Home Plumbing Tips And Ideas About CPVC, Pex and Copper Pipe

There are many different types of choices when it comes to plumbing your home. For water supply, there is PVC, CPVC. PEX, Galvanized Pipe, and copper. Copper and CPVC are the most popular. CPVC is the easiest to install.

Galvanized pipe is not a good plumbing resource for your home. It rusts from the inside and eventually it will reach the point of being useless completely and will have to be replaced. As it rusts, the pipe actually becomes smaller on the inside restricting water flow.

For drains the most common used today is Schedule 40. In days long since gone, drains were made mostly of cast iron. Cast iron still exists today in many old buildings and is a great material for drains.

CPVC uses glue to join pieces together. The glue used must be specifically for CPVC. Other type glue will not work. The pipes must also be cleaned before gluing. This is done with a cleaner for the specific purpose of cleaning. Cleaning the pipe and fittings first removes any grease, oil and dirt that accumulates over time. The glue and cleaner used for PVC is very strong and you should only use it in a well ventilated area.

CPVC is easy to cut. Cutters can be bought at your home and garden center. There are different types of cutters, so make sure the cutters you but are for CPVC pipe. Some cutters can cut CPVC and soft copper piping also.

This pipe can also be cut with a hacksaw, but it will have burs around the cut that need to be removed. Use sandpaper to remove the burs from the outside and the inside of the pipe.

Cooper piping is generally soldered. To solder copper you must have a torch suitable to do the job. It is also important to keep a spray bottle of water with you at all times when soldering copper pipe.

Use Emory cloth to clean the pipe before fitting it with a fitting. It is also important to clean the inside of the fitting which can be done with Emory cloth also, but you can but a cleaning brush at your hardware store. After sanding you will have to put flux on the pipe and the fitting. Flux is an acid that deep cleans the pipe and fitting when heat is applied. It insures a good bond for the solder.

Always heat the fitting and as it heats try touching the solder to the joint. When it is hot enough the solder will melt and the fitting will suck the melted solder around the joint. You do not have to touch the solder all the way around the pipe.

PEX tubing is used for radiant floor heating systems because of it's flexibility. The turns are easily made allowing for the loops to be made with ease. PEX can also be used for hot and cold water supply. You must have a special tool to crimp the fittings when joining the tubing to a fitting.

What I like about PEX is that you can run long runs with it that you can't do with normal copper or CPVC pipe (usually in 10 foot sections). PEX comes in 100 foot rolls and you can get up to 1000 foot roll if you desired.

Pipes used for drains as I mentioned earlier is called Schedule 40. It is a thick wall pipe that is very stable and has a lot of strength. There are different sizes used for drains which usually are 1 1/2 inch for sinks and tubs, 2 inch for showers and washing machines, 3 and 4 inch for commodes.

All of the drains in your house should connect together at points fittings called tees. Make sure the tees used are for drains. They will be directional tees. (some tees are vent tees which require no direction)

Schedule 40 and CPVC are joined basically the same way. With schedule 40 you should glue both parts and twist them to make sure the pipe goes into the fitting completely.

Vent pipes should be attached to each drain in your house, then come together in the loft area. One pipe should then be installed going through your roof to the outside for the main vent. The main vent should be at least a 3 inch pipe.

To cut Schedule 40 pipe to size you need soemthing that can cut through it completely. Of course there is the trusted hacksaw, but the hacksaw is hard to hold straight and the cut many times ends up not being a good cut. A hand saw can also be used and will cut straighter than a hacksaw, but it is still a lot of work. If you only have to fix one spot along your drains, use the hand saw. No pint in spending a lot of money for a tool to cut pipe just to make one or two cuts.

If you are planning on plumbing a whole house, you should have good tools to use. It may require an investment by you but the time saved will be well worth it. Much of the time, I use a reciprocating saw.

Everyone once in a while, I plumb a house which has enough hieght under it to use a cut-off or mitre saw. A good mitre saw can do the job in much less time with cleaner cuts.

Always remember to follow the directions for whatever type of plumbing you use. Read all warning labels and use all safety equipment when required. Soldering copper requires a flame that is very hot and can cause 1st degree burns if handles improperly.

Eye protection should be used no matter which type of plumbing you are going to do.

Tubing cutters are sharp enough to cut you if you are not careful. The glue used for CPVC puts off a vapor that is toxic if used in a small enclosed space. Safety should always be first. If you are physically unable to do your own plumbing, please hire a professional to do it for you.

Below the comments there are two more videos I found at YouTube. They are merely for entertainment purposes. I hope you enjoy them.

I have written articles on Toilets, Hardwood flooring, Hanging Cabinets, Removing Stains from Ceilings, and Repairing Cracks in Walls. If you have any other projects around the house you need help with, please let me know in comments or make a request.