Plastic sewer pipes and PVC fittings

Sewerage is that type of engineering communication, without which comfortable living in a private house or apartment is impossible. Therefore, issues of creating a system for the disposal of domestic wastewater and its repair are always in the focus of attention of home masters. Today, plastic pipes are widely used for sewage. They are characterized by excellent performance, and their installation is much easier than steel and cast iron products.

For the installation of PVC pipes, you can use different types of fittings - threaded or adhesive

Materials

The main properties of polymer pipes are similar: in addition to ease of installation, they are resistant to aggressive environments and are not prone to corrosion. Similar products of rolled pipe are used for the assembly of external and internal sewer pipelines, as well as for the arrangement of drainage networks and stormwater. Consider in more detail the materials used in the production of plastic sewer pipes.

Polypropylene. It is a universal polymer. On its basis, various types of pipe products are produced, in particular pipes for the assembly of systems for the disposal of domestic wastewater, storm sewers and water pipes. The material has the following properties:

• resistance to chemically active substances;
• begins to soften at a temperature and melts when heated to 170 ° C. Therefore, boiling water can be safely poured into a system for discharging domestic sewage from polypropylene;
• high abrasion resistance. Experts recommend the use of polypropylene pipes for transporting working media containing abrasive particles;
• the density of this polymer is 0.91 g /. This value of this parameter is the smallest among all plastic pipes.

Polyethylene. Various types of sewer plastic pipe products are suitable for the installation of internal and external networks from this material. The main properties of polyethylene are:

• smooth and slippery surface;
• highest resistance to chemically active substances;
• tolerates low temperatures;
• pipes made of low and high pressure polyethylene do not withstand the effects of high temperatures. The most admissible temperature of a liquid is + 80˚С.

Helpful information! There is a special brand of the polymer under consideration - cross-linked polyethylene. This material is characterized by thermal stability. Pipe products made from it can be used even when arranging heating systems.

PVC products do not conduct electricity, this property allows you to mount protection systems for electric cables from such pipes

Polyvinyl chloride. This polymer has many names. In addition to the commonly used abbreviation PVC, you can also hear vinyl chloride, vinyl plastic, and so on. This material has been widely used in the production of sewer pipes suitable for repairing pipelines in houses of old construction and for creating communications in new buildings. Experts highlight the following basic properties of polyvinyl chloride:

• the material is non-combustible, but when heated to a temperature of + 120 ° C, it begins to decompose. This process is accompanied by the release of hydrogen chloride;
• PVC is an insulator, that is, it does not conduct electricity.Therefore, pipelines made from it need not be earthed;
• the density of the raw materials from which the pipes are made is 1.35-1.43 grams /. This material belongs to the category of unplasticized polymers. Therefore, finished products are characterized by a high level of rigidity. Strong impulse action (shock), may cause their destruction;
• the process of deformation of PVC pipes begins at a temperature of about + 65 ° C. Therefore, polyvinyl chloride is not allowed to be used to create utilities through which high-temperature effluents will be transported.

Installation of the PVC pipeline should take into account the characteristics of plastic, namely: when laying sewers, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of creating special stresses. For example, if you need to go around a corner, you should not try to bend the pipe, for this you can use fittings. Let's consider similar products in more detail.

Plastic fittings for sewage and their advantages

In the past, sewage disposal systems were created from cast iron pipes. They used metal fittings. Now, sewers are created on the basis of PVC pipes and fittings. Their application provides a significant improvement in the quality characteristics of domestic waste pipelines.

For sewer wiring, fittings and pipes of different sizes will be needed

The positive differences of the plastic elements of the pipeline from other building materials professionals include:

• durability. PVC does not decay and does not corrode, it is resistant to most washing chemicals, resistant to alkali and ultraviolet radiation. The warranty service life of PVC fittings is a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 40 years. In fact, they are able to work for half a century.
• ease of installation. In order to put together all the parts that are used in installation of sewage in housing, only simple manual labor is needed. Most types of fittings for plastic pipes allow you to assemble individual segments of the pipeline like a designer: the end of one pipe is simply mounted on the edge of the next pipe element and fixed in a certain way. To successfully complete this work, there is no need for special skills - mastering the basic techniques will be enough.

On a note! Today, there are parts that suggest more complex assembly methods. Such a variety of options provides the ability to create sewage systems of any difficulty level.

Key varieties of pipe-fitting connections

Technical characteristics of polyvinyl chloride make it possible to implement several variants of such a compound.

Some types of PVC fittings are attached to the pipes using special glue.

According to this parameter, all details are divided into the following types:

• glue. These pipe adapters provide one-piece fixation of the elements. It is created through the use of special glue. If all the dimensions of the components comply with the standards, then the entrance of one part to another is carried out with a minimum clearance. And the contact area is completely sealed due to the use of special adhesives. Such fittings can withstand a pressure of not more than 160 - 170 bar (the specific value depends on the diameter of the pipes and on the temperature of the working medium).
• threaded. The connection is realized by means of a pipe having an external thread and a nut (polyvinyl chloride or metal). As a raw material for their manufacture, usually more rigid PVC is used, characterized by a lower coefficient of elasticity. Thanks to this technical solution, the density of the threaded connection is maintained at a high level.
• combined. Provide for both gluing the pipe, and the use of a union nut on the thread.They are used in places with increased requirements for mechanical strength and tightness.
• detachable. Docking with pipes is carried out using elastic rubber couplings. Such compounds can not withstand high pressure, which is why they are most often used in the arrangement of pressure-free (gravity) sewage systems.

If we talk about PVC fittings for plumbing systems, then they can also have a different configuration. You can get an idea of ​​the most frequently used parts by examining the table below.

Table 1

Couplings, bends and tees are the most common types of fittings

However, it is not excluded the use in some cases and fittings with a different configuration.

Soldering plastic pipes

Soldering technology (welding) guarantees a positive result, if all its rules were clearly observed and in the presence of all the necessary devices and parts. It:

• special electric soldering iron;
• plastic pipes;
• A set of suitable fittings for plastic pipes for soldering.

In this case, the pipeline elements are not joined directly with each other, but through an additional fitting using a nozzle. First, the pipe is inserted into this fitting, and then an electric soldering iron connects it to clutch. Soldering occurs using socket welding. Another name for this process is socket welding. The advantages of using fittings for soldering plastic pipes, professionals include a quick installation time - no more than 3 minutes. In addition, there is another positive point. Compared with the connection of polymer elements of engineering networks without soldering, this method is more durable and reliable.