Pipes for in-home usage can be produced with several different materials. In the past the choice of materials depended largely on tradition and availability of the raw materials. Today there is an increasingly strong tendency to replace the traditional materials, such as copper and steel, with high performance plastics.

Plastic pipes have been used to distribute water, gas and industrial fluids, since 1950.  Although plastic piping systems were originally used for low pressure applications, research and development has lead to improved quality materials. These materials are suitable for most household plumbing needs due to significant improvements in long term behaviour, slow crack growth and chemical resistance.

Plastic plumbing systems are continuing to gain favour versus those made from traditional materials due to improved corrosion resistance and a reduced installed cost. Market share of the steel and copper are being steadily eroded by plastic plumbing systems.

PEX pipes have led his trend in household plumbing systems where they have been widely used for 25 years due to their excellent mechanical and chemical resistance at high temperatures. PEX can be considered the highest performing material for household pipes based on these performance characteristics.

Solvay Padanaplast offers a range of PEXb polymers to cover all the applications and the pipe structures used in household plumbing systems: Polidan PEX® System.