Plumbing is a very important part of buildings. Plumbing consists of Water supply & waste disposal. Water supply piping in a building is like veins carrying blood in a body. If there is clogging in veins, one develops major health issues, and similarly, faulty plumbing can lead to major issues in a building. Hence, Re-piping becomes imperative.
Buildings are made of materials, and as buildings age, so does the material. The ageing of material depends upon the material and its properties. It is important to continuously maintain the buildings to ensure it is liveable. Repair / Maintenance works are cumbersome and especially repairing of water supply piping as they are concealed in the wall behind plaster and tiles. Repairs / Re-piping of water supply pipes is not easy as one would have to remove tiles, plaster, and expose the damaged pipe and worst is that the area becomes inaccessible during repairs if the area is used it could choke the drainage systems. Further, the cost of repairs is also a major concern.
In India, houses built 20 years ago mostly have G.I (Galvanised Iron) pipes for water supply. As GI pipes are Iron(metal) they corrode & create issues for the homeowners. Hence, In old houses, changing of old pipes (Re-piping) often emerges as the best and most viable option to breathe new life into an old house
Metal pipes corrode and this leads to the internal surface of the pipe becoming a sitting place for the salts to deposit. Over years of usage, the salt deposits grow & the internal diameter of pipes is drastically reduced leading to the lower amount of water coming out of the pipes. This is irritating for homeowners as the water pressure reduces and homeowners cannot get the same pressure from the faucets. As it is not possible to remove the salt which has strongly adhered to the wall of the pipe there is no other option but to change or repipe the building.
Pipe repairs, maintenance is cumbersome and can be expensive. In the case of Metal pipes, localized repairs are not possible due to threading. If a metal pipe is leaking it needs replacement & leads to removing & breaking the tiles, exposing the pipe, and replacing the pipe. This means that the entire bathroom has to be ripped open and this can become an expensive proposition.
Over time, GI pipes will rust. This rust can dissolve into the drinking water flowing through the pipe and the water coming out of your taps would be reddish or brown color. In this situation, repiping your house is important because not only are the pipes old, but you may have serious health issues if you consume & use such reddish /brown water.
When a homeowner identifies any of the above and decides to replace the faulty pipes they are faced with the options of choosing from various materials available in the market which are CPVC, G.I, PPR, Copper, PEX & composite Pipe.
To make an informed decision, let’s evaluate these materials on the following parameters :
There are other systems like PEX (Cross-linked Polyethylene), Composite piping PE-AL- PE, Copper, etc. All these materials have limited availability in the retail markets, need specialized installers, need special tools, & are also expensive on the cost front, making them niche products for homeowner usage.
In summary, based on the above, there is a big difference between UPVC vs CPVC and other materials and CPVC water pipe emerges as the best option for a homeowner as it provides the following benefits:
There are many CPVC manufacturers in the country, so choosing the right CPVC is furthermore important as all CPVC pipes may not deliver the above.
FlowGuard® Plus is a registered brand name of Lubrizol and is licensed to manufacturers around the world. In India, Ashirvad Pipes Pvt Limited and Prince CPVC Pipes & fittings Limited manufacture and sell it through their vast retail channel all over the country.
As a buyer/consumer be aware of some basic facts and make an informed decision on CPVC Piping. To help your decision making we are sharing some facts which shall help you decide:
Use CPVC Piping systems ask for FlowGuard® Plus….
Do check out our blog focusing on the importance of having a holistic view point while purchasing CPVC and not just considering CPVC Pipe Price as the sole factor.