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FEATURES
A pipe isn’t just a pipe
For as long as cities have been built, we have been installing plumbing of some kind.
From the terracotta pipes of Babylon back in 4000 BCE, the profession’s simplest
component, the pipe, has come a long way. Here we look at a few of the options, and
speak to their advantages, disadvantages, and what technological advancements
have been made.
By Warren Robertson
CAST IRON
While often considered outdated, cast iron pipes are making a
comeback in some sectors internationally because, as well as
being easy to install, with high durability that often outlasts the life
of a building, it has two significant advantages over other forms of
plumbing pipe. Firstly, cast iron does not burn, and does not emit gas
when heated to temperatures normally encountered in structure fires.
Secondly, cast iron is often referred to as the ‘quiet pipe’ because of
its superior noise suppression. Studies have shown cast iron to be
a superior product in controlling noise due to its density. This makes
cast iron ideal for condominiums, hotels, health care facilities, and
educational institutions pipe build up over time, restricting water flow and decreasing the
water pressure in your home. This build-up can also impact water
pressure in other parts of the pipe and cause leaks.
GALVANISED STEEL
Galvanised steel pipe is a steel pipe that has been coated with zinc.
The intention was for the coating to protect the steel from corrosion.
While it is most commonly used for outdoor construction like fences
and handrails, it is still found in a significant number of homes as
interior plumbing. COPPER PIPING
Worldwide, copper is one of the most popular plumbing materials on
offer. It delivers long-term durability and stability, doesn’t rust, and
is soft enough to resist shattering upon impact — copper pipes can
even be used outdoors in both above and underground settings.
Rust is caused by the iron in steel reacting with oxygen and water,
which then leads to the object deteriorating. Galvanised pipes
remain less expensive than copper and are more durable than
plastic. Use of these kinds of pipes have largely been abandoned
around the world due to the fact that when they do eventually
start corroding, these pipes can cause lead to leach into the water,
which is poisonous. Another tricky aspect to galvanised pipes
is that while they may appear fine on the outside, they could be
corroding on the inside. The deposits along the interior of the
January 2019 Volume 25 I Number 1
BRASS PIPING
Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper and is one of the most common
materials used in pipe fittings. Brass is very corrosive resistant and
easily manufactured, making it possible to create brass pipe fittings
in any type, size, or shape. Brass pipe fittings do not rust and are
much easier to thread and bend than steel and iron. Probably their
most well-known properties, however, are their strength and excellent
ductility in high temperatures.
Copper can handle extreme conditions of more than 1 000 pounds
per square inch (psi) of pressure, even though normal system
pressure is about 50–80psi.
Copper tube is both light and rigid and as such, it does not sag
over long runs and requires fewer supports. Copper capillary
fittings yield smooth, neat, strong, and leakproof joints that do
not break down or pull apart when properly made. Copper is
impermeable and biostatic: Contaminants cannot penetrate it, and
it actually inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
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