Which is better, copper water pipes or plastic?
Most housing being built by large developers in the US are not using copper due to the high cost of the material and labor of installation. PEX is the current best practice in water supply plumbing in residential construction. PEX tubing can be easily cut and threaded through house framing, cemented into foundations and manifolded into plenums. PEX is cross-linked polyethylene. Through one of several processes, links between polyethylene molecules are formed to create bridges (thus the term "cross-linked). This resulting material is more durable under temperature extremes, chemical attack, and better resists creep deformation, making PEX an excellent material for hot water and other applications. PEX is ideally suited for potable water plumbing applications. It is flexible, making it easy to install and service. PEX is able to withstand the high and low temperatures found in plumbing and heating applications, and is highly resistant to chemicals found in the plumbing environment. Flexible systems are quieter than rigid piping. The smooth interior will not corrode which can affect other materials long term pipe flow characteristics. PEX is also very freeze- break resistant. PEX systems have fewer joints and are easier to install providing a lower cost installation over traditional plumbing materials.
IMHO copper rules! Over time, the plastic will “sag” and will get brittle. If it needs to be repaired or altered in any way, the pipe will have to be glued and you will have no water ’til it dries. Copper-you can solder, turn it on, test it and know that all is well. Any plastic to metal connection is weak, such as where the HWT connection is made. Mice and rats love plastic. They chew on it to keep their teeth from growing through their lower jaw.
