Plastic Water Piping - Basics

Hello dear friends,

How is everyone doing this fine Wednesday? The last few weeks have been tough due to the lock down in certain cities and areas. We find ourselves in a time of learning amidst a situation that we had not encountered before, at least not with the level of technological advance and connectivity. Indeed, interesting times lie ahead.

In this time of learning, it is also a good time to keep learning about our plumbing. In previous posts we have covered about copper piping, galvanized steel piping, black steel piping, and also how to connect different types of piping, in addition to the tools and techniques to cut pipes. In addition, we have learned about the benefits of insulating pipes.

In today's blog post, we we learn some basics about another type of piping....... plastic water piping.

First, let's begin with the material that plastic water pipes are made out of: CPVC. This chemical is not new. It has been around for a long time. Now, what are are some advantages of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride pipes? Well, they are easy to install and are durable.

There is an interesting situation, however, that you can find yourself in if you cut out a section of metal pipe and replace it with a plastic pipe section. The reason for this is that in many places the fact that plumbing systems are made out of metal has an additional benefit: the safe installation of the home's electrical system. Yes, the electrical panel in those houses is grounded through metallic water piping.

So, by messing with the metal piping, this can mess up the grounding system of your home's electrical pathways. So, if you do end up replacing a section of metal piping in your home with plastic piping, what should you do? One solution is to install a copper jumper wire that maintains the ground system despite the plastic piping. This is easy to do and allows for the grounding system to remain uninterrupted, which then allows for a safe installation of your home's electrical system.