How to choose pipes for water supply: the main options

Despite the fact that in almost every house, apartment or private courtyard there is running water, this benefit of civilization would not have been possible without pipes through which the necessary fluids are delivered to the human body. For the installation of water pipes in the 21st century, pipes from various materials are used, so choosing the right product for organizing the delivery of water to a residential or utility room will not be difficult. Depending on the purpose, various types of pipes are used, and before you go to the store, you need to study the properties and method of installation of products from various materials.

Installation of a water supply system in a summer cottage or water supply to an apartment can be done with pipes made of various materials.

Metal pipes

For many years, metal pipes for water supply were used everywhere and they had no equal. However, metal pipelines have significant disadvantages:

• Metallic smack of water.
• Oxidation of metal and the appearance of rust in water.
• Reducing the inner diameter of the pipe as a result of overgrowing of the inner lumen with various organic deposits.

In addition, for the installation of metal communications, it is necessary to use welding equipment, which makes independent work for many home masters impossible due to the lack of welding equipment or working skills with it. For the organization of cold water supply, steel pipes are practically not used at present, but for these purposes a copper pipe can be used, which is much less susceptible to corrosion, but has a high cost.

Metal pipes in unheated rooms must be insulated with special materials. Glass wool has excellent insulating properties both to provide protection against destruction of cold water pipes and to prevent heat loss in hot water systems.

Polypropylene pipes

Polypropylene pipes for water supply are used most often in modern homes. The organization in the house of water from polypropylene pipes allows you to get rid of many of the shortcomings that are inherent in metal products. Polypropylene products can be standard or reinforced.

Reinforced pipes are able to withstand very high pressure and water hammer very well. The use of such products is justified only in a centralized cold water system, where sudden pressure drops are not uncommon.

For the water supply of a private house, in which the water will be supplied by a conventional submersible pump, there is no need to use polypropylene pipes for cold water supply having a reinforced layer. In addition, reinforced polypropylene will cost significantly more than unreinforced material. To insulate polypropylene, foam or glass wool can be used. The insulating properties of these materials will reliably protect the water supply in winter. The advantage of this material is that the installation of polypropylene pipes can be done on their own.Installation work is carried out by soldering with a special device. The best polypropylene pipes are made in Germany.

Galvanized pipe

Galvanized pipe eliminates the main disadvantage of steel pipes. If the iron pipe is coated on the inside and outside with a thin layer of zinc, then the process of steel corrosion will be completely prevented. The service life of galvanized pipes is about 20 years, but only on condition that when the protective layer was applied, the technological process was not disturbed, and the products themselves were not operated in the domestic hot water system. The destruction of the protective zinc layer increases several times at a temperature of + 60-80 degrees Celsius, so this material is unsuitable for providing hot water. For cold water supply, galvanized pipes are successfully used in various systems, without any restrictions.

Polyethylene pipes

Polyethylene is also a worthy replacement for steel pipes. The main limitation on the use of HDPE pipes for organizing water supply is the narrow temperature regime of this material.

Characteristics of HDPE pipes:

• At a temperature of 0 degrees or below, polyethylene loses elasticity, and if there is frozen water inside the pipe, polyethylene can be completely destroyed.
• If the water temperature is above 40 degrees, then polyethylene is also not able to maintain the required level of strength.

Given the characteristics of this material, the use of polyethylene pipes for hot water supply is not recommended, and when organizing water supply in unheated rooms, it is necessary to use high-quality insulation for water supply pipes. Well-insulated pipes of low pressure polyethylene are capable of without significant damage to endure a significant decrease in air temperature. Thermal insulation of the material should be made when the pipes are laid in the soil at a depth of freezing in the winter.

This material has advantages. Flexible pipes can significantly speed up the installation of communications, while the layout of water supply pipes can be very different. Polyethylene is easily connected using fittings or soldering. HDPE for water supply with limited installation space can be connected using a compression sleeve.

PVC pipes

PVC pipe can also be used to organize hot and cold water supply.

This material has the following advantages:

• Service life not less than 50 years.
• Does not burn.
• It has a small weight.
• Pipe laying can be done on its own.
• Low cost.

For the organization of drinking water supply, this material can be used both in the country house and for water pipes in the apartment. If pipes are needed for pressurized water supply, then this type of product can be used for this purpose. The high strength of PVC pipes allows the replacement of old metal water pipes without loss of quality.

Plastic pipes

Metal-plastic pipes for water supply allow installation of a water supply system in the shortest possible time. At the same time, the costs of acquiring such material and its installation will not be too burdensome for the family budget. Flexible pipes allow you to rotate the communication without the use of connecting elements. This type of material can be used both for cold water supply systems in a country house or apartment, and as a pipe for hot water supply. In the latter case, it is necessary to choose a material with the appropriate marking. This type of metal-plastic pipe can be operated at temperatures up to +90 degrees.

For cold water supply systems, the main advantage of this material is the absence of corrosion, which positively affects the taste of the water.Using special adapters for pipes made of metal-plastic, all installation work can be carried out on their own, which is also an advantage of using this type of material.

Stainless pipes

Corrosion-proof pipes are an expensive material for organizing home water supply, but this is perhaps their only drawback.

This material has a maximum hygiene indicator, and the life of such products can exceed 400 years. Stainless steel country water supply can fail prematurely only if chlorine-containing substances are used to disinfect water, but this technology is practically not used in modern cleaning systems. If it is necessary to disinfect the water supply at the cottage with aggressive means, then after the completion of all work, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the entire line.

Tips & Tricks

• If replacement of water supply pipes is necessary, it is recommended that the old steel water pipes be completely replaced with modern products. Among the huge number of varieties, you can easily choose a material that will fully suit the price and quality.
• Flexible pipes made of various types of plastic can significantly reduce the time spent on installing water pipes both in the country house and in any other residential or non-residential premises.
• Pipes and fittings for water supply are recommended to be purchased in one place and, preferably, from one manufacturer. In this case, you can count on the fact that all the components of the water supply will be ideally suited to each other, and if you encounter any problems with the quality of the goods, you will not need to contact various trade organizations.
• The layout of the water supply pipes can have various options, therefore, before proceeding with the organization of the water supply, it is necessary to calculate the diameter of the pipe for water supply and correctly calculate the amount of material that needs to be purchased.
• Installation of water supply pipes can be done on their own, but if there is no experience with tools, it is recommended to contact professionals.
• If flexible metal pipes are required for the installation of a water supply system, then a copper pipe is the most suitable material for both cold water supply systems and for hot water supply.

How to choose pipes in such a way as to kill the greatest possible number of birds with one stone must be decided by everyone, but regardless of the type of material purchased, you need to make sure that you buy an original product that will meet all the standards.