry as far as water piping goes. It is flexible and fire safe. This product is guaranteed to last at least 25 to 30 years when installed by a certified Plumber. This is the product that everyone wants for their homes.