Plumbing. Plastic and metal-plastic pipes

Over time, the plumbing systems in our apartments and houses wear out. Almost every homeowner sooner or later faces the question of a radical pipe replacement. When a low pressure from the tap or constant puddles in the bathroom overflow the cup of patience, urgent plumbing work is inevitable. The market for these services currently offers options for installing plastic and metal-plastic pipes, which are the most demanded nowadays. And the choice is not as simple as it seems.

Steel pipes

Steel pipes, painstakingly installed throughout the country, upon closer acquaintance with them, disappointed with a short service life (less than 15 years), the need for constant protection from corrosion and temperature fluctuations, the complexity of transportation and installation. Who is unfamiliar with the case of water pipe breakage in winter colds or the need for urgent painting of the riser immediately after installation?

Products made from newer materials are almost devoid of these disadvantages.

Plastic pipes

Today, plastic pipes are the cheapest on the market with their wide versatility. They can be used for supplying drinking water and draining sewage, supplying to the heating system, branching for irrigation.

The ability to use plastic pipes both inside and outside buildings is due to resistance against the influence of low temperatures: in case of water freezing – the pipe will remain intact, while steel and metal-plastic structures will simply burst. However, using plastic pipes for water above 75°C (167°F) can have unpleasant consequences.

Plastic pipes are much more resistant to corrosion and safe in terms of possible toxin release, and harmful bacteria cannot develop on the surface of plastic pipes.

The minimum guaranteed service life of plastic systems is 25 years. A pipeline made from this material is twice as cheap as metal-plastic and almost three times lighter than steel counterparts, which facilitates transportation and installation.

Metal-plastic pipes

Metal-plastic pipes combine the advantages of plastic and steel structures, while inheriting a minimum of their disadvantages.

A metal-plastic pipeline is completely fire-safe and does not require paint protection from corrosion. The ability to bend simplifies the procedure for designing and installing hydraulic systems, while plastic pipes lack this and, if necessary to change direction, are connected by tees or angles.

A significant advantage of metal-plastic pipes is high heat resistance: they can be used when transferring liquids up to 95°C (203°F), and in specific cases – up to 110°C (230°F). However, the effect of low temperatures can negatively affect the functionality of the system, so this type of pipeline is recommended for installation only under conditions of relatively stable temperature regime.

Metal-plastic pipes are connected to each other without welding operations – using fittings. On the one hand, this greatly simplifies installation, on the other hand – the cavities of the fittings, smaller compared to the diameter of the pipes, can get clogged, as a result of which the pressure in the hydraulic system drops. Also, leaks appear at the joints a couple of years after being put into operation.

When choosing pipes, one should approach considering all the nuances of using the hydraulic system, the conditions of the environment, possible negative influences from the outside, taking into account the quality of the passing water. Then the installed pipeline will serve as long as possible, without causing trouble throughout its operation.

 

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