Debates are often made regarding which material is best for pipes, with plastic and copper pipes commonly duking it out in plumbing discussions.
However, a new series of tests may have landed the knockout blow on plastic pipes, as it was found they pose a serious risk to fire safety.
Not only did the pipes that were tested all burn away in under ten minutes, but they also released a dangerous amount of smoke and multiple toxic gases, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. Even hydrogen cyanide was found in multi-layer versions, which burnt away after just eight minutes.
The Plastic Under Fire Campaign
To make plumbers more conscious of the materials they use for piping and their potential risks, CuSP’s new campaign brings to light the dangers hidden within plastic piping.
The tests were conducted in a laboratory, using simulated scenarios of real-life fires to accurately measure how well plastic piping fares.
Four types of pipes were tested, with the variables being: smoke density, burn time and toxicity. The pipes tested were cross-linked polyethylene, multi-layer composite pipe, corrugated stainless-steel tubing and regular copper pipe.
Results
The copper pipe, as you’ve probably guessed, fared extremely well. Copper doesn’t burn and its melting point sits at 1,085C, which far exceeds most building fires. If you want to improve your home’s fire safety, you can get copper pipe fittings online from specialist providers such as https://watkinspowis.co.uk/products/copper-pipe-fittings-and-press-systems.
The cross-linked polyethylene was by far the most toxic material when burned, being completely burned in under three minutes while emitting huge quantities of harmful gases.
Corrugated stainless-steel tubing didn’t fare much better, spreading fire the quickest due to its smoke emissions. Smoke can cause fires to spread extremely quickly by preheating other areas, while also posing health and visibility risks.
The multi-layer composite pipe also burned very quickly, completely burning in five minutes. It also emitted around 248 times as much carbon monoxide as a copper pipe. This causes dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath, while only taking one or two hours to kill. Maybe copper isn’t so expensive after all.
