CPVC Plumbing Pipes
CPVC (chlorinated poly (vinyl chloride) is a strong and rigid thermoplastic piping material that is used for hot and cold water application lines in residential plumbing systems. It is also a favorite pipe among repiping plumbers because of its makeup. CPVC is immune to damage from highly chlorinated domestic water and has a much higher temperature tolerance than PVC.
CPVC is a high-temperature plastic pressure piping system first introduced to the plumbing industry in 1959. It has also been used heavily for fire sprinkler systems since 1985. This piping material is also used heavily in commercial plumbing applications.
What are CPVC Pipes?
CPVC pipes are a safe method of delivering drinking water because they can resist very high temperatures needed to heat the water as well as being able to resist the corrosive properties of chlorine.
They are also more environmentally friendly than other piping systems because CPVC is highly recyclable.
When CPVC was first introduced, it had low resistance to corrosion by acids and alkalis so additives were used to strengthen the CPVC plastic making it able to withstand corrosive conditions. These additives were lead-based which caused problems of their own since they could leach into water causing health hazards.
Lead has been removed from CPVC due its toxicity but something must be added back in to make CPVC suitable for use in high-temperature applications like hot water tanks and fire sprinkler systems. Phosphates are used instead of lead for CPVC pipe manufacturing. Although some degree of leaching is possible, CPVC utilizing phosphates has been shown to be safe.
Because CPVC does not contain lead and has high heat resistance, CPVC piping can be used in fuel lines for heating applications.
