We own a home built in 1912. All the plumbing is outdated galvanized steel. We want to replace all of the pipes. Some say copper, some say plastic. Which is better (easier to install, cheaper, etc)?
I'm a commercial plumber, and isntall this stuff for a living so i'll give ya the low down on it. Copper is the best pipe for running water because it has a very low probability of ever breaking and last for your entire lifetime. Plastic pipe (pvc, cpvc) has a higher probability of bursting and flooding your house, and will probably need to be replaced sometime in your lifetime. Copper sounds great doesn't it? Well copper will cost you a lot more money than pvc. Most houses have pvc in them, its really only bad if it is run under a slab or put in incorectly, as long as you don't go with poly pipe, either one will sufice. Its really up to you on how much you want to spend.
Plastic pipe is cheaper and easier to install (and you don't need to light a torch to connect it together). Copper is a stronger pipe and will provide a longer life for the new piping. Either of these choices will be an improvement to the galvanized pipe you currently have. You may want to look at putting copper in areas that are harder to get into, and areas exposed to the elements, where the extra strength may be helpfull. Then, use plastic pipe everywhere else.
Copper is the better product of the 2 to use. If you install the pipes in your roof cavity, the heat will eventually make the plastic pipe brittle and it will have to be replaced or you will be flooded and then it will have to be replaced. The plastic pipe will be easier and cheaper to install but I can promise you that if your existing pipe were plastic, it wouldn't have lasted since 1912 till today. The plastic manufacturers will try and tell you their products will last longer than the copper, but how many of them will there be available to help you out when the house is flooded. There is another product on the market which will install as easy as the plastic pipe and it has all the qualities of the copper pipe. I can't remember it's name now (even checked through my catalogs) but it is a spiral type steel/copper inner wrapped in a thin pvc layer. It bend at smaller angles than a plastic pipe and all fittings are crimped onto the pipe. It come in 100m rolls and you cut it with a type of side cutter to the correct length.
I'm a commercial plumber, and isntall this stuff for a living so i'll give ya the low down on it. Copper is the best pipe for running water because it has a very low probability of ever breaking and last for your entire lifetime. Plastic pipe (pvc, cpvc) has a higher probability of bursting and flooding your house, and will probably need to be replaced sometime in your lifetime. Copper sounds great doesn't it? Well copper will cost you a lot more money than pvc. Most houses have pvc in them, its really only bad if it is run under a slab or put in incorectly, as long as you don't go with poly pipe, either one will sufice. Its really up to you on how much you want to spend.
Plastic pipe is cheaper and easier to install (and you don't need to light a torch to connect it together). Copper is a stronger pipe and will provide a longer life for the new piping. Either of these choices will be an improvement to the galvanized pipe you currently have. You may want to look at putting copper in areas that are harder to get into, and areas exposed to the elements, where the extra strength may be helpfull. Then, use plastic pipe everywhere else.
Copper is the better product of the 2 to use. If you install the pipes in your roof cavity, the heat will eventually make the plastic pipe brittle and it will have to be replaced or you will be flooded and then it will have to be replaced. The plastic pipe will be easier and cheaper to install but I can promise you that if your existing pipe were plastic, it wouldn't have lasted since 1912 till today. The plastic manufacturers will try and tell you their products will last longer than the copper, but how many of them will there be available to help you out when the house is flooded. There is another product on the market which will install as easy as the plastic pipe and it has all the qualities of the copper pipe. I can't remember it's name now (even checked through my catalogs) but it is a spiral type steel/copper inner wrapped in a thin pvc layer. It bend at smaller angles than a plastic pipe and all fittings are crimped onto the pipe. It come in 100m rolls and you cut it with a type of side cutter to the correct length.
