At present, copper water pipe is unlikely to completely replace the plastic water pipe, the two have their own characteristics and applicable scenes, the following is a specific analysis:
Copper water pipe
- Advantages: excellent corrosion resistance, not easy to oxidize, can be stable in a variety of environments. High strength, strong pressure resistance, can withstand high water pressure, and stable performance in hot water environment. Small linear expansion coefficient, not easy to cause stress fatigue rupture due to thermal expansion and contraction. Strong connection firmness, good connection with copper fittings. Sterilization function, can kill bacteria in the water, such as E. coli, and does not pollute the water.
- Disadvantage: the price is relatively high, increasing the pre-installation costs. The technical level of construction personnel and craft requirements are high, if welding and other construction operations are not appropriate, may affect the use.
Plastic water pipe
- Advantage: light weight, easy transportation and installation. Low resistance to water flow, can effectively save energy. Good corrosion resistance, can avoid water pollution caused by corrosion. The price is cheaper, cost-effective, can save costs for users. Variety, different materials of plastic water pipe can meet a variety of needs.
- Disadvantage: some plastic water pipe strength will be reduced at high temperatures, there are safety hazards. Long-term use may be aging, affecting the service life. Connection is relatively limited, some connections may not be as strong as copper water pipe. Some plastic water pipes are easy to be brittle under low temperature environment.
The future trend may be copper water pipe and plastic water pipe in their respective areas of application continue to play an advantage, complement each other. In the high water quality requirements, the use of complex environments, such as high-end construction, medical and other fields, the application of copper water pipe may increase; and in the cost-sensitive, relatively low water quality requirements of some ordinary civil construction and agricultural irrigation and other fields, plastic water pipe will still occupy an important position.
