The hot water pipe was not enough, and a cold water pipe was used instead of the hot water pipe to connect the water heater. As a result, the water leaked in just six months, and the repair cost tens of thousands of yuan! "This is a homeowner's decoration experience shared online.
This is not a joke, it's true! Many homeowners thought that 'they are all PPR pipes and can be mixed', but ended up with a big setback.
Why can't hot and cold water pipes be mixed? In this issue, let's talk about the reasons behind it
The hot water pipe is not enough, and it is absolutely not allowed to connect it with a cold water pipe
The wall thickness of hot water pipes and cold water pipes is different. Under the same outer diameter, the thicker the pipe wall, the better the pressure bearing performance. The wall thickness of cold water pipes is usually thinner than that of hot water pipes. If cold water pipes are used to transport hot water, pipe deformation and damage may occur due to insufficient pressure bearing.
Generally speaking, the long-term use temperature of cold water pipes is ≤ 40 ℃, and the long-term use temperature of hot water pipes is ≤ 70 ℃. Hot water pipes can also transport cold water, but cold water pipes cannot transport hot water.
If the cold water pipe is mistakenly used in the hot water system, high temperature and high pressure can easily cause damage to the pipe wall, leading to leakage. Once an accident occurs, it often requires breaking down walls and floors for repairs, which can be called a 'renovation disaster'.
Cold water pipes cannot replace hot water pipes. How to distinguish between hot and cold water pipes and avoid stepping on them?
The key is whether it can be accurately identified. There are three main ways to distinguish hot and cold water pipes on the market: one is to look at the color identification; The second is to look at the textual identification; Thirdly, scan the QR code to confirm the product.
01 Color identification
For example, the hot water pipes of "Yuanyou Home Pipe" are usually marked with red lines, while the cold water pipes are marked with blue lines, which are clear at a glance.
02 Text identification
At the same time, the pipe body will be clearly printed with the words "hot and cold water pipes" or "cold water pipes". Pipes marked with "hot and cold water pipes" are suitable for hot water transportation.
The "S" on PPR water pipes also indicates the specifications and pressure bearing capacity of the pipes, mainly classified into multiple pipe series such as S5, S4, S3.2, S2.5, etc. The smaller the S value, the greater the thickness of the pipe wall and the corresponding pressure bearing capacity. Cold water piping systems are typically the S5 or S4 series, while the S3.2 or S2.5 series can be used for hot water piping systems.
Usually, it is greater than the key parameters such as voltage resistance level, and is repeatedly marked at regular intervals for easy verification during construction and acceptance.
03 QR code scanning
In addition, homeowners can scan the QR code on the pipeline with their mobile phones to obtain complete product information, technical parameters, and usage instructions, further ensuring correct selection and avoiding installation errors.
Enter the anti-counterfeiting code or scan the code in the menu bar of "Relevant Support - Youjia Guan - New - Anti counterfeiting Query" on the official account of ADHD Pipeline [or "Youjia Service - Anti counterfeiting Query" on the menu bar of ADHD official account of the whole house] to view the details of pipes/fittings.
In addition to selecting the right pipe, the principle of "left hot, right cold" during installation should also be firmly remembered. The hot water pipe should be installed on the left side, and the cold water pipe should be installed on the right side to avoid confusion during later maintenance.
In summary, decoration is no small matter, and concealed engineering is even more so. Only by choosing the right management and installation can one live and use with peace of mind.