Plastic Pipe and Tube Summary

Material: ABS

Usage: resi DWV

Sizes 1 ¼ to 6”, 12foot length

Color: black pipe, yellow solvent

Max working temp: 82C

Joining method: solvent, hot air weld, MJ (fernco)

Disadvantage: supports combustion

Material: PVC

Usage: DWV and pressure

Sizes 1 ¼ to 24”, 12ft or 20ft length. If water service 4-12” or 4-27”

Color: white or if used on DWV its grey. Solvent grey or clear

Max working temp: 60C

Joining method: Primed solvent cement, MJ, sched 80+ threaded

Advantage: Self extinguishing

Material: CPVC

Usage: domestic hot it cold water, hydronic lines

Sizes ¼ to 8”, 12 or 20 foot. Sched 40,80,120

Color: no required color but fire suppression needs to be orange

Max working temp: 100C

Joining method: CPVC solvent only, compression, sched 80 + threaded

Material: PE

Usage: DWV plumbing, water distrib, gas service, water service

Sizes: lab dwv: 1 ¼ to 12’. Semi rigid: 1:2” to 4” 100, 500ft, rigid: 1/4” to 12 10 and 20ft lengths”

Color: plumbing : black, Water distrib: red, blue, white, clear, gas service: orange/yellow, water service: Black High Density.

Max working temp: 55 C

Joining method: plumbing: socket or butt fusion, water distrib: insert fitting, crimping, compression, gas line: socket or butt fusion, water service plumbing : insert fittings, steel clamps, compression fitting, HD by butt fusion.

Disadvantage: oxygen can permeate through pipe walls.

Material: PE/AL/PE

Usage: water service or compressed gas (air, O2, inert gas)

Sizes: not mentioned

Color: not mentioned

Max working temp: not mentioned

Joining method: special o rings insert

Material: PEX

Usage: domestic water hot or cold, radiant floor heating

Sizes: 3/8 to 1” flex 50-1000ft, rigid: ¼ to 2”, 10 or 20ft

Color: red, blue, white, black (black is uv protected)

Max working temp: not mentioned

Joining method: fusion, expansion, compression, crimp

Advantage: Oxygen cannot permeated pipe walls

Material: PB - no longer used - report if found on sites

Usage: hot and cold service

Sizes 1/8 to 1” flexibld or ¼ to 2” rigid

Color: grey

Max working temp: 82C

Joining method: insert fittings, compression, fusion weld

Material: PP

Usage: Typically lab use DWV or distilled water

Sizes 1 ¼ to 4”, 12ft lengths. Can be flame retardant version

Color: brown, if distilled water then its unpigmented

Max working temp: 82C

Joining method: DWV socket fusion, acid resistant mech socket. dWV- socket or butt weld

Material: Proxylene

Usage: exclusively lab DWV

Sizes not mentioned

Color: blue

Max working temp: not mentiones

Joining method: socket or butt fusion or mechanical coupling (brown and acid resistant)