Everyone wants to create comfortable living conditions for themselves and their loved ones. Convenience and safety are also important at work. Water supply system plays an important role in it. Its main part – water pipes. It is their quality and characteristics that determines the service life of the system. Currently, the market offers a huge range of such products. This article will tell you how to choose the most appropriate option.
Features
Water pipes are divided into several categories according to the following criteria:
– intended use
– material
– construction type
Each variety has its own characteristics. The quality of products is regulated by standards.
Steel pipes are often used for cold and hot water supply systems. Such products withstand high temperatures and do not deform. Most often they are made by welding. Black steel models are used in the chemical industry, less often in utilities.
Polyethylene
The smooth surface inside the pipe prevents oxidation on the walls. This is a big plus, given the consumption of water by humans. It is because of this quality that people choose polyethylene pipes for drinking water. A disadvantage of the material from which the product is made is low temperature resistance, so polyethylene is only applicable for cold water supply. The connection is made using fittings (detachable connection) or welding (inseparable connection).
Such products are made from a mixture of copper and zinc. Due to the connection of two substances, it has good strength. The service life of products is 50 years. Such pipes, as a rule, have no seam, this explains their wear resistance. Water leak detection in such a pipe is most likely not needed.
Great advantages of this option are resistance to temperature changes and good resistance to corrosion.
Pipes with heating
In winter, people often face the problem of freezing pipes, which is quite difficult to cope with. This requires a lot of money, and while repair work is carried out, the residents of the house have to be insulated or look for a temporary place to live. However, it should be understood that it is not always possible to fix the system, sometimes it is necessary to change it completely. In order not to face a similar situation, you can use pipes with heating.
Plastic
More and more people today opt for plastic pipes (they are also called polymer pipes). They are created by combining polymers, are used for internal and external water supply and drainage.
The main advantages of the product:
– lightness;
– flexibility and strength;
– no corrosion, unlike metal pipes
However, plastic can not withstand too high temperatures, so there are clear limitations on the temperature of liquids. In addition, through such a system can be let not any liquid. For example, a caustic chemical compound can easily corrode the material. When any substances are added, the properties of the plastic change slightly.
Polyvinylchloride
Such products are used in the production for the construction of water parks, swimming pools. It is not recommended to choose this type of pipes for domestic purposes, as their composition contains chlorine. They should be used at low temperatures, as when heated to 50-60 degrees the material begins to melt. The price of this product is considered the lowest.
Polypropylene .
This option is used to bring drinking water, as the inner surface of the pipes does not accumulate oxide. Polypropylene models are used in floor heating and central heating.
Metalloplastic .
These products are multi-layered. On the outside there is a cross-linked polyethylene, inside – a layer of aluminum or copper. This variety differs from other plastic options in that it can withstand high temperatures and high atmospheric pressure. However, if there is a sudden change in temperature, deformation of the material can occur.
Low Pressure Polyethylene Pipes
Compared with other plastic pipes, this variety has a number of advantages:
– resistance to all media (alkaline, acidic), which determines the wide use of products in sewage;
– resistance to scaling and corrosion;
– environmental purity, which is especially valuable nowadays.
Parts made of low-pressure polyethylene are often used in industry, where it is necessary to transport large amounts of any substances with aggressive media.
Stainless Steel Pipes
They are widely in demand in industry, mechanical engineering. It is believed that “stainless steel” is a material that has strength, durability and resistance to various chemical compounds.
Chrome plated
Chromium plating is the saturation of steel products with chromium or the deposition of chromium by electrolysis. This process makes the product resistant to corrosion. Such products are good competition to others in terms of appearance. They are used wherever a brilliant finish is required.
Often chrome-plated materials are used in plumbing applications. For example, instead of steel corrugated pipes, which are considered expensive, you can buy copper chrome plated. It should be noted that the coating tolerates different environments (acidic, alkaline), so these pipes are often made for various plants. When buying such products it is necessary to be very careful.