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In plumbing circles, there is a longstanding debate between copper and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) piping. Copper has been used in North American plumbing applications for more than 70 years, while CPVC has been installed successfully for nearly 50 years. Which is best for your application? We present the information here and let you decide ...
Copper is a ductile, malleable, reddish-brown metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, and is widely used for electrical wiring, water piping, and corrosion-resistant parts, either pure or in alloys such as brass and bronze.
Since 1963, more than 28 billion feet (or about 5.3 million miles) of copper plumbing tube has been installed in U.S. buildings - that's equivalent to a coil wrapping around the earth more than 200 times. The current installation rate now exceeds 1 billion feet per year. Because copper has been used for plumbing and mechanical systems since metals were first employed in these types of applications, it has established its current reputation for longterm durability in installations because it's light, strong, corrosion resistant, and available in rigid and semi-rigid forms. Because of its proven dependability, copper's widespread acceptability ensures compliance with all major building codes. In contrast, CPVC piping isn't universally compliant; some U.S. cities or states have specific restrictions on its use. Because of its relative "newness" in the industry when compared to copper, some facilities professionals fear CPVC installation due to the possibility of call-backs or lawsuits - CPVC just hasn't been around as long, so some are leery of its durability.
In terms of pricing, many copper proponents assert the fact that labor costs oftentimes compensate for the difference in material costs between CPVC and copper. Although installation in some applications may be easier with CPVC, copper is much...