Plastic pipe is regularly used and the clear choice of plumbers and homeowners alike for plumbing projects. Relatively inexpensive, lightweight and it’s ability to resist corrosion are some of the qualities that make it so popular. The metal pipes used previously had a tendency to collect condensation from cold water which is not present with plastic pipe add to that it’s ability to keep hot water hot and no wonder it’s today’s choice. There are two types of plastic pipe in common use ABS and PVC and they do possess distinct differences. Below are points from Victoria BC plumbers about each product to help you choose which one is the right choice for your plumbing project.
Check The Code
Local building codes may spell out which pipe you have to use while other local codes may leave the choice to the plumber or builder. The key difference between ABS – acrylonitrie butadiene styrene and poly vinyl chloride or PVC is the materials used in their manufacture. While BPA has not been proven to pose a risk to humans some animal studies show i t may be cause for concern. For this reason some builders or homeowners may decide to opt for PVC pipe.
Strengths And Weaknesses
The most obvious way to tell them apart is that PVC is white and ABS is black but the differences are deeper than that. PVC is more flexible and found to be superior at muffling the sounds of running water. The superior strength of ABS, it’s ability to handle severely cold weather are in contrast to the tendency to warp when exposed to direct sunlight.
Similarly priced in most North American markets it can then be a matter of which positive or negative qualities stand out the most. When working with ABS pipes it’s a simple one step process to connect pipes and with PVC it takes 2 steps. ABS can be bonded almost instantly with a special cement but PVC ends must be treated with a purple primer before cement is applied. The resulting messy process and dry time before cement is applied can mean extra labour costs and factor into a builder/plumbers choice.
Searching for plumbing contracts for your next project why not give GoodSense Plumbing and Drain Cleaning a call for all you plumbing needs.