Drainage pipes are required in any area to dispose off waste water from our homes and industrial areas. There are different types of drainage pipes for every purpose.
A pipe that facilitates the transfer of water from one place to another is known as a drainage pipe. They are of utmost importance, as they accomplish the most important task of disposing waste water from our houses or an industry. They are also important for preventing flood that is caused because of swamp-like conditions and soil erosion. Now, there are different types of drainage pipes used for different types of drainage problems. Today the most commonly used drainage pipes are PVC and polyethylene drainage pipes. However, apart from these there are various other pipes used to manipulate the flow of waste water.
Corrugated Polyethylene Drainage Pipes
Corrugated drainage pipes are strong, durable and cost-effective solutions for good drainage systems. Moreover, polyethylene is a chemically inert plastic, that is highly corrosive and abrasion resistant. These type of drainage pipes have well proven themselves against some of the toughest environmental conditions and extreme weathers. As a matter of fact about 90% of the drainage pipelines are made of corrugated polyethylene.
PVC Drainage Pipes
Polyvinyl chloride pipes are widely used in drainage systems, as they are cheap, durable and easy to assemble. PVC pipes account for about 75%, in the waste water mains. These pipes are strong to tolerate any pressure and simply needs glue to join two parts together, which saves time on soldering or welding. The only drawback about these PVC pipes is that they are rigid and cannot be bent into a desired shape.
Concrete Drainage Pipes
Concrete pipes need no introduction as they are most commonly used in building material. The local availability, effective cost, strength and durability make it the most commonly used drainage pipes. Another reason why these pipes are used on a wide scale is, its eco-friendly nature and its non flammable property unlike other plastic pipes.
Clay Drainage Pipes
Again a more environmental friendly and strong as plastic, are clay drainage pipes. Although these pipes are strong and eco-friendly, they need to be replaced over a period of time, as they are likely to develop cracks due to extreme weather conditions and the waste water pressure. However, nowadays the clay pipe work is covered with a layer of concrete to make it rigid and more durable than before.
Cast Iron Drainage Pipes
Cast iron pipes are usually used in home sewage applications and installed under ground to allow waste water to flow through it and reach the purification center for the purpose of recycling. These pipes are known for their durability and toughness. In fact, the reason that municipalities use these pipes is that you just have to install and forget about them. It needs no maintenance nor repair and can last for more than a hundred years.
Copper Drainage Pipes
Copper pipes, once upon a time were widely used for residential water and drainage lines. However, these pipes are being replaced by PVC or plastic, the reason being copper is now quite expensive and tends to rust over a period of time. Moreover, these pipelines cannot sustain cold climates and are likely to burst if the water in them freezes. Hence, they are very rarely used as a part of drainage systems these days.
Galvanized Drainage Pipes
Galvanized pipes were extensively used for drains in the early 1900’s. They were popular since they were cost-efficient and easily available. Soon various problems like leakage, high maintenance and discoloration were encountered and these pipelines were replaced with plastic or PVC pipes. Very rarely will you get to see these pipes being used for drainage works presently.
Each type of drainage pipe has its own characteristic. So, it is best that you consult a professional before buyig drainage pipe for home repair.