Where is your drinking water coming from? What kind of pipes are in your walls?
There are many different types of piping we use to supply fresh water to our great city homes. Before buying a house it's always a good idea to make sure your piping is in good condition, else look out for costly plumbing re-piping and hotel stays while being done.
One of the most common piping to look out for Is called “polybutylene” This piping, made of plastic and grey in appearance is very much prone to leaking and is therefore no longer used. However, there were many houses that were pipped with polybutylene in the early ’80s before the flaw was found. If you find a house with this type of piping, you can expect a costly plumbing expense as they will need to be replaced. Most insurance companies will not insure your home if these pipes are present.
Need us to drop by and check your pipes and the quality of your drinking water? Call us today at (954) 800-6364 or book us online by clicking here!!
There are many other types of plastic piping used today, we will discuss the two most common amongst them used for residential, aside from other reasons, mostly as a cheaper alternative to copper.
The first one is known as “Cpvc”, This piping slightly yellow/brown in appearance, is rated for hot and cold water, it is not prone to leaking like the polybutylene but they do get very brittle over time. We have been called out many times by clients who have accidentally cracked the pipe by simply trying to shut a valve. You may not have to worry about pin-hole leaks, but be mindful of your piping integrity if you have a home with this piping, especially if is an older home.
The next piping is known as “PEX”, there are different types of Pex, the most commonly used ones are, Pex A and Pex B. Both are made from the same material (cross-linked polyethylene), the main differents lies in the way they get connected to each other. Though also made of plastic, this piping has been around longer than Cpvc and Polybutylene and has been used in Europe for at least 50 + years now, proving itself to be quite reliable.
Pex A or Pex B?
When supplying water to a home, there are many different lines, branches, and turns the pipes must make in order to reach their intended fixture. The way that this gets done is by using the specifically designed fitting for the pipe in use. Pex A and B are not interchangeable in the way they connect to other piping of the same material. As an example, Pex A uses plastic rings that get a place at the end of the piping where the joint will be, the piping and ring then get expanded with a special tool. once expanded there are just seconds for the fitting to be inserted before the piping takes on its original shape and seals the fitting in for good. Pex B is commonly connected by a similar fitting but instead of expanding the piping, the fitting is simply inserted and then secured with a ring that gets crimped.
Unlike Pex A, however, these fittings reduce the diameter of the piping at each point as they are smaller than the internal diameter of the pipe. In turn, this will lower the volume of water reaching the fixtures. In addition, the crimp tool required for the attachments of the fittings generally requires regular calibration, which if not done, can lead to leaky joints and costly repairs.
Copper piping is arguably the most reliable and the shiniest, but is it worth the extra cost?
Copper piping has a big advantage that no other piping can provide, the most valuable one in our opinion is its ability to kill bacteria. Click here to find out how:
Also, evidently, a little bit of copper in your diet is quite beneficial.
Like many other pipes, there are different grades of copper, the grading of the copper will determine the wall thickness and the longevity of the piping. The most common ones in order of thickness are Types M and L, these can be identified by the color of the lettering on the piping; M- Red lettering, and L-Dark Blue lettering.
Fun fact,
Did you know? The city is required to drain water lines In certain areas where and when the water has been sitting in the piping for extended periods of time due to minimal use, this is done to keep the water fresh and remove any harmful bacteria that may be growing while stagnant? #Waterfilter