Choosing between plastic and metal plumbing pipes get the facts

Plumbing used in each home are always not the same, and the pipes are of many different types. Beside its purpose, this equipment can serve you more than you may expect. Well, there are many advantages you should know other than just having pipe system in your home.

When putting up a new house, replacing an old plumbing system or having it repaired, you may wonder whether to use plastic or metal pipes. There are different types of metal and plastic plumbing pipes. So, how do you wade through the options that exist? For starters, make sure to consider your budget and whether the types of pipes you already use are a good fit. It is also important to take into account what impact your choice will have on the environment or your family’s health. Read on to learn all you need to know about choosing between metal and plastic plumbing pipes.

Metal Plumbing Pipes

Metal pipes are strong and rigid however they are more difficult to handle and work with. 

Most old homes in India use GI (Galvanised Iron) pipes. The biggest problem with galvanized pipes is that they are likely to rust and scale from within over time. This can cause water discoloration or even restrict water pressure. When old galvanized pipes corrode, traces of lead may also leak into the water. So, you might want to upgrade if your home still uses such outdated plumbing pipes.

Copper water pipes are rarely used in India. Copper fittings form strong joints that do not leak easily. This material is also durable, resistant to fire and reusable. Keep in mind though that copper can still rust eventually, especially if your local water has a very low pH. Copper pipes are also expensive to install. 

Stainless steel is another even less common option for metal plumbing pipes. It costs more than copper but offers greater resilience and performance. 

Cast iron pipes have been used in India for drainage. There are heavy to work with and are expensive but they are durable and traditionally have worked well.

Plastic Plumbing Pipework

Plastic pipes are increasingly being preferred for plumbing installations in newer homes. This can be attributed to a number of reasons. To begin with, plastic piping is not costly to install. The installation process is quite easy, and hence the cost of installing is minimized. Similarly, it’s easy to maintain when compared with copper or iron systems. Another thing you can think about with the plastic piping is its durability. Plastic does not rust, unlike metal. What’s more, its lightweight nature makes it easy to work with during installations.

The good news for the people who love going green is that plastic piping of this kind can be recycled. Hence the material used makes it a better for remodeling as it is an environmental conscious. Unlike the other type of the common plumbing materials, plastic does not fill a landfill making it the best option. Plastic piping is indeed very durable Compared to other piping systems. There is no doubt on how long the plastic type can last; the test done has shown that this type of material can last for more than 30 years.

Residential plumbing systems can use different kinds of plastic pipework. PVC pipes are perhaps the most popular installation used for drainage and cold water. They have high resistance to cracks and breakages when under high pressure besides providing all the advantages mentioned earlier. One downside of PVC pipes is that they can make drinking water to have a plastic aftertaste. In addition, water from your boiler can literally warp these pipes. So, PVC is not a good choice for your hot water system.

CPVC pipes for hot and cold water are becoming the norm. These are easy to install, corrosion and scale resistant and are very durable. At the same time CPVC is one of the cheapest options and is widely available in the market today.

Combination of CPVC for hot and cold water and PVC for drainage works well for plumbing and drainage.

There are other plastic pipe options available in the Indian market however they are not as widely used. Options for hot and cold water pipes include PPR, PB, PEX and PE-AL-PE Composite pipes however each one presents its own advantages and disadvantages. In case of Drainage other options available are PP, PP-Low Noise and HDPE.

All these are benefits one can gain using plumbing and piping systems for either home or business. 

For more information or visit by our Plumbing Solution Executive, call us on 1800 114 050, mail us on info@ajaypipes.com or logon to our website https://www.ajaypipes.com