subject: Why Choose Plastic Piping Over Copper For Plumbing Your House [print this page] When you are plumbing a new property or re-plumbing an old house, the question of plastic piping or copper piping always comes up. A qualified professional plumber will be able to provide you the long term benefits and drawbacks of each one. There are a number of things to think about including cost, benefits, and the plumbing requirements of the job at hand.
The price of copper plumbing is a lot more than plastic piping. Considering the copper pipes are rigid, the installation of new copper piping in an pre-existing building may necessitate ripping up flooring and tearing out drywall. Plastic plumbing on the other hand is bendable and can be routed throughout your household or organization with far less damage to the current building. On top of this, the product cost of plastic plumbing will be much lower than copper plumbing.
The long term results of the plastic vs. copper battle are yet to be determined. Copper is a very reliable material for making piping out of and it has been used for centuries to plumb buildings. Plastic piping on the other hand has only been around for a few years. So its ability to stand up to the everyday wear and tear has not been documented. Sure there has been testing and all of that, but until something is tried out for several years and there is credible evidence to suggest it works as advertised, nobody can say for sure.
Plastic plumbing is flexible. This makes it easy to install. So re-plumbing an existing home or structure is much less difficult. Much like electrical wiring it can be routed through the existing framing or structure without having to rip out drywall or pull up flooring. It is also resistant against corrosion, abrasion, and condensation.
Copper plumbing is rigid and very challenging to install in existing structures. Often walls need to be ripped out or flooring needs to be removed. So if you're living in the building it will be a unpleasant and messy time in your life. It can also develop pinhole leaks if your water supply is acidic. On the other hand, copper plumbing is fire resistant and usually has a warranty of 50 years or more.
Both plastic and copper plumbing can affect the taste of your water. Copper piping can leave a metallic taste while plastic plumbing can leave a plastic taste. For both materials, this issue usually goes away after the plumbing has been seasoned. The bigger issue tends to be how the water tastes from the source.
The bottom line is that you need to determine whether plastic plumbing or copper plumbing suits your needs based on the requirements of the job. A good professional plumber can provide you with the cost and benefits of each. In the end, it will be up to you to make the decision based on your budget and the requirements of the plumbing job.
