As water and sewage systems across the country are upgraded to plastic pipes, you may imagine that the days of copper pipe are behind us; however, this is certainly not the case. Although plastic pipes are cheaper to buy, more lightweight and allow a greater margin for error, copper pipe still has its place and plays an important role in domestic and commercial plumbing situations.
Copper pipe is great
Copper is a highly recyclable material; in fact, estimates suggest that up to 75 per cent of all copper products in use today have been manufactured from previously recycled copper.
Copper is naturally anti-microbial and will not succumb to heat damage in the same way as plastic pipe is vulnerable. This makes it ideally suited to hot water plumbing applications. As an added benefit, heated copper is malleable. This means small bends can be created, allowing a continuous flow of water in confined spaces where installing joints could compromise the efficacy of the water flow.
Finally, copper pipe has more cosmetic appeal than plastic pipe and is therefore popular in situations where pipework remains visible after a job is completed.
Joining pipework
Plastic pipe enthusiasts often claim that plastic pipe is more versatile than copper pipe due to the ability to cut it easily to length and use press-fit adaptors to create bends and joints and to cap ends. What they are forgetting is that thanks to companies such as https://watkinspowis.co.uk/products/copper-pipe-fittings-and-press-systems, the same press-fit solutions exist for copper pipe.
These solutions create cost-effective, easy and fast joints that are reliable under extreme pressures, rendering them suitable for water, compressed air and gas systems.
In conclusion, while plastic pipes have their place, it would be short-sighted to overlook the benefits of copper pipes when planning your next plumbing job.