Plumbers in crystal lake illinois typically install PVC or polyvinyl chloride pipes for all drain and sewer pipes. Huntley Illinois plumbers may also use this material for outdoor garden lines and the like. This article provides an overview of PVC pipes in plumbing applications.
Prior to the introduction of pVC pipes, cast iron pipes were used for sewers and drains. Cast iron is prone to breaking upon impact, and easy to freeze during winters. More significantly, cast iron pipes were dangerous to the health because they required a lead-based solering compound for installation.
PVC pipes are simpler to install; a quick-drying cleaner and glue is all it takes to form watertight connections that are fully functional within an hour. While safer than lead solder, PVC cleaner and glue does produce toxic fumes upon application so they should only be used in well-ventilated areas. Cutting to length will require nothing more than a hand-held saw.
PVC pipes are cost-effective materials. However, because PVC material has a low melting point, its use is not recommended for hot water lines since these can cause joints to break and leak.
PVC pipes come in different thicknesses, which are expressed as schedules. A PVC pipe that is rated as schedule 40 is approximately 1/8 inch thick and is the one most commonly used for household plumbing purposes. A schedule 80 PVC pipe is twice as thick, and is typically installed for deep well pump systems and underground feed water systems. Although rarely used, PVC pipes are also made to schedule 120 specifications; this is generally for lines that move highly corrosive chemicals.
Unlike schedule 40, schedule 80 and scehdule 120 are not glued at the joints. Rather, the ends are threaded like regular metal pipes so that they ensure a tight seal against leaks when joined together.