Main Types of Plumbing Pipes

Everything evolves, yes, even the pipes in your house.  

Once upon a time pipes were made of metal, something that brought a lot of problems, considering how prone to get rusty metals are. They also had to be welded together. Can you imagine that?

Thankfully, things have been simplified now, but with modernity comes variety and so nowadays there are various types of pipes used in plumbing systems. It might be a bit confusing at first to know which option fits best to your project. That's why we've picked the most common.

Let's meet them right away.

types of plumbing pipes

1.- PVC Pipe: 

The popular guy on the block. PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride. They are quite durable, have long-term resistance, and are so adaptable that it's common to find PVC pipes in outdoor, indoor, and underground projects. Given its versatility, it can be used to bring water to your house or as part of drain systems. Their only limitation perhaps is that PVC pipes can't handle excessive hot water. 

2.- PEX Pipe: 

Also known as cross-linked polyethylene is another quite common option. It's made of plastic as well and it's used for supplying water. One of the main advantages of PEX pipes is that they're both flexible and strong. Allowing them to resist the force of water and be installed in every possible corner They're cheap and come in different colors for hot and cold water.

3.- ABS Pipe: 

Repeat this with me: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Okay, forget it, let's just stick with ABS. It comes in black only, it's made of plastic and you can use it for draining, waste, and venting. ABS pipes are very simple to connect and quite affordable. They are adequate for both indoors and outdoors.

4.- opper Pipes: 

You'll spot these easily by their reddish, almost brown, looks. As the name hints, their composition is based on copper. Among the advantages you'll get using these pipes is their durability and strength. They're ideal for water supply projects and are available in three levels of thickness: M, L, and K. You'll have to bear in mind, though, that copper pipes must be welded together and are on the expensive side.

5.- Flexible Pipes:

You can also call them braided pipes. They own the name to their appearance and opposite to the previous pipes can only be used for final connections, mostly related to appliances, like your water heater. Flexible pipes are made of stainless steel, and have a somewhat long duration but it's common to renew them at some point. You'll find them in various lengths and sizes.

6.- CPVC Pipes: 

Returning to the plastic group, we have this relative of PVC pipes. Remember what PVC means? Great, then you just have to add beforehand the word chlorine. It's precisely because of chlorine that CPVC pipes are stronger than regular PVC pipes. They also are more durable and resist well extremely hot fluids ( up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit)

7.- Galvanized Steel Pipes: 

Back in history, these kinds of pipes worked commonly for drain or waste systems. Moving forward to current days, you'll see galvanized steel pipes as part of gas piping. Keep note, however, that while it's less expensive than copper, at some point it can rust.

So, that was our list of the most common pipe types. Plastic has become a popular option but metal-composed pipes are still necessary for specific projects. 

What do you think?  What type of pipes does your house use?

In our next blog, we'll be addressing a very important issue: Fixing faucet leaks.

Do you want to update or maybe fix any problem with your piping system? Remember that you can easily get in touch with us