Modern plumbing is at a bit of a crossroads when it comes to piping material. Some insist you can’t beat the strength and tenacity of copper piping, yet plastic piping has seen a surge in quality and advancement in recent years.
Knowing which to choose depends on your specific needs, which is why we have put together this handy guide to help you make the right choice.
Types of pipes
When we speak about plastic piping, we usually mean one of the two main types: PEX plastic and polybutylene plastic. You can learn more about the differences here:.
We won’t drown you in jargon, but the main thing to consider when weighing up these polyethylene options is that PEX can withstand higher water pressures whilst polybutylene is more flexible.
For copper pipes, you are typically getting pure copper. Alloys are not common in copper piping, so you will nearly always be getting the main properties of copper: longevity, corrosion resistance, and thermal conductivity.
Which is better?
There is no definitive answer to this; instead, the best type of piping depends on the situation.
Copper is obviously more expensive than plastic, meaning that it may be extremely costly to supply all the piping you need; however, rather interestingly, copper is cheaper to install. For more information or a quote on copper pipe connectors, visit Watkins and Powis or another pipeline merchant.
Copper’s biggest draw over plastic has to be its biostatic nature, meaning microorganisms such as bacteria are unable to grow within the pipes. Some situations necessitate the use of copper piping because of this feature.
Plastic pipes are far easier to modify, which is essential for locating problems in pipes. Soldering copper pipes can cause steam to accumulate, posing a risk to the person operating them, whilst plastic pipes are easier to remove.
Additionally, the lifespan and durability claims of copper are not exclusive, with plastic pipes being able to last just as long. This depends on the pipes’ uses; for example, copper is susceptible to rust/corrosion, which is something plastic doesn’t need to worry about.