If you look around at the plumbing throughout your home, you’ll likely come across a wide variety of different piping materials. Whether that be the ones connected to your water heater, under the sink or anything else readily exposed, you may wonder what the purpose is for each of these. Depending on how long you’ve been following our blog posts, you might have seen a post we put out earlier this year. Titled “Understanding the Different Types of Plumbing Pipes,” this blog walked through the most common types of plumbing pipes. It covered copper, PVC, galvanized steel, polybutylene and cast iron. Some of these are still widely used, while others have been phased out over the years due to a number of different reasons.
This week’s blog is going to follow up the one I mentioned above. While some of the names might not stand out like those in the prior post, chances are you can possibly find a couple of them somewhere in your own home. With that being said, let’s hop right in and analyze a handful other different types of plumbing pipes.
PEX
Also known as cross-linked polyethylene, PEX piping is actually much newer than many of the materials mentioned in the previous blog. PEX really started making waves in the late 1990’s, but the actual invention of it dates back a few decades before that. In an interview with PM Mag, the national sales director for Zurn PEX states “the chemistry for cross-linking polyethylene has been known since the early 1960’s. A practical process for making PEX pipe was first invented in 1968 with commercialization in the early 1970’s.”
PEX is used to supply water and is slowly replacing copper or galvanized in many new home constructions or remodeling projects. If you have it installed in your home, you’ll also notice that PEX is color coded as well. Red signals hot water, blue is for cold water, and gray/white can be used for either. Here’s a few reasons why PEX is gradually becoming much more popular each and every year:
Flexibility
Perhaps the best benefit behind PEX piping is it’s flexibility. Unlike traditional forms of piping, plumbers are easily able to maneuver it around without having to install added fittings. As such, there’s fewer connection points and a minimized risk of any future leaks occurring.
Less Susceptible to Freeze-Cracking
Remember those extremely frigid temperatures that made their way through Kansas City earlier this year? Well, as service plumbers, that harsh weather resulted in plenty of calls in regards to frozen pipes and eventually some leaks! In short, PEX possesses the ability to expand, thus limiting its susceptibility to freeze-cracking. Keep in mind though that we still recommend following proper insulation best practices.
Proven to Work
Last, but not least, PEX is proven to work! There’s a reason why it has grown so much in popularity over the years. It’s a proven piping material that provides its homeowners with a peace of mind that everything is working correctly. As a side note, the water doesn’t make any loud noises when going through the supply lines either!
Before I continue on to the next type of plumbing pipe, keep in mind that PEX cannot be used outside. To put it simply, it’s not equipped to handle the UV rays and will likely deteriorate fairly quickly!
ABS
Next on our list is Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene, or ABS as we like to call it. If you saw ABS piping in-person, you’d likely think it looks very similar to PVC pipe. While they are both plastic pipes, they have different purposes and as such, are used in varying applications. In addition, you’ll notice that the PVC pipe is white and the ABS pipe is black.
The most notable difference between ABS and PVC is the fact that ABS tends to be stronger, as well as being more shock-resistant. ABS is typically used more often in cold temperatures as well, considering it doesn’t always hold up the best with direct sunlight. As for application areas, you’ll primarily find ABS used in drain-waste-vent piping systems.
Lead
If you checked out our last blog on plumbing pipes, you’ll notice we tossed out a few different types that are either not used as often anymore or even one that’s been completely phased out. One in particular was polybutylene, which has been at the heart of a few lawsuits over the years! Considering clean drinking water is such an important topic (especially considering the crisis that’s gone on in Flint, Michigan), it’s been critical to replace piping materials that have displayed clear flaws. Lead is the perfect example of a material that’s been deemed inadequate, thanks to all of the potential health and safety implications.
Having said all of that, the next piping material on our list is lead. For years, lead pipes were widely used. In fact, you can go back to the 1700’s for examples of this being the case. As you likely know though, lead has since been banned in the United States. According to SciLine, “in 1986, they were banned from use in new U.S. plumbing systems, but they remain throughout much of the country’s drinking water infrastructure, which largely pre-dates the ban.” While it’s tough to tell the full extent of how many lines this currently impacts across the U.S., it’s clear there are plenty of service lines that haven’t been updated yet.
It’s been reported that even low levels of lead exposure can present potential health problems. In the end, I added in lead pipes as a section in this blog since it does still have implications for Americans in 2021 and is something worth keeping an eye on!
Flex Gas Pipe
As we wrap up this week’s blog, the final type of material that I’ll discuss is something we like to call gas flex-pipe. In particular, we’ll highlight how these are used with gas-powered water heaters. Keep in mind that it’s always best to work with a licensed plumber who is familiar with the various local codes to ensure you’re doing everything correctly! Even from a safety standpoint, it’s important to have an experienced plumber on hand when you’re dealing with gas lines!
While some were skeptical when this flex pipe first hit the market, it’s safe to say that it has become very popular over the years. Since it can easily be bent and maneuvered, it’s easy to work with and has less connections, thus minimizing the potential leak locations! All in all, there’s not a lot to break down on this type of plumbing pipe, but it has nonetheless quickly become an asset to plumbers! If you have a gas-powered water heater, take a quick look at it and see if you notice a yellow pipe connected towards the bottom of the unit. That is the flex pipe I’m referring to!
Call the Piping Experts in Kansas City
If you follow us on Instagram or Facebook, you’ve likely seen just how many different types of plumbing pipes we work with on a daily basis. Considering every situation has its own unique twist to it, it is important to have a thorough understanding of when to use what. When you work with Stine-Nichols Plumbing, you’ll not only have the peace of mind that we’re using the correct material for that particular application, but also that we have years of experience working with each of these individual materials.
Whether it be a complex re-piping project or simply replacing a water heater, our trained technicians are equipped with the knowledge to alleviate your plumbing concerns. Give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out our online form to receive a free quote! We currently service the entire Kansas City area, as well as all of the surrounding cities. Whether that be Olathe, Overland Park, Liberty, Parkville, Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, you name it and we have you covered for all things plumbing. We look forward to working with you!