The construction of a country house or major repairs in the apartment will not do without arranging or updating communications. When choosing designs for water supply, heating or drainage, along with other characteristics, it is important to know the life of the pipes. Previously, all products of this type were produced exclusively from steel and cast iron and served up to a hundred years. Today, polypropylene and metal plastic products are very popular, which differ from metal structures in their ease of installation, ease, and environmental safety. However, the service life of communication systems made of such material is much shorter.
Service life of steel pipes
Steel products are used not only in everyday life, but also in many other areas of activity. They are used for the installation of irrigation systems, oil pipelines, gas and heating mains. Many apartments of the old foundation have steel communications, which still exist today.
For the organization of heating systems, it is recommended to use products made of black steel, while galvanized products are more suitable for water supply. To protect steel pipes from corrosion, which becomes the root cause of communication failure, manufacturers apply zinc coatings from the inside and outside.
The service life of a steel riser or eyeliner in a cold water supply system is 30 years, hot - 20 years.
How long will cast iron pipes last?
Despite the wide popularity of plastic and composite structures, the arrangement of sewer communications still gives preference to cast-iron products. Such systems can work without major repairs from 70 to 100 years, and with careful care and regular cleaning - and more than this period.
The service life of the cast-iron construction is reduced only due to joints, which after 5-7 years become unusable. Regular flushing of the pipeline from internal plaque will help to increase the service life, and if there is access to the external surface, then its cleaning.
If you do not monitor the state of communications, the service life of cast iron products will be reduced by half.
Service life of plastic (polypropylene) pipes
Manufacturers of plastic pipes assure that such products can last up to 50 years. However, polypropylene products have appeared relatively recently and the reliability of such statements has not yet been proven.
In order for the plastic structure to last as long as possible, certain operating conditions must be observed, the main ones of which are the pressure and temperature of the water. The higher the load and hot water, the shorter the service life of polypropylene products. Moreover, it should be remembered that the temperature of the liquid in plastic structures should not exceed 95 ° C, otherwise the product will begin to deform and will not last even one year.
When arranging external pipelines, the destructive effect of direct sunlight should be taken into account, as a result of which the plastic becomes brittle and extremely sensitive to deformation and mechanical shock.
Terms of operation of metal-plastic pipes
Plastic pipes are more reliable and stronger than plastic pipes, since they have a multilayer structure - a reinforcing layer of aluminum is located inside. On the outside and inside, such a product is processed with a polyethylene coating.
Metalplastic communications combined the positive properties of all the other structures, so they are more durable. The life of structures made of this durable material reaches 50 years.
The duration of the operability of the water supply system in residential buildings, consisting of metal-plastic pipes, depends on the quality of the water and the correct installation.
What is better to make sewer pipes?
For the device of the sewage system, two types of pipes are used:
- cast iron
- plastic.
Cast iron structures will last more than 80 years, but they have their drawbacks, including high cost, heavy weight and uneven inner surface, which leads to waste retention and clogging.
Plastic pipes have maximum throughput due to the fact that they have smooth walls. In such systems, blockages are almost never created.
What to consider when choosing pipes for heating?
There are no universal pipes that are equally well suited for the installation of a heating system in different rooms. When choosing pipes for your home or apartment, the following factors must be considered:
- Water temperature and pressure. In individual systems, pressure is usually maintained no more than 2-3 atmospheres, and in centralized systems up to 16 atmospheres.
- External or hidden system type.
- The possibility of installation without the involvement of specialists.
About 95% of all heating systems are mounted on the basis of plastic pipes. Of course, the classic types of pipe products from steel, copper, iron also have a right to exist, but they have many disadvantages, the main of which are the high cost and complexity of installation.
The following types of pipes are used for heating in modern homes:
- Metal-plastic - used for underfloor heating systems. Since the metal-plastic pipe can delaminate from prolonged exposure to high temperatures, it is used for a coolant having a temperature of no more than + 40 ° С - + 50 ° С.
- Polypropylene is an inexpensive simple pipe that does not conduct heat well. It is used for self-installation of an external heating system, but not for a warm floor.
- PEX - flexible, resistant to high temperatures and voltage, in addition, it conducts heat well. Great for organizing external and hidden heating systems. The uniformity of the material eliminates its delamination. Assembling is carried out manually using fittings.
PEX-EVOH is one of the latest developments where an oxygen barrier is provided. Oxygen, in tiny amounts penetrating the coolant through plastic, promotes the growth of bacteria. It has been noticed that over 20 years of operation of the heating system, so many microorganisms are formed in the pipes that they can completely clog the lumen. In a pipe with an oxygen barrier, this does not happen.
What pipes to put for water supply?
Usually, metal, plastic and metal-plastic pipes are used for the installation of the water supply system.
Internal water supply is the wiring through which water flows to the plumbing and other equipment in the house. For each type of pipe production, there is a value for the maximum water pressure that they can withstand. For example, in a house with a central water supply, the pressure is from 2.5 to 7.5 bar, and sometimes can rise up to 10 bar. So that the pipeline does not burst, it is necessary to focus on maximum performance.
When choosing water pipes for installation inside a house or apartment, one must take into account not only the maximum pressure, but also the temperature of the water. Copper, brass, bronze, steel pipes withstand high pressure - there are no restrictions when they are used to supply water.
Metal-plastic water supply is perhaps the best option for a private house. They do not lend themselves to corrosion, do not sag under their own weight, will last for nearly 30 years. Withstanding temperatures up to + 95 ° C at a pressure of 10 atmospheres, the structure does not deform when the temperature jumps up to + 110 ° C for a short time and the pressure is constant.
Varieties of chimneys
The modern range of smoke exhaust pipes pleases the eye. This includes expensive flue structures made of ceramics (usually used for baths), and steel, and thermoplastic products. However, stainless steel pipes are considered the most reliable today - they withstand heat up to + 600 ° C. Due to the perfect fit, the entire structure of this material is sealed, so there is almost no soot and condensation.
But ceramic products, on the contrary, are used quite rarely, since they have a solid weight that only a massive stationary stove can support, used to heat a residential building.
When constructing a summer house, country house or repairing an apartment, special attention should be paid to the arrangement of communication facilities: water, gas, sewage. For each type of communication, a certain type of pipe is suitable, characterized by characteristics and service life.