Plumbing pipes are either plastic or metal. Plastic pipes include PVC, CPVC, PEX tubing, and PolyPipe®. Copper is the most common metal pipe used in homes, while stainless steel is used in marine environments. Galvanized pipes are being replaced by PEX tubing.
The two main categories of plumping pipes are plastic and metal. Plastic pipes include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinylchloride (CPVC), PEX tubing, and PolyPipe®. Copper, stainless steel and galvanized steel are all kinds of metal plumbing pipes. Not all pipes are as useful or effective as the others, and each type is used for a specific purpose in plumbing.
PVC pipe is a type of plastic plumbing pipe mainly used to transport high pressure water. It comes in several standard sizes, ranging from ½ inch (1.3 centimeter) to 4 inches (10.2 centimeter) in diameter. PVC pipe is only made to handle cold water, as hot water will cause the pipe to become deformed. It is generally white in color, although some varieties are gray.
CPVC is PVC pipe that has received extra chlorination. It comes in a distinctive yellow color and can handle both hot and cold water. CPVC is more flexible with substantially thinner walls than PVC pipe and has the same outside diameter as copper pipe, which increases its range of uses.
PEX tubing, also known as cross-linked polyethylene tubing, was first manufactured in the 1920s but has become more popular in recent years. It shares the same outer diameter as copper and can be used for both hot and cold water. However, PEX pipe has a much higher heat resistance than most other plumbing pipes and is often used in water based heating systems. It comes in a creamy white colour, as well as red and blue which is used to denote hot and cold pipes respectively.
The last type of plastic plumbing pipe is PolyPipe®, a black pipe often used to carry high pressure water, usually to and from the home. It is used almost exclusively outdoors, and is usually buried in the ground to prevent freezing. PolyPipe® is extremely rigid and is rarely used for any other purpose.
Copper is the most common type of plumbing pipe used in the home, although it is more expensive than plastic piping. Copper is particularly resistant to corrosion and can withstand high temperatures. Copper tubing comes in three different sizes: Type M, L, and K. Type M has very thin walls, while Type L is medium walled, and Type K is the thickest of the three.
Stainless steel pipe is less commonly used than other metal pipes, as it is more expensive and harder to find. It is mostly used in marine environments because it can withstand salt water, which would eat away at most other metal pipes. The price makes it less desirable for other applications or in safer areas where copper pipe would work just as well.
Galvanized pipes have been used in homes for years, typically for carrying water in and out of the house. The galvanized coating prevents rust and gives a dull gray appearance. The use of this heavy duty tubing is declining, as it is being replaced by PEX tubing, which is less expensive and just as durable. Galvanized pipes are usually ½ inch (1.3 centimeters) to 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) in diameter.
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