What type of piping is used in the home? Plumbing is divided into two major categories of metal and plastic, but each category has many different types. Each type has advantages and disadvantages, and some types of pipes are more common than others.
Metal tube
Copper pipe: This type of pipe has been used since the early 1960s and is very reliable, but expensive. Copper pipe has high corrosion resistance, heat resistance, and is not easy to leak. Copper pipes come in three sizes: M (very thin wall), L (medium thickness) and K (the thickest wall). Types M and L are usually used for internal hot and cold supply lines, while type K is used for underground service lines. The biggest disadvantage of copper pipes is their high price, which is why copper is gradually being replaced by more economical plastic pipes.
Galvanized steel: In the 1960s, they were widely used in domestic pipelines, and many were used as pre-buried supply pipelines outdoors. Galvanized steel has only certain corrosion resistance and rust resistance, and its service life is about 40 years. Use PPR Pipe Fittings and HDPE pipes instead of domestic pipes.
Stainless steel: Stainless steel pipes are not common in homes. They are strong and resistant to corrosion, but the price is even more expensive than copper pipes. They are commonly used in marine environments where sea water corrodes other metal pipes.
Cast iron: This type of pipe used to be used for drainage. It is very durable and difficult to apply due to its weight. If you need to replace the old cast iron pipe, PVC and HDPE are a good choice, it can be tightly jointed with cast iron.
plastic pipe
Plastic polybutene (PB): gray or beige, usually packaged in roll tubes. This type of flexible tube was widely used as a metal substitute from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. After years of application, PB is prone to leaks, which is why it is no longer used.
Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC): The color is light yellow or beige, which is basically a PVC pipe after additional chlorination. It is more reliable than PB, cheaper than metal, easy to install, and can be used for cold and hot water supply. It is more flexible than PVC.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): white or gray pipes, commonly used to transport high-pressure water. It cannot be used with hot water, it will cause the pipe to bend, and is usually used to enter the main water supply pipe of the house. The diameter of PVC ranges from 16 to 300, which is cheap and easy to use.
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX): This type of pipe is widely used for internal pipes in new houses. The heat resistance of PEX is much better than plastic pipes, and it is usually used in water-based heating systems.
High-density polyethylene (HDPE): This kind of water supply pipeline has high corrosion resistance, flexibility and long service life, and can be used to carry various fluids from drinking water to compressed gas to hazardous waste. HDPE forms joints by thermal fusion, thus eliminating leakage. It has exceptionally low resistance, making it ideal for all pipeline applications.