Author Archives: Pascale Saliba

All About Plumbing Pipes and Their Uses

Everyone hears the word plumbing and different type of pipes conjure in their mind. Most people think of silver piping running beneath their house or inside of the walls, but were you aware that there are actually different types of plumbing pipes?

Do you know which type of plumbing pipe you are using in your own home? Unless you are a licensed plumber, you probably have no idea.

The first thing you should know is that there are two distinct categories of piping: metal and plastic.

If you would like to know the exact types of the various plumbing pipes, please look below for a more detailed explanation on each of the most common types of metal and plastic plumbing pipes, shared exclusively by the leading plumbers in San Mateo CA.  Express Plumbing.

PVC Pipe

This is a type of plastic plumbing pipe which is used primarily in the transport of high pressured water. Standard sizes range anywhere from half an inch to four inches in diameter. This piping may only be used with cold water, as it is plastic and hot water may cause it to warp. The coloring of PVC pipe is usually white, but some variations may be gray. 

CPVC Pipe

This piping has received extra chlorination so that it may handle both hot and cold water. It comes in a very distinctive yellow color, and is more flexible than PVC piping. 

PEX Pipe

This type of piping may handle both hot and cold water, and has had a surge of popularity in recent years. It is most often used in water-based heating systems as it is much more resistant to heat then it’s counterparts. Colors include white, red, and blue. Red is used to denote pipes used for hot water, while blue is used to denote pipes used for cold water.

Poly Pipe

This is used to transport highly pressurized water, and comes in the form of a thick black pipe. Most often, it is used to transport water to and from the home. Commonly used outside, this piping is buried under the ground in order to prevent freezing.

Copper Piping

This is the most common type of pipe used inside of the home, despite the fact that it is more expensive then the plastic types of piping. Copper piping is very resistant to corrosion, and is able to withstand exceedingly high temperatures, making it perfect for hot water usage. These pipes are copper colored, as the name suggests.

Galvanized Plumbing Pipes

The galvanized coating on these heavy duty pipes helps to prevent rusting and gives it a dull gray appearance. These are used to carry water to and from the house. They come in standard sizes ranging from half an inch to two inches in diameter. The use of these pipes is diminishing,as they are being replaced with the PEX piping, which is just as durable but much more cost efficient.

If any of the pipes ever burst, especially the sewer pipe.  It’s important to find a specialist in trenchless pipe replacement.  Trenchless pipe replacement is our specialty at EPS Express Plumbing.

We’ve been serving the Bay area for multiple decades and are glad to assist you when you need underground pipe replacement or repairs.

What’s Lurking in My Underground Pipes?

When it comes to plumbing, most of us are in the dark. We’re often in the dark about what’s lurking in our underground pipes.  Sure, we may be able to fix the occasional clogged toilet or leaky faucet, however sometimes the problem may be deeper set and requires a professional underground contractor.

Underground Pipes

Some plumbing problems may not be tucked away directly in our homes but may be hiding in underground piping. These pipes may run through our neighborhood, back or front yard and underneath our homes foundation.  Not an easy reach or a quick fix.

Many times these plumbing problems go undetected because it is hard to pinpoint the location of the issue until it is already too late, thus causing a stressful plumbing emergency. This can often lead to flooding or bursting pipes at the affected source.

Although these problems are hard to prevent, exceptional plumbing services such as video camera inspections offered by Express Plumbing help assure our clients that such problems are quickly detected and fixed.

Efficiency in Underground Pipe Inspections

Our professional technicians can take a look deep into underground pipes to see any blockage, cracks, collapsed pipes, root intrusions and more.  Underground pipe video camera inspections are efficient and designed to travel in any direction.

Express Plumbing is a division of Engineering Perfect Systems in the Bay Area.  Residential, commercial and municipal clients rely on our expertise and state-of-the-art, advanced equipment to get things done quickly.

In addition to pinpointing major problems, video camera inspections can be used on smaller jobs in our homes.

These useful cameras can help locate clogs and problems in our drains and even help rescue valuables such as the lost wedding ring down the drain, as recently reported by ABC 7 about a Kristen Kallis doing just that and was very happy to get her $10,000 diamond ring back.

This is great news for families with kids, as drains and toilets seem to be fun targets for tossing unwanted items.

If you suspect that something is lurking in your underground pipes, give our team a call, we’ll be glad to take a closer look using advanced equipment and expertise that will save you time and money.