{"id":3481,"date":"2015-04-23T19:13:43","date_gmt":"2015-04-24T00:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/?p=3481"},"modified":"2024-02-21T11:38:30","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T17:38:30","slug":"pvc-pipe-vs-copper-pipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/pvc-pipe-vs-copper-pipe\/","title":{"rendered":"PVC Pipe vs. Copper Pipe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Plumbers and DIY home improvement handymen have argued for years which is better for home plumbing applications: PVC pipe, or copper pipe? As with any two options\u00a0in home improvement, there are pros and cons to both. Blain&#8217;s Farm &amp; Fleet is here to help you decide which is best for your home.<\/p>\n<h2><a title=\"PVC Pipe at Blain's Farm &amp; Fleet\" href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?keyword=pvc+pipe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PVC Pipe<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a strong, lightweight, durable plastic compound that plumbers and DIY&#8217;ers have used as pipes in plumbing for years. PVC pipe is used for the plumbing systems in a lot of new homes these days, and is nearly the only way to go for DIY plumbing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Quieter, even at high pressures and water speeds.<\/li>\n<li>Resists corrosion and impact damage better than copper pipe because plastic doesn&#8217;t corrode, and because PVC pipe is thicker than copper pipe. This means it&#8217;s better for areas where the pipe will be exposed in high-traffic areas.<\/li>\n<li>Easier to install than copper pipe. Just glue the joints together by brushing on\u00a0some <a title=\"PVC Cements at Blain's Farm &amp; Fleet\" href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?keyword=pvc+cement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PVC Cement<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Less expensive than copper pipe.<\/li>\n<li>Doesn&#8217;t freeze as easily. This is because PVC doesn&#8217;t conduct heat as well as copper does.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Doesn&#8217;t last as long &#8211; the cement used to bond the joints can break down and leak over time.<\/li>\n<li>Not as flexible at joints.<\/li>\n<li>Some people claim that there is a risk of chemical contamination of water run through PVC pipe, although no links have been found between PVC and any health problems.<\/li>\n<li>Since it&#8217;s thicker, PVC pipe can&#8217;t fit into as tight of spaces as copper pipe can.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a title=\"Copper Pipe at Blain's Farm &amp; Fleet\" href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/home-improvement\/plumbing-heating-cooling\/pipes-fittings-valves\/copper-pipe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Copper Pipe<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>Copper pipe was once the only option in home plumbing. Most older homes already have copper pipe systems in them. Copper is a strong, flexible, naturally-occurring metal that can be used to form pipes with very thin walls that are still quite strong. It&#8217;s often\u00a0the first choice of professional contractors and plumbers. Copper pipe can add a metal taste to your water, which some homeowners like and others do not.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lasts longer than PVC pipe when the water running through it is not acidic.<\/li>\n<li>Fits into tighter spaces. If you&#8217;re plumbing a small space, copper pipes thin walls and low profile are ideal.<\/li>\n<li>Resists vibration damage better than PVC pipe because it&#8217;s more flexible at the joints, this makes it better-suited for areas that are earthquake-prone.<\/li>\n<li>Cleaner. Copper is simply metal and contains no chemicals like PVC does. Most People claim that copper pipe is not as much of a health risk as PVC pipe is.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Can corrode if the water running through it is acidic.<\/li>\n<li>More difficult to install. Copper pipe joints need to be soldered, and a professional plumber\u00a0is often the best way to go for installing it.<\/li>\n<li>More expensive than PVC pipe.<\/li>\n<li>Noisier, especially at higher pressures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Know Your Home<\/h2>\n<p>If your home already has a PVC pipe system and you&#8217;re not having problems with it, then stick with PVC. If it already has copper pipes, and you&#8217;re satisfied with them, stick with copper. If you&#8217;re choosing pipes for your new home, consider the acidity of your\u00a0water, whether or not there is a history of earthquakes in the area, and whether or not the pipes will be exposed in any high-traffic areas. Like most plastics, PVC can become brittle at low temperatures. So, while copper pipe freezes easier, PVC pipe will usually have a higher risk of bursting when it does freeze.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plumbers and DIY&#8217;ers have long argued which type of pipe is better: PVC pipe or copper pipe? Learn the pros and cons of each.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":3483,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1509],"tags":[511],"content_type":[1370,1373],"class_list":["post-3481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tools-diy","tag-plumbing","content_type-buying-guide","content_type-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>PVC Pipe vs. Copper Pipe | Blain&#039;s Farm &amp; Fleet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Plumbers and DIY&#039;ers have long argued which type of pipe is better: PVC pipe or copper pipe? 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