PPR pipes are the most popular material for water supply pipes in home improvement.
However, in the 1980s, the main material of water pipes in our country was galvanized pipes, that is, iron pipes were coated with a layer of zinc. The shortcomings of galvanized pipe are obvious. It can only be exposed to the pipe, and it is very easy to rust and breed bacteria. Later, it was banned by the state.
Used to replace the galvanized pipe, first is the aluminum-plastic composite pipe. It is a multi-layer pipe, the inner and outer layers are plastic, and the middle is aluminum. The aluminum-plastic tube combines the common advantages of plastic and metal materials, has high toughness, can be bent at will, and is resistant to high temperature and high pressure at the same time. The aluminum layer in the middle can cut off the air and inhibit the growth of bacteria. However, it is more troublesome to connect the aluminum-plastic pipe with a ferrule type joint. Later, PPR pipes finally came at the historic moment, satisfying people's idealized pursuit of water pipes:
Environmental protection: The main material is random copolymer polypropylene, which is non-toxic and tasteless, and will not pollute water sources. Bacteria can grow only when the water is static for a long time; high temperature resistance: the temperature range is about -15°-95°, although the maximum temperature is slightly lower than that of aluminum plastic pipes, it is enough to meet the household water temperature; long service life : Strong pressure resistance, the working pressure of the water pipe system can reach 2.0Mpa~2.5Mpa, which can be used for long-term durability according to standards; no water leakage: PPR pipe connection uses hot melt technology, as long as the water pipe is qualified, the hot melt connection technology is reliable and can never leak water.
In addition to PPR pipes, there are two other materials suitable for water pipes: copper pipes and stainless steel pipes. The copper pipe has stable performance, corrosion resistance and long service life. Not only will it not breed bacteria, but it can also be sterilized. There are two ways to connect copper pipes: ferrule and welding. The ferrule is the same as aluminum-plastic pipe, which is prone to aging and water leakage. The use of welding is the same as PPR pipe hot melt, and it will never leak. However, copper pipes have poor thermal insulation properties. If copper pipes are used as hot water pipes, they should be covered with thermal insulation cotton. Stainless steel pipe is the best among metal water pipes. It has strong corrosion resistance and impact resistance. The pressure of the water pipe system can reach above 2.5Mpa, and the temperature resistance range is -40°~120°. It is environmentally friendly and hygienic. The installation is the same as the copper pipe, it is best to use welding.
Generally speaking, the use rate of copper and stainless steel pipes in households is not high. The most important reason is that they are expensive, the materials are expensive (the retail price is several times that of PPR pipes), and the installation is also more expensive.
