Common Piping Styles to Know

At All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling, our plumbers are highly experienced with numerous different plumbing services and products. There’s no type of plumbing we haven’t dealt with, meaning there’s no issue in your home we can’t help with.

We’re also here to educate, and different styles of plumbing are a perfect place to do so. Here are some of the most common plumbing pipe styles you’ll generally see in your home or business, plus what their benefits are and the areas they’re usually used in.

PEX Piping

PEX piping is flexible plastic that is some of the best on the market for preventing leaks. It comes with a slightly higher initial cost than some of the other materials we’ll discuss here, but this is made up for on the back end – maintenance is virtually non-existent and installation is simple and cheap.

PEX piping is considered the best option out there for indoor water distribution – it’s often used in homes and small businesses. It is not meant for outdoor use, as UV rays damage the plastic and make it ineffective.

PVC Piping

Most commonly used in various drinking water and sewage areas, PVC pipes are available in a few different levels of thickness. PVC piping can be specially designed to meet health requirements for drinking water, which is why it’s common in these areas.

Copper Piping

The most common material out there when it comes to pipes is copper. It’s very durable, with corrosion resistance that allows it to have plenty of water passed through it on a daily basis. It works with both hot and cold water.

Copper pipe does require soldering, however, meaning expert installation and handling is required. In some cases, extra fittings need to be added.

Galvanized Piping

Galvanized piping isn’t used as often as it used to be in the past, mostly due to possible rust buildups that aren’t as common with copper options. These days, you mostly see galvanized piping used for grey water runoff from areas like baths, sinks and other appliances.

For more on the various pipe styles out there, or to learn about any of our plumbing services, speak to the pros at All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling today.