Stainless steel pipes for water supply and heating: see, installation
Stainless steel pipes, which are used for installation of water supply and heating systems, have a number of advantages, if you compare them with products, made of ordinary carbon steels. Such advantages include durability (which can reach 400 years), as well as the hygiene of the material.
Stainless steel plumbing: reliable and beautiful
in addition, inner diameter of the pipes, made of stainless steel, does not decrease later due to the accumulation of oxidation products on their inner walls (and, naturally, such products do not get into the water supplied through pipes, which is especially important for domestic water supply). That is why stainless steel pipes are increasingly being replaced by ordinary carbon steel products, which due to active oxidation can last no more 10-15 years.
Advantages of stainless steel
Advantages, which have stainless steel pipes for heating and water supply, due primarily to the properties of the material, from which they are made. Stainless steel includes steel, in the chemical composition of which is not less 13% chromium. At the minimum content of chromium as a part of a stainless steel products from it can be successfully operated in the environment., characterized by weak aggression. If the quantitative content of this element is brought to 17%, then stainless steel is already successfully resisting the effects of even a 50 percent solution of nitric acid. That is why stainless steel pipes are an ideal material for water supply and heating systems..
The idea of laying a stainless steel home pipeline deserves approval
The surface of stainless steel pipes is not oxidized under the influence of acid and alkaline solutions, provides high hygienic characteristics, water transported by them. These qualities, along with exceptional durability, make these products the best option for equipping businesses, working in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Choosing stainless steel pipes for plumbing or heating, their high cost and significant installation costs should be taken into account. Meanwhile, such pipes do not have to be changed 10-15 years and carry out their regular maintenance, so, the costs will pay for themselves. That should also be taken into account, that when using crimping technology, the installation of stainless steel pipes takes a minimum amount of time.
In which cases stainless steel pipes can be oxidized
In some cases, even stainless steel pipes can corrode. Rust foci on the inner walls of such pipes appear in this case, if water is transported on them, containing a significant amount of chlorine in its chemical composition. If the water composition is normalized, then the process of rusting the pipes will slow down, and they will retain their anti-corrosion properties.
Concentrated chlorine solution can also cause corrosion of stainless steel pipes, which is used for disinfection of plumbing and other systems. In such cases, to eliminate the cause of corrosion, the pipes must be thoroughly rinsed after the procedure.
Stainless steel in the system of "warm floor"
Stainless steel flexible pipes
In today's market, in addition to ordinary stainless steel pipes, flexible pipe products are widely represented (or corrugated) type. Due to the advantages of such pipes, which were invented at the end of the last century, they are increasingly used to solve various problems as an industrial, and household plan.
So, pipes of this type are successfully used today for:
- installation of water supply networks, on which are transported as cold, and hot liquids;
- installation of such a heating system, as a "warm floor";
- laying of gas communications;
- creation of fire extinguishing systems, in which water is used.
Corrugated stainless steel pipe is ideal for plumbing
Corrugated stainless steel pipes have a number of advantages, among which are the following.
- Such products can be successfully operated in conditions, differing even in very low temperatures.
- Stainless steel flexible pipes can withstand even significant water hammer in water supply and heating networks.
- High flexibility of such pipes, and also their ability to accept any configuration allow to use them for installation of communications in hard-to-reach places and in rather limited conditions..
- With the help of special fittings, differing in high durability and corrosion resistance, you can install corrugated pipes, made of stainless steel, quite quickly. Thus economy of labor costs at adjustment of gas - or water supply can reach 80%. That is also important, that no special training of personnel is required for laying communications from such pipes.
- Service life of communication, consisting of stainless steel pipes, measured more than one hundred years, and fittings, by which they are connected, able to serve at least 30 years (this is especially true in the organization of municipal water supply and heating).
- Corrugated pipes, made of stainless steel, differ in small weight and the compact sizes (in the assembled state), which significantly reduces transportation costs.
Based on these benefits, it is possible to draw a conclusion about that, that stainless steel flexible pipes are an innovative solution, that allows not only high-quality installation of gas and water supply systems, but also save a lot of money on such a procedure.
Installation methods
Several types of connections are possible when laying water supply or other communications using stainless steel pipes, namely:
- welded;
- the use of flange-type fasteners;
- crimping.
To be connected by welding stainless steel pipes for water supply and heating networks, not only special equipment is required, but also a qualified specialist. Such a process, usually, carried out with a tungsten electrode, and the welding itself is performed in an inert gas environment. In the most modern way, which allows you to properly connect stainless steel pipes, there is plasma welding, which also requires the use of special and expensive equipment.
Press fittings ensure quality connection and quick installation, but are not cheap and require a special tool
It is not always possible to use welding in domestic conditions, as for this purpose it is necessary not only to have the special equipment at the disposal, but also to involve a qualified specialist for its management. In this regard, in such cases, use threadless flange or threaded fitting connections.
Flanges are, essentially, two ring elements, which are connected by pins or bolts. To achieve tightness when using flanges, use a special sealing element made of rubber or other soft polymer material. Such details, as flanges, are quite large, used mainly then, when the elements of the pipeline need to be periodically dismantled and maintained, spending a minimum of time on it. The disadvantages of this type of compound are that, that they react rather badly to temperature differences and pressure jumps in the pipeline.
The service life of fittings for corrugated pipes is practically unlimited, you only need to change the seals, which can serve to 30 years
Fittings are a more reliable option, in the design of which a silicone gasket is provided, which ensures tightness. Such connections can be dismantled repeatedly without worrying about their reliability.
And finally, a short video about the nuances of installing fittings for corrugated stainless steel pipes.
