Which pipes are best used for water supply

If it is planned to arrange a water supply system in a private house, in a country house or the construction of a bath, it is advisable to understand the characteristics of water pipes that are suitable for a specific purpose. Each material has its positive and negative sides, which will work well in some conditions and be completely unsuitable in others.

Types and technical characteristics of pipes for water supply

When choosing materials for plumbing, buyers are mainly guided by the cost, quality and technical characteristics of products. First of all, the characteristics of the material itself - is it suitable, for example, for hot water, which will enter the pipes from the sauna, or withstand winter cold up to -30 degrees.

The following materials can be found on the market:

• steel - carbon and galvanized;
• cast iron of various modifications;
• polyethylene;
• polypropylene;
• metal-plastic;
• copper.

Copper piping is very expensive. This is a high-quality material that does not lend itself to corrosion, serves for more than 100 years, withstands any temperature extremes due to its elasticity. But there are also disadvantages:

• installation requires special tools and welding;
• does not mix well with other materials;
• sometimes it is simply not on sale due to lack of demand and high cost;
• prone to deformation.

Good performance can be obtained by using cheaper materials, such as plastic.

Plastic pipes

In home construction, PVC products, polypropylene, polyethylene and metal-plastic pipes are used. The general advantages boil down to a long service life - at least 50 years, if they are selected and installed correctly. All materials are readily available, easy to assemble, it is possible to buy fittings of any configuration. The installation does not require the involvement of heavy construction equipment, since the pipeline is assembled by hand due to its light weight.

Polyethylene most often used to supply cold water. For example, from a well to a house. The material is frost-resistant - if the water inside freezes, the pipe does not burst. The products are beneficial to use in cold climates. Well suited for summer cottages where the heating does not turn on in winter.

XLPE - a more durable version of the usual. Hot water can be supplied through the highways, as well as pumps that increase the pressure in the system can be installed. The pressure build-up does not harm the XLPE pipes. Sudden temperature changes also do not have a negative impact.

Polypropylene - the most bought material. It is connected using a low-temperature soldering iron, which is cheap. The seams are tight and durable, so the pipes can be laid in the floor or in the walls and plastered.

There are varieties of polypropylene - reinforced pipes with metal or nylon windingwhich makes them even stronger. Any store has connectors for this material. Of the minuses - with frequent heating, polypropylene can deform, which affects only the appearance of the structure. Deformations do not affect the integrity and tightness. The main line is made non-separable - this must be taken into account.During installation, it is important to maintain all the time intervals during which the pipe ends are preheated.

Metal-plastic often used in household plumbing. It is quite strong and durable, but it has one significant drawback - after several heating and cooling cycles, the system may leak. This is due to the fact that the joints begin to "dangle", the fittings do not fit tightly to the pipes.

Metal-plastic is well suited for heating in utility rooms where drips are not so terrible - sheds, garages, rooms for animals and birds. But for a private house, it is better not to use it, so as not to restore the plaster every second year. The material is mounted simply, no need to buy special tools. Rust to pipes is not terrible, since the inner and outer walls are made of plastic, and the middle is most often made of aluminum.

Polyvinyl chloride or PVC stronger than polyethylene. Withstands pressure up to 46 atmospheres. It tolerates temperatures up to 90 degrees well. The material is chemically inert. Especially for PVC structures, you can buy adapters, couplings and corners and make the installation yourself.

Metal pipes

Although most buyers have long since switched to plastic plumbing systems, steel and cast iron structures are still on the market. They have their customers. They are mainly used for urban communications located underground, where the load on the ground is much higher than on its own site: constant vibrations from moving vehicles, soil shifts. Here you need a material that will endure these inconveniences, otherwise repair work with the digging of streets is inevitable.

Cast iron it is used for the removal of corrosive liquids, as it is more resistant to chemicals. They are used in car washes, in chemical industry enterprises, where waste of a high degree of pollution goes to the drain.

In a private or apartment building, cast iron is valued for its quietness and long service life. In this case, the rules for welding or joining products must be observed. Old grades of cast iron have a rough inner surface, which contributes to the adhesion of dirt and rapid blockage of the line. There is no such disadvantage in new modified products. The problem may be the replacement of a section of a cast-iron pipe with a plastic one, which will require the selection of materials and the method of their connection.

There are two main types of steel on the market - carbon black and silver galvanized. Cink Steel well withstands temperature extremes and pressure increases in the system. It does not corrode for a long time until a part of the protective coating is damaged. Therefore, the installation is carried out carefully, trying not to scratch or beat the product.

Carbon steel has a relatively short period of operation - about 25 years. The situation is complicated by the presence of iron oxide in the pumped water. The water supply system will have to be periodically disassembled and cleaned, which entails additional costs and lack of water in the house.

For all metal structures, you need to order construction equipment, since the weight of the products does not allow them to be assembled manually.

For a home system, metal is rarely used as a plumbing material. Most owners of private houses prefer cheaper types of pipes, lightweight structures that have an increased service life.

Main selection criteria

Depending on the operating conditions, it is necessary to choose materials that will last longer in this situation. For example, to equip a bath, you need to buy pipes that can withstand high temperatures and their drops, because the water comes in hot inside, and outside it gradually cools down.

For the internal water supply, products are selected that have a pleasant appearance if they are planned to be placed in an open way.

If the water supply or sewage system does not have a slope, a pump will most likely be installed to accelerate the movement of drains, so the pipes must withstand pressure.

Features of installation and connection

Indicate the dimensions of the water pipes in mm and inches. 1 inch = 25 mm. Half-inch is 15mm, ¾ inch is 20mm.

To choose the right size, you need a table of water pipe diameters.

After the inner and outer diameters are determined, a diagram and drawing of the highway is made with all the turns, transitions, connections. The number of fittings and other parts is counted.

For each material, there is a connection method that ensures the tightness of the structure:

• soldering;
• screw or press fittings;
• couplings;
• welding.

The installation of polymer and combined structures is simpler and does not require the use of bulky expensive tools, therefore, if desired, do it yourself.

For the installation of a steel or cast-iron water supply system, it is better to invite a team of workers with the necessary equipment, who will do the work and give a guarantee.

Maintenance and repair

With the correct laying of water supply or sewer pipes, taking into account all the features of the climate, soil, temperatures, the line should work for the time declared in the technical specifications. Polymer structures are in operation for up to 50 years.

If the installation was carried out incorrectly, a quick failure of the products is possible. It consists in depressurization or damage to pipes underground or in a house.

In case of depressurization, repair work is carried out: pipes are dug out and a leak is found. You can determine it by the pumping equipment, which starts to junk. When the pump is running and water is not entering the house, there is a problem with the piping in the ground or indoors.

If the line is damaged due to low temperatures, cracking of the material may occur, which cannot be repaired. Such areas are excised and replaced.

Metal items must be periodically cleaned from the inside. It is good if, during installation, inspection wells were equipped along the route of the pipe. Through them, access to the inside is obtained and cleaning is carried out with the help of a cable.

Plastic products do not need to be washed frequently, as dirt does not adhere to smooth walls. In addition, the pump creates pressure and speed at which the microparticles have no time to settle and stick.

Copper piping is rarely cleaned. The properties of copper do not allow sediment to linger inside, but the cost of such a water supply system is very high, not every owner of an autonomous water supply system is available. There is no need to worry about the presence of bacteria in the copper plumbing, since this metal disinfects the liquid from various pathogenic flora.

Prices for pipes for water supply include the cost of the material itself - the larger the diameter of the product, the thicker its walls, the higher the cost of one running meter. Plastic structures are initially cheaper, metal ones are more expensive. The cost of additional elements for connecting parts of the water supply system is taken into account.