Preface
As concealed works buried inside walls or underground, pipes will require wall demolition and ground excavation once cracked or leaking. Many people only focus on pipe wall thickness when selecting pipes, assuming thicker pipes are better.
In reality, some unethical manufacturers cut costs by producing pipes from recycled waste materials while deliberately thickening the pipe walls to increase weight. They then market these products as "sturdy and durable". Pipes made this way have a short service life and may release harmful substances.
This article reveals hidden industry practices and teaches you simple ways to tell virgin raw materials apart from recycled materials.
Step 1: Check Surface Appearance & Cross-Section
Pipes made of virgin raw materials feature bright, even, uniform color with a glossy finish.
Cut open the pipe with a knife: the cross-section of virgin-material pipes has consistent color free of impurities. Pipes blended with recycled materials show obvious black specks and white powder from excessive calcium carbonate filler on the cut surface.
Step 2: Smell the Odor
High-quality pipes manufactured from pure virgin plastic pellets emit a faint resin scent or no odor at all.
Recycled materials undergo repeated high-temperature melting of mixed waste plastics, creating a blend of unpleasant odors. The cut surface will smell burnt, chemically pungent or sour. Such pipes are unfit for drinking water supply.
Step 3: Feel the Texture
Virgin-material pipes have smooth inner and outer walls with a silky touch. Recycled-material pipes feel grainy to the touch.
Step 4: Inspect Markings
Formal virgin-material pipes are clearly printed with specifications, implementation standards, production dates and other labels.
The most critical factor for high-quality pipes is raw material purity, not wall thickness.
Conclusion
Choosing proper pipes safeguards your safety. Going for cheap low-cost products will lead to costly maintenance fees in the future. Master the four identification methods above to steer clear of most inferior pipes.
This article hopes to help you avoid common pitfalls when renovating and purchasing pipes.
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