Copper vs PEX vs PVC: Which Pipe Does What
The short answer
Copper and PEX are both used for the water supply lines inside a house. PVC is mostly used for drain, waste and vent piping, not for hot water. Which one is right depends on where the pipe runs, what it carries and what the local code allows for that use.
Copper
Copper is a rigid metal pipe used for hot and cold water supply lines. Joints are usually soldered or joined with fittings. It's widely used, so it's often what we find when we open a wall.
PEX
PEX is a flexible plastic tubing used for hot and cold water supply lines. Because it bends, it can often be run through walls and floors in longer pieces with fewer joints. It's a common choice for repiping inside a home.
PVC
PVC is a rigid plastic pipe. In a house it is mainly used for drain, waste and vent lines, the pipes that carry water away from fixtures. Standard PVC is not used for hot-water supply.
Why the job decides the material
Supply lines and drain lines do different jobs, and each material is approved for specific uses. Before we recommend a material, we look at what the pipe carries, where it runs, how much wall and floor has to be opened, and what the local code requires.
The buried water service line from the street to your house is its own case. We replace water services with materials approved by applicable local codes and municipalities.
When the question comes up
Most people ask about pipe materials when they're facing a repiping job, a remodel, or a repair on old galvanized or cast-iron piping. Repiping is priced after a site assessment, because the length of the runs, the material, the number of fixtures and the wall and floor access all change the scope.
Services on this topic
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