Copper Pipe
Copper pipe is rigid metal water-supply tubing joined by soldered or pressed fittings, prized for durability and a long service life but more labor-intensive and costly to install than plastic.
Copper has been the workhorse of residential water supply for generations. It comes in rigid lengths in three wall thicknesses, with Type L the common choice inside homes and Type M a thinner, lighter option some markets allow. Joints are made by cleaning the pipe, brushing on flux, and heating a fitting until solder is drawn into the gap, a skill that takes practice and a torch. Newer press fittings let a plumber crimp a sealed joint with a tool instead of an open flame.
A homeowner runs into copper most often in an older house that already has it, or when deciding between copper and PEX for a repipe. Copper resists heat, does not sag, and stands up to sunlight, so it is the default for exposed runs and the short connections at a water heater. It is also naturally hostile to bacteria. Its weaknesses are pinhole leaks from aggressive or acidic water, splitting when a line freezes solid, and a price that swings with the metals market.
Because copper is valuable, it is also a target for theft from vacant homes and job sites, and old runs are usually recycled rather than thrown out. When copper meets a different metal, such as a galvanized or steel fitting, the connection needs a dielectric union to keep the two metals from corroding each other.
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- CPVC : CPVC is a rigid cream-colored plastic pipe rated for hot water that joins with solvent cement, used for water supply as a lower-cost alternative to copper.
- Push-Fit Fitting (SharkBite) : A push-fit fitting is a no-tools connector that seals a pipe joint when you simply push the pipe in, working across copper, PEX, and CPVC, with SharkBite the most familiar brand name.
- Polybutylene Pipe : Polybutylene is a gray flexible plastic supply pipe installed from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s that is prone to sudden failure and is now widely flagged by insurers and inspectors.
- Slip-Joint Connection : A slip-joint connection seals a drain pipe with a beveled nylon washer compressed by a hand-tightened nut, the take-apart joint used on sink traps and tailpieces.