Plastic pipe fittings and plastic pipework in construction.
Today, across the USA, parts of Europe and the rest of the World, the use of plastic pipework for a wide variety of applications is becoming increasingly popular, especially in the last 15-20 years. There are several types of plastic used by pipework contractors for varying purposes in construction. Some of the more popular plastic pipework includes Polyvinyl Chloride, Polyethylene and Cross-Linked Polyethylene.
Polyethylene (PE) Pipework
Polyethylene pipework is a common form of plastic appropriate for piping applications in tubing for rural water wells, underground irrigation and landscaping or farm drainage due to its higher flexibility in relation to the vinyls, although this is at the expense of a more workable strength. Polyethylene is composed from 100% ethylene and it is the lack of chlorine and this composition that gives PE plastic pipework it’s higher flexibility.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Plastic Pipework
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is arguably the most well-known of all the plastics, even outside of pipework and is today the most widely used of all plastics for pipe and fittings in construction. PVC pipework provides a balance of workable strength and cost effectiveness, leading it to be utilised for many pressure and non-pressure applications. Polyvinyl Chloride is generally one of the oldest plastics being used for pressure pipework, being used as far back as post World War I. PVC pipes tend to be considered one of the more rigid plastics and has also found widespread application in other pipework areas such as electrical conduit, process piping, commercial drains, irrigation, water mains and sewage.
Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX)
Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX) is a modified form of Polyethylene that has its molecular bond strengthened to enhance physical properties such as heat, chemical and crack resistance, making it ideal for hyrdronic transportation and hyrdronic heating (hot water).
Benefits and Limits
Plastic pipework provides numerous advantages to pipework contractor that has seen solid growth across the globe, especially over the last 15-20 years. Chief reasons of this growth and more widespread use in application has come through the plastic pipework’s properties of being light weight (in relation to copper and galvanised steel pipework), the ease of assembly during installation and low labour costs. This is on top of the more chemical based properties of having excellent chemical and corrosion resistance (again compared to copper and galvanised steel pipework).
The limitations of plastic pipework mainly rest on its pressure capacity of up to 250PSI (Pressure per Square Inch) and the temperature restrictions of anything over 200F
