Your home is full of pipes! But what kind of pipes? And how do they impact you? Below you will find a rundown of the most common pipes, how long they last and how to maintain them for the years to come!
Types
The four most common types of pipes include steel, copper, PVC, PEX pipes.
Steel and copper resemble nickels and pennies, respectively. Steel is the most common in 1930 to 1990-era homes, and they stopped using them for a reason! These pipes are commonly very thick meaning they are difficult to repair. Copper does not have this issue and is still used to this day.
If your pipes are white, you are a PVC home! Rust-proof and durable, PVCs will last you a lifetime – but their plastic nature means they cannot be used when heat is involved. Unless you want to shower with melted plastic of course.
The final common piping material is PEX. A cousin of PVC, PEX comes in a variety of colors and can withstand high temps.
Lifespan
- Metal Piping
- Surprisingly durable (as long as catastrophe does not strike), steel and copper pipes can last from 80–100 years!
- Plastic Piping
- PVC and PEX pipes will last between 30-40 years. While the lifespan of plastic piping is shorter, you are also not going to experience common malfunctions like corrosion due to rust.
Maintenance
Your pipes are delicate – treat them like it! This means avoiding flushing ANYTHING but toilet paper. Avoid food particles going down the drain. Avoid hair clumps. You get the idea.
And we get it. We all love those easy liquid pipe cleaners. A miracle product that solves the problem for about a week. But seriously, if your drain regularly clogs – give us a call. Those products can only do so much.
To get in touch with people who know how to help, call 806-373-7866 to reach Pratt Plumbing, Amarillo’s locally-owned expert plumbers for over 55 years.
