Sooner or later, people are faced with the question of how to replace the water pipes.Which is better to choose, decides to host a house or apartment, and this affects the long-term work properly and water supply systems.
leading positions are occupied by products from polypropylene and HDPE plastic, which are beginning to displace metal.From the properties of materials, prices, conditions and financial possibilities of user selected depend on water pipes.Which is better?Reviews consumers inclined towards products made of polypropylene and metal plastic.
polypropylene pipes
make a decision about what is best to install water pipes in the apartment is quite difficult.Most of the owners stopped to products made of polypropylene.The pipeline is not folding, and weld fittings provide reliable and durable connections.They may be of different configurations: couplings, corners 900 and 450, crosses, tees.
main tool used for welding a special tool - polifuz (on national - or soldering iron).A heating element mounted on the nozzle 2 of the required diameter.They are inserted into the pipe end and fitting, and then made their heat for 6-10 seconds.The heated parts are removed and connected to each other.In just a few seconds, the welding, providing a reliable bond strength.Disconnect the details after that impossible.
special properties of polypropylene allow to use it for heating and water supply.One of his species - "Random copolymer" - is the most heat-resistant and is used where the temperature of the water is allowed to 950S, and its increase to 1000C with malfunction does not reduce the life of the pipeline.
Advantages and disadvantages of polypropylene products
have pipes has its advantages and disadvantages.The advantages of polypropylene pipes following:
- resistance to chemical substances;
- great simplicity and speed of installation;
- high flexibility, prevents destruction of the pipe at peremerzanii water in the system;
- durability when used in high-networks;
- ecology.
disadvantage of pipes is their rigidity.As a result of their installation requires more swivel fittings.Furthermore, the polymer has a large thermal distortion that should be considered when mounting.In the absence of thermal compensators the pipeline could become deformed and even destroyed.
Polypropylene pipes are divided into 3 types:
- PN 10 - design for the cold water and underfloor heating.
- PN 20 - piping hot water with temperatures up to 800S (Universal).
- PN 25 - for operation at high temperature (up to 950S).
latter type of tube reinforced with aluminum foil or glass.Perforation of the metal makes it possible not to apply glue to connect the layers.The reinforcement increases the strength and stability of the products.The tube may be coated with metal on or inside.Aluminum is used mainly for reducing the thermal expansion.
Fiberglass applied without bonding layer.It fuses with the polypropylene layer, providing a good quality connection.
Composition pipe
tube structure composed of 2 layers of polyethylene PE-X and located between the aluminum layer.Metal is connected with special plastic glue.From its properties depend on the quality of the product.All manufacturers have their own adhesive compositions that they are constantly improving.The polymer creates flexibility and smoothness, and aluminum - strength and reduced thermal expansion of the pipe when heated.Top product specifications are Germany, Belgium and Italy.
between a pipe connected to compression or press fittings.In the former case it requires only a wrench, and the second - a special tool.
Five-layer structure of the pipe has a small thickness, whereby the flexibility of the product is maintained.The aluminum layer is very thin and is more like a foil than the metal layer.
Advantages and disadvantages of metal and plastic products have
has its pluses and minuses.Positive properties of pipes following:
- flexibility to often go without fittings;
- low weight;
- media temperature is + 950S;
- low temperature deformation;
- resistance to corrosion and corrosive environments;
- little noise when transporting liquids.
Disadvantages pipes following:
- flammability of the material;
- elements have different temperature deformation, resulting in delamination of the adhesive layers of the pipe and in the joints with brass fittings;
- bad material can withstand ultraviolet radiation;
- low strength under shock loads;
- narrow confines diameter - 16-33 mm;
- pipe rupture during freezing water in it;
- high cost of fittings.
Another drawback is narrowed orifice of the fitting compared to the tube diameter.This creates additional resistance to the movement of water.
HDPE pipe
polyethylene (PE) pipe used in 2 versions: for industrial and drinking water.It is elastic and sold in coils.Due to this assembly requires fewer fittings, which are made of plastic.
PE pipe is mainly used for outdoor plumbing.It is resistant to low temperature before -500S.Flexibility, durability and low price made it popular for water supply and irrigation suburban areas.Pipes long exploited, not overgrown, and do not corrode.For conventional hot water PE pipes are not suitable because their operating temperature does not exceed 450C.Now often used to cross-linked polyethylene water pipes.Which is better, there is very clear.However, their price is much higher, though the quality too.
What better water pipes - polypropylene or metal and plastic?
metal products on the market gradually replaced by plastic.If you want to buy water pipes, which are best determined by price and quality.Thus it is necessary to take into account not only the cost of the pipes, but also other components.Polypropylene is a bit cheaper than plastic, but special savings achieved on the fittings.Do not forget that installation of pipes requires a welding machine, the acquisition of which is necessary to spend.For a large water pipe costs it will not be too great because the soldering iron is easy to learn on their own, and the involvement of experts will cost considerably more expensive.
Polypropylene tubes are produced in a wide range of diameters in the direction of their increase ranging from 63 mm.For larger diameters, the question of what kind of water pipes better - plastic or metal and plastic, it is not necessary.It is obvious that there must be applied polypropylene.
Plastic products have a significantly lower thermal expansion coefficient than the polymer due to the presence of the metal layers (5-6 times lower).Therefore polypropylene tubes required temperature compensators in the form of loops.Availability of materials with different thermal expansion in one system reduces the period of operation of plastic pipes with frequent temperature influences.
of metal and plastic plumbing easier to install and it does not require an expensive welder.Communications obtained molded from polypropylene, but the weld do not differ in the strength of the pipe material.
Water pipes in the country
in Farmland irrigation and personal needs always need water pipes.What are the best in the country?What is clear is that this is the product of the IPA, which outperform other materials on the following parameters:
- Value for money.
- durability, flexibility and ease of processing.
- Fittings Manual requires no special tools, knowledge and skills.
- presence of special adapters for installation of valves and connecting consumers (shower, sink, Watering unit).
All components and instruments are sold in specialty stores.In order to not interfere with the movement of water at the site, it can dig into the ground.To prevent damage to the pipe garden tools for it lay a trench from plastic trays, covered with top grilles.The pipeline can be set annually, but it also left in place.Then in winter water is drained out of it, and the system was purged, for example with a vacuum cleaner.
internal water
What better use of water pipes in the country, in a country house or an apartment on the premises?Specifications polypropylene plastic pipes and allow them to successfully apply for internal use.They are easy to hide behind a partition or under the floor, which maintains the integrity of the interior.Reliable connections ensure the pipe leak.If the manifest shortcomings, it is mostly due to the improper installation or violations of technology.
Conclusion
Many owners find it difficult to choose the water pipes.What are the best of the existing species, it is difficult to determine because of metal and plastic and polypropylene products have their pros and cons.All this is reflected in the characteristics of the product, which must always be studied in detail.What better to put water pipes, depending on the quality, characteristics, preferences hosts and their financial capabilities.
HDPE pipes are more suitable for garden and outdoor water supply.For the price and characteristics, they are far ahead of the competition.
