The more you know what your home is made of, the better you’ll be at identifying problems and choosing the right plumbing materials when you hire a plumber in Minneapolis. It will also help you determine outdated equipment and what needs to be done to replace it. Below, we describe and compare six main types of plumbing pipes. By knowing each pipe and how well it performs, we can better fix problems in your home, when you call us for drain cleaning services. If you have any further questions, feel free to call us.

 

1. PEX

Most water supply lines contain PEX piping. It is popular due to its flexibility, color-coding, and hard plastic properties. PEX is easy to cut and simple to join. One of the best features of PEX is we can create 90 degrees with the piping throughout the system with relative ease.

 

2. PVC

PVC is the preferred plumbing material for mainline drains and vent lines in plumbing systems. PVC is a relief for plumbers who used to carry heavy metal pipes in the pipes. The hard plastic is lighter and easy to work with. It’s ideal for floor drain cleaning or mainline sewer cleaning.

 

3. Rigid Copper

Professional plumbers use rigid copper for water supply lines. We usually cut rigid copper with a hacksaw or Skilsaw or a copper tube cutter and then solder it together to form a connection. The reason we use rigid copper in the supply line is that there are no health risks when it comes into contact with water.

 

4. ABS

ABS has the same plastic properties as PVC, but it comes in black instead of white. It’s an older version of PVC. We recommend avoiding ABS because it no longer meets residential or commercial building codes. Although it used to be used for drains and vent lines, plumbers now replace it with standard PVC.

 

5. Flexible Copper Tubing

If you look behind your water heater or refrigerator, you’ll notice flexible copper tubing. It has to be flexible because we usually place it in areas that may not allow a straight pipe to sit. As with rigid copper, we utilize flexible copper tubing, because it does not contaminate water leading into an appliance.

 

6. Galvanized Steel

Of all the piping material in the industry, galvanized steel is hands down the most durable and long-lasting. It can be used for any application in any area of the home except for the water supply line. Despite its high level of performance, plumbing contractors have mostly phased out of using galvanized steel in favor of PVC material. Many older homes still contain steel pipes.

 

Trust Your Pipes to Drain Blaster Bill

No matter what type of plumbing you have, you can trust your pipes to Drain Blaster Bill. Our certified and highly-skilled plumbing technicians provide comprehensive drain cleaning services and bathroom sink cleaning. We can also clear out your clogged toilets. Our services extend to homeowners in the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota area. To schedule a repair or a cleaning, call us at (316) 847-4277 or message us on our contact page.