During the improvement of their own housing, the question often arises of which type of pipes is the most profitable and which process of installing them is the simplest. It is believed that the installation of plastic pipes is a suitable option even for novice plumbers. How this is done, we will consider in our article today.
What are the advantages of plastic pipes?
If steel was previously a traditional material, now many owners prefer plastic analogs. Their advantages are obvious:
- Manufacturers guarantee that such products will last more than 50 years. No material has such resistance.
- High resistance to external factors. Plastic pipes cannot be subject to corrosion and are highly resistant to various aggressive environments.
- The tightness of the compounds. In this parameter, plastic pipes also outperform other materials.
- Sound absorption. When water passes through pipes, this is not heard, which is an indisputable advantage.
- High environmental safety. Plastic pipes are approved even to supply drinking water from them. Material does not decay both externally and internally. It can be used even in the wettest rooms. At the same time, mold and bacteria will not accumulate on its surface.
- Low resistance. This means that there will no longer be constant pressure drops.
- Light weight. This advantage is especially felt when it comes to repair or transportation of structural parts.
- Easy to install. Do-it-yourself installation of plastic pipes is as easy as possible, because there is a huge assortment of components, as well as a variety of options for cutting and fitting parts.
- Possibility of concealed styling. Plastic pipes can be laid imperceptibly to the human eye and thus do not spoil the interior. Typically, such products are used to install plumbing in the bathroom. Pipes are easy to hide in the cavity under the bathtub or behind drywall.
Cons of products
Despite the fact that the installation of plastic pipes looks quite simple, it also has a number of disadvantages that you need to know about before making a decision:
- The material has low heat resistance. This must be taken into account if the installation of plastic pipes for water supply involves hot water. Its temperature should not exceed 100 degrees Celsius. Many products have a critical threshold of 110 degrees. Further, the material begins to deform.
- Plastic is not plastic. This means that to change the angle of the water supply, it will be necessary to purchase additional fittings that will help to adjust the direction of the main branch.
- Another significant drawback of plastic pipes is that they require special equipment. So, for example, for the installation of plastic pipes and their fastening, soldering is required. And for cutting elements it is better to use special scissors. Nevertheless, this drawback is easily solved: usually specialized stores provide such equipment for rent, and it is not necessary to purchase it at all.
Mounting Features
Despite the fact that the process itself is quite simple, it is necessary to pay special attention to the nuances of installing plastic pipes.
These products are interconnected by fittings, with and without thread. The latter are also divided into 2 types: detachable and one-piece.
The following characteristics are directly related to the installation features:
- Branches are created using tees.
- The pipes cannot be bent and it is not recommended, and therefore, when cornering, the product must be connected with squares.
- You cannot cut threads yourself.
- It is strongly not recommended to install dirty or defective parts. This may affect the operation of the entire water system directly.
- All plastic elements must be protected from fire.
- Plug-in elements are suitable for storage tanks or water meters, while plug-in elements are perfect for flexible hoses.
- If the line changes to a different diameter, couplings are used.
Now that you’ve made sure that all the prerequisites are met, you can proceed directly to the preparation steps.
Stage 1. Design
The first step is to create an accurate plan for the entire pipeline. But the number of bends or parts must be minimized. Only in this way can ergonomics be ensured. The pipeline scheme should be created only by accurate measurements and calculations, as well as taking into account all consumers.
Do-it-yourself installation of plastic pipes for a water supply system can be performed in two types. This is an open and hidden type of wiring.
Also note that the pipes can be installed vertically, in corners, or horizontally, just above the floor.
As for the wiring of a hidden type, here the calculation should be extremely accurate. Each pipe that was walled into the wall should be solid, and all the connection points are provided with the easiest access to them.
In addition, there are 3 more types of wiring water systems. Among them:
- Collector, in which water enters through the collector.
- Sequential. It is the cheapest and, accordingly, the most popular option.
- With walk-through sockets. This type of pipe routing is the rarest and almost never found. Only a professional can install products this way.
When making a plan, you need to remember that plastic pipes will expand if hot water passes through them.
Stage 2. Welding
Installation of plastic water pipes cannot occur without pipe welding. Indeed, it is in this way that they can be fastened together.
At this stage, using a welding machine, it is necessary to connect several products. To do this, each of them must be thoroughly cleaned and degreased (and, first of all, measured). All elements must be heated simultaneously.
After heating and stripping has occurred, it is necessary to note the depth of entry, because all further actions will depend on it. Once the process has been completed, the elements can easily be planted on top of each other using only a minimal amount of effort. It is important to note that it is strictly forbidden to rotate the elements along the center line.
Stage 3. Installation of the pipeline
The assembly sequence should be determined in advance so that there are no additional difficulties in the process. First of all, the main elements of the system are installed, including plumbing, radiators, boilers and other similar fragments. Further, these elements are interconnected using couplings.
It is important to remember that hard-to-reach elements of the system must be assembled in a separate order, independent of the entire system. The first time you can fill the pipeline no earlier than an hour after its installation. Hydraulic tests can be started no earlier than in a day.
Sewerage installation
If you decide to make the installation of sewage from plastic pipes with your own hands, you need to know about the special nuances of this procedure. There are only two installation methods. They must be considered separately.
Domestic sewage
Installation of plastic sewer pipes in the house occurs according to certain standards:
- If the room is not heated, the products must be additionally insulated with mineral wool.
- Angles of 90 degrees must be avoided. Instead, half-bends can be used.
- The pipe should be laid at an angle from the center riser.
- It is necessary to remember about fan-type ventilation, which will help to avoid the appearance of unpleasant odors in the house.
- The toilet must be installed only after the sink. Indeed, otherwise the water lock will break.
Outdoor sewage
In this case, you need to consider the number of people who live or will live in the house. Depending on this parameter, the diameter of the pipes is determined.
Next, you need to dig a trench subject to a slope that depends on the freezing lines of the soil. If this parameter is not taken into account, pipes must be insulated with mineral wool.
At the bottom you need to "lay" a pillow of sand, the minimum thickness of which should be 20 centimeters. Only after all of the above steps can the pipeline be installed. However, care must be taken to ensure that the products do not sag. Otherwise, the compounds run the risk of collapse soon.
It is important to remember that seams do not need to be sealed. Indeed, in sewer plastic pipes for external use, there are already rubber seals. They serve as a seal.
General conclusions
Thus, the installation of plastic pipes for various purposes (both for water supply and for sewage) is a fairly simple process, if you follow all measurements and necessary instructions with the utmost precision. Features of the construction will directly depend on the type of wiring, as well as on the type of pipes themselves. All this must be taken into account during the installation process.
Nevertheless, even a beginner can easily cope with work, and do not be afraid to get down to business.