If your home has galvanized plumbing, you may be wondering if it is time to replace the piping material. Galvanized plumbing can rust from the inside, and can potentially catch you off guard with a sudden burst that causes water to leak into your home. Here are some options for piping material you can use to replace that galvanized plumbing.

PEX

One material that is not as common to find in homes is PEX, which is a form of plastic piping that has many benefits of its metal counterparts. The main benefit of PEX is that it will do a better job at preventing the water in the pipe from freezing during the winter, which can help prevent the material from bursting unexpectedly. PEX also does a great job at preventing heat transfer out of the pipe. This means that your plumbing is going to retain the heat in the hot water lines much longer, which will result in saving energy by not using as much water to get to the recently heated water.

The installation of PEX is also much easier than other plumbing material. The PEX pipes are flexible, so a plumber doesn't have to waste time making many junctions in the pipe where it bends around corners or changes directions.

PVC

It's possible to use PVC pipes in your home to replace all of the plumbing. A good reason to use PVC is due to it being resistant to rust. You'll never have to worry about water corroding the pipe over time, which can be a big problem with metal materials. The PVC plumbing is also incredibly durable, and it will be able to withstand being shaken or moved without having the pipe break.

Installing PVC is similar to copper, but can be a bit cheaper since gluing the joints together is faster than welding. There are also curved pieces that can be used to avoid installing joints

Copper

Don't forget about using a metal plumbing material like copper, which is quite different than other metal materials. Unlike iron, copper is not going to corrode since the material is not permeable. The hardest part about using copper is the installation, which can be quite time consuming to make joints for every turn. That said, copper is a durable material that will be sure to last a very long time. Once it is time to remove the copper plumbing, know that the material also retains value since copper can be recycled.