Pipes for water supply - how to choose the best option ?

Water of metallic materials

Until recently, the most widely used were steel pipes, but now they are used much less frequently.The biggest argument they use is environmentally friendly and reliable, time-tested.Also to the pluses include: the ability to keep the high pressure and temperature, low expansion during heating.However, all these benefits are not decisive factors in the selection.

In addition, there are also serious disadvantages: a lot of weight, a gradual narrowing of the inner diameter of the action of corrosion, installation complexity and ugly appearance.Many say steel water taste that does no credit to steel pipes.When deciding what to choose pipes for water supply, many stops on a variant of copper.It is very common in Western Europe.

This love of this material is not accidental, because the copper system easily withstands high temperature and pressure, has antibacterial properties, corrosion resistance and high ductility.However, copper is considered to be new material in domestic use, and specific data about its operation there.Therefore, it should be noted and disadvantages of such pipes:

• Copper binds toxic substances (copper sulfate);
• They are subjected to destruction by stray current;
• Chlorinated water actively reacts with copper, adversely affecting its properties;

Note!Copper piping is focused on the supply of distilled water.

Water supply of plastic materials

Selection of pipes for water supply is not limited to metallic materials.Today one of the most popular are plastic tubes.They are easy to install, durable, do not corrode, their cost is low.They are sold in gray color and a standard 4 meters long.This is quite convenient, because at longer distance connections will be less, but transport can be a problem.

disadvantage can be regarded as a strong thermal expansion of plastic.Therefore, embedding pipes in walls need to use a system of "tube-in-tube" or "tube in a plastic sleeve" that was a reserve space.Drawing inferences, we can safely say that the plastic home water - the most rational solution of all the options.

alternative to plastic stands metal and plastic.It consists of three layers: the external (hard plastic), medium (aluminum) and internal (food grade plastic).The aluminum layer is necessary to reduce the thermal expansion and adding strength.The material is easy to bend and easy going.The disadvantages include the high cost of the material.

Note!Plastic and metal and plastic materials are more acceptable for domestic water, but their durability is considerably less than the metal pipes.

General tips when buying

Deciding what is best for water pipes, consider some basic recommendations when buying material:

• necessary to check a certificate from the seller to make the purchase is not recommended without him;
• Inspect materials and make products according to its specifications;
• calculating the cost should be taken into account and the cost of the connectors, because the price for them can be more than the pipe itself;
• Operating conditions must be considered in advance to take measures to protect against external factors.

Important!Durability of the system need to count the operating period of all elements, not just tubes. choosing for themselves the best pipe for water supply and the place where they are purchased, purchase once everything necessary to further unforeseen problems have arisen.