Essentials of Plumbing Lesson

IDENTIFYING TYPES OF PIPING MATERIALS

The layout or repair of a water supply system requires that pipes are measured to specific lengths and cuts and the ends prepared to form joints. Pipe lengths can be measured in several ways. The measurement has to allow for the pipe engagement into a fitting and a fitting's dimension.

The various types of piping that can be used for a water supply system are listed below.

Piping Materials

Galvanized Steel Pipe. Use galvanized steel pipe above and below ground. This pipe comes in different lengths, and cutting may be necessary to allow threading.

Galvanized Steel Pipe

Rigid Copper Tubing. Copper tubing comes in 10- and 20-foot lengths and is used only above ground. Types K, L, and M have the same outside diameter to accept fittings. The inside diameters for K, L, and M are different.

Rigid Copper Tubing

Flexible Copper Tubing. Flexible copper tubing comes in coils of 60 or 100 feet. Types of K and L can be used above and below ground. Both types have the advantage of bending with the use of a bending tool for installation.

Flexible Copper Tubing

Rigid Plastic Pipe. Plastic pipe comes in 10- and 20-foot lengths and is used above and below ground. Type PVC is used for cold water supply lines. Type CPVC is used for cold and hot water lines and is temperature-rated up to 180 degrees.

Rigid Plastic Pipe

Flexible Plastic Pipe. This comes in coils of 100 feet and is used above ground only. Type PB is used for cold and hot water lines and is temperature-rated from 180 to 200 degrees. Type PE is used only for cold water lines.

Note. Check local plumbing codes to determine if the plastic pipe is authorized for installation.

Flexible Plastic Pipe

Use the following to make pipe engagements into a fitting for threaded steel pipes, rigid copper pipes, and rigid plastic pipes:

Threaded Engagement

Rigid Copper. Measure the distance from the end of the fitting to the collar inside the fitting.

Rigid Copper

Rigid Plastic. Measure the distance from the end of the fitting to the collar inside the fitting.

The fitting dimensions for steel pipes, rigid copper pipes, and rigid plastic pipes are shown below. To calculate a fitting's dimension, measure the distance from the end of the fitting to the center of the fitting.

Fitting Dimensions