Difference Between PVC and UPVC Pipes
When it comes to choosing the best materials for your home and offices, you will find several high-quality and long-lasting, man-made supplies in the market that can be incorporated into any building structure. As such, whether you’re in the market for new pipes, new windows, or new siding, you have to understand the difference between PVC and uPVC, first; and the significant qualities on which these pipes liveliness really fighting fit in order to have the sustainable, durable and affordable solution right in your reach.
What is PVC Pipe?
PVC, short for Polyvinyl chloride, is the 3rd very widely created artificial plastic polymer throughout the world. Among several types of PVC pipe, the two best essential forms of PVC are occasional rigid oddity and flexibility.
Sometimes PVC is also referred to as RPVC due to the inflexible shape of PVC that incorporate in pipe constructions of certain profile applications such as balconies, doors, or windows. Not only this, it is used for food wrapping materials’ manufacturing and bottles and cards, too.
You might be puzzling why PVC is no much flexible to manufacture all these profiling items, being on point, the hack behind its manufacturing is the use of plasticizers (the most broadly used being phthalates) that make PVC more softer and flexible in order to shape any form as per the architecture. Due to this property, it can also be used in inflatable products, electrical cable insulation, signage, plumbing, imitation leather, and a lot more applications where the rubber is transformed with PVC.
What is UPVC Pipe?
Till now we were discussing the usages of PVC. But there is another most important and most demanded substance in the market and that is UPVC. UPVC is the widespread housing window framing substance and the reason for its demand in the market zone is due to its high-efficient performance.
The “U” in UPVC is for “Unplasticized,” though many manufacturers consider its property lacks stability. The truth is its innovations have increased the structural performances of many renowned buildings of Pakistan making it very demanding. Its formulation and extrusion process style window frames incredibly impeccable by delivering an improved performance that ensures environmental sustainability, and energy efficiency.
PVC vs UPVC
What’s The Difference Between PVC and UPVC?
Through, PVC and UPVC pipes and fittings are distinctive, these two can be confused with one another. PVC pipes are malleable, while UPVC is un-plasticized. They both are made from Polyvinyl Chloride, but some of their properties differ and therefore are fit in different applications.
Below are significant differences between PVC and UPVC pipes:
1. Manufacturing Phases
PVC is usually perplexing and sturdy because of the rigidity of polymer PVC. To burst this hardness and make PVC flexible, a plasticizing polymer is added to PVC during the manufacture of PVC pipe.
On the contrary, plasticized polymer uPVC is excluded from the pipe manufacturing process which leads UPVC pipes to be rigid and unbendable meaning that not as flexible as PVC products.
2. Use Cases
The principal application of both PVC and UPVC pipes is plumbing. You might have heard PVC piping is the best alternative to copper and aluminum pipes in irrigation, plumbing, and pool circulation structures. And that’s true…
The reason behind this is the non-rigidity of PVC substance, it is easy to be amended into sought-after lengths, cuts, designs and can be fastened with glue.
On the other side, UPVC pipes are not only used for plumbing applications, they are used for wide purposes such as in heavy-duty water transportation or the construction of industry as an alternative to several stout metals. As these pipes are very tensile, they have the resistant strength to cope up with heavy-duty chemicals and corrosion.
3. Plastic Pipe Fittings
Although uPVC pipes are strong and rigid, they are relatively easy to work with. UPVC pipes from leading manufacturers such as Skipper Limited have low weight and can be easily fitted using solvent cement.
One big perk of lightweight UPVC is that the cost involved in transportation and installation can be reduced. On the flip side, the installment of PVC is a little complex.
4. Durability
Both PVC and uPVC piping are designed to be durable. However, UPVC pipes are more durable in comparison to PVC. The one example behind UPVC’s more durability is UPVC reduces air infiltration to keep your indoors comfortable.
5. Safety and Risks
PVC can introduce health hazards as PVC-coated wires can form HCl fumes in a fire due to Plasticizers that are being used in its manufacturing. Phthalates such as benzyl butyl, Dibutyl, and DEHP are one of those harmful substances that are used in PVC to make them flexible, these are restricted and banned in Pakistan over the years. To have the flexible quality endurable, many manufacturers have replaced Plasticizers with safer ones.
To date, there are no mainstream concerns regarding the use of uPVC, as it does not use phthalates or BPA while the manufacturing process. Even, UPVC is recyclable and can be reshaped into new forms at immense temperatures.
So that was all about the key Difference Between PVC and UPVC, moving next towards the advantages you can have using these pipes.
Advantages of PVC Pipes vs UPVC Pipes
Advantages of Using PVC Pipes
- PVC can be recycled several times with ease, without losing its technical properties.
- PVC can meet the resource-efficiency targets while allowing the preservation of natural resources. To be specific, for each kg of PVC recycled, 2 kg of CO2 can be saved.
- PVC pipes ensure sustainability in the environment as PVC is low weight and low-carbon plastic, it requires fewer resources and less energy in manufacturing.
Advantages of Using UPVC Pipes
- The UPVC material is entirely stable and non-reactive and can withstand temperatures up to 60°C. This makes it an ideal medium for carrying potable and other types of water.
- UPVC weighs a fraction of the weight of metal pipes making it easy to handle, transport, and install.
- UPVC come in varying lengths which make it easier for construction workers to minimize the number of joints keeping leakage chances minimum. No welding or metalwork as a joint is required for PVC pipe fittings to seal and join materials with solvents such as cement.
Our Final Words
Got the Difference Between PVC and UPVC, right? What’s next? Choose Adamjee pipes for your PVC and uPVC fitting requirements.
We bring the highest quality PVC, uPVC, and much more plastic materials that are leading and reputed manufacturers of plumbing and borewell pipes.
All the piping elucidations from Adamjee are lead-free.
