Iron Pipe, Plastic Pipe, Pralon Pipe? What's The Difference?
Choosing pipe for construction needs, such as houses, buildings, factories, or industrial structures can be difficult. There are plenty of options, but that just made us more confused. Worse, if we choose wrongly, it could cost us.
It might be better for us to know them before we buy them.
Iron vs Paralon Plumbing
If we see old buildings, there is a high chance we can also see iron plumbings. That's because iron pipes have been used since forever. These days, however, paralon pipes are more popular in the market.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Iron Pipe
Actually, the iron pipe is a tough material. If treated well, the iron pipe is durable and long-lasting. The iron pipe can also stand extremely high temperatures and even could survive a fire in the building. But what if the water inside the pipe froze due to the extremely cold temperatures? Because of the high conductivity of iron, the water or gas inside could freeze or even blow up if the outside temperature is extreme.
Although it's tough, the iron pipe also has another weakness, the maintenance. If not treated well, located in an unfriendly environment, and if the liquid or gas flowing inside is reactive to iron, the pipe could rust. We don't want the water we use contaminated by rust or other dangerous materials, do we?
The iron pipe maintenance cost is high. That investment might be better used for other things.
“So, what are the alternatives?”
Paralon Pipes as The More Ideal Choice
The Paralon Pipe is a better replacement for iron pipes. Paralon is basically a plastic pipe. The word Paralon itself is a generic word that is synonymous with the familiar trademark 'Pralon'. Pralon is a quality plastic pipe brand so popular that plastic pipes in general are often called paralon pipes.
Types of Plastic Pipes
"Are all plastic pipes the same?"
Of course not. There are lots of variety and types of plastic pipes that are available in the market.
PVC Pipe
PVC or polyvinyl chloride is a processed plastic that is commonly used in plastic goods. This type of plastic is also used to make PVC pipe. PVC pipe is supple and flexible. But the PVC pipe has the tendency to be contaminated by water or other liquid at high temperatures. PVC is related to uPVC.
uPVC Pipe
uPVC or unplasticized polyvinyl chloride is one of the plastic pipes that are produced by Pralon. The advantages of uPVC Pralon compared to regular PVC lie in the mixture of ingredients of uPVC that don't contain BPA and Phthalates. These two dangerous materials make regular PVC pipe flexible but could contaminate the water flow inside.uPVC often used for plumbing and other waterways. It is a cheap but tough alternative in various parts of the world. It's rigid but not easily broken or damaged. It can replace once-reliable iron pipe or plumbing. With uPVC, you don't have to worry about rust. The maintenance is also easier and more friendly.
PE Pipe
"What about PE Type Pipe?"
PE pipe or polyethylene is a plastic pipe that also produced by Pralon. It's a type of pipe that is widely available in the market. About 90% of natural gas in the world flow inside the PE pipe. Basic ingredients of polyethylene are used on the production of the plastic pipe but it has more flexible characteristics compared to PVC pipe. PE pipe has better endurance to the pressure and temperature on gas or water in it. The PE pipe produced by Pralon can last on lower than zero degrees up to a certain level of heat of a fire.
Because of the many advantages, PE pipes are usually used by the mining industry and big manufacture that prioritize excellent endurance.
Are You Ready to Hunt for the Pipe?
uPVC and PE pipe can be the choices that are cheap, non-corrosive, easy to maintenance, strong, and resilient. If you need pipes for your project, Pralon can be a reliable alternative. There are many options to choose from along the Pralon product line. Moreover, their quality is guaranteed.