Copper and cPVC remain popular materials used for water lines; however, PEX has recently gained in popularity due to professional trust in its durability as well as similar warranties offered by manufacturers.
PEX tubing is more flexible than PVC and doesn’t require glueing or soldering for installation, enabling flexible configuration options.
Couplings
Couplings, also referred to as pipe couplers, connect two pipes by wrapping around their outside surfaces to join them together. Couplings may either extend the length or reduce size (dependent upon type) and feature female threads for plastic glueing or copper soldering, making plastic glueing or soldering easy and available in several varieties such as brass, chrome-plated brass, copper, CPVC malleability (galvanized and black) and stainless steel options.
Metal crimp fittings made from copper provide excellent corrosion resistance, making them suitable for pressurized and nonpressurized piping systems alike. Wye fittings feature two inlet ports to switch water flow direction – an integral plumbing fitting used to prevent backflow.
Elbows
Pipe elbows are fittings designed to alter the flow of liquid. Used to bypass obstructions in pipe systems or fit into tight spaces, pipe elbows come in various shapes and sizes to meet individual requirements.
Long radius pipe bends (also referred to as miter bends) are designed to change direction in fluid transportation lines with minimum turbulence and deposition of solid particles, thus minimizing pressure drop caused by this change in direction and helping avoid line kinking.
Compression fittings feature a brass or plastic ferrule that compresses into a recessed seat when tightening their nuts, creating an airtight seal. Lubricating this ferrule with pipe joint compound helps make tightening compression fittings easier and prevent leaks.
Unions
Pipe fittings are essential components of a smooth running plumbing system and Blackhawk Supply has everything needed for installation or repairs of existing pipe fittings.
Unions offer an alternative solution to connecting pipes that cannot be threaded directly into them by using their own nut to seal two separate pipe ends together. They make future repairs much simpler.
Utilizing a dielectric union with nipples will protect galvanized pipes from galvanic corrosion, which occurs when different metals come into contact through connections or fittings and lead to leakage and damage over time. Insulated plumbing fittings separate metals to prevent galvanic corrosion by isolating them.
Tees
The SharkBite Tee is the most common type of Tee used, using metal teeth that grip onto pipes to ensure a tight connection; if they fail, however, this connection could leak.
Solution: Clean pipes and fittings thoroughly before making sure the pipe travels far enough into its respective tee.
Installing new plumbing fixtures can be made easier if you use the correct tools and techniques. Plumber’s tape (known as PTFE tape) helps protect threaded connections against leakage by acting like a sealant to stop threaded holes from becoming threaded holes.
Professional plumbers typically cite SharkBite and similar push-fit fittings as suitable emergency or temporary fixes, while soldering remains superior for permanent connections in all areas of the home. Yet a growing group of homeowners believe these new connections to be just as strong.
Gaskets
Gaskets can prevent leaks that compromise systems, and there are various kinds designed to withstand different pressures, temperatures and other variables that may alter their efficacy.
They can be constructed out of various materials, from inert to chemical and oil resistance to those needing special coatings to remain functional at high temperatures.
Flange gaskets come in all sorts of shapes and sizes to suit different flange joints, including male-female, raised face and tongue-and-groove joints. Each type of flange requires specific material for sealing its gap – for instance a nonmetallic spiraled gasket might work best on raised-face flanges while low pressure class flanges would benefit from using PTFE or Teflon; felt can withstand compression well as it is durable.