What is the difference between sewer pipes of different colors? Grey, red, white and black

  • Aug 31, 2022

People who are related by occupation with different gases know that cylinders for their storage specially painted in certain colors: for oxygen - blue, for propane - red, for air - black. This is understandable and logical. But for what sewer pipes are painted in different colors, I will tell you now.

Attentive users notice that sewer pipes are black, gray, yellow and white. And this is not a simple whim of manufacturers, a pipe of a certain color is used for various purposes.
What is the difference between sewer pipes of different colors? Gray, red, white and black - where to use which ones. I speak in simple terms

So, let's begin:

  • 1. Gray pipe. These are the most common products. They have low cost and good technical characteristics. They make gray pipes from polypropylene. By the way, all pressure pipes are made of this material.

The main advantage of polypropylene is that it "holds" high temperatures well (up to 90 degrees). Who among us has not poured boiling water from a pot of potatoes into the sink in the kitchen? For a pipe made of polypropylene, this is not scary. Plus, they are indifferent to the effects of alkalis and acids.

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The disadvantage of polypropylene pipes is that they do not have high strength and do not tolerate frost. Therefore, it is better not to use them outside buildings. For this, there are PVC pipes and polyethylene products.
  • 2. White pipes are also made of polypropylene, so their characteristics do not differ from gray pipes.

Their advantage is that people like white more for purely aesthetic reasons. Therefore, if communications are laid in plain sight, it is better to take white pipes, they are more beautiful. True, you will have to pay more for this, but here, as always, beauty requires sacrifice.

  • 3. Black pipes are made of polyethylene. This material is not afraid of alkalis and acids, however, it cannot cope with hot water. Liquid heated to 70 degrees, flowing through the pipe, softens this material, the pipe sags and starts to flow at the joints, which causes a lot of worries for plumbers.

Such pipes were very popular 20-30 years ago, today they are trying to get rid of their indoor installation or replace them with white ones. Moreover, over time, as they dry out, they decrease in diameter and it becomes extremely difficult to attach a new pipe to them.

However, black pipes also have a positive quality, they do not react to low temperatures and do not change their characteristics in the cold. Therefore, these pipes can be used for sewage outside buildings.

4. Orange pipes are made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride). As a rule, they are thicker than pipes of other colors by a certain number of millimeters. These pipes are distinguished by high mechanical strength, they are not afraid of mechanical impacts and shocks.

However, they do not "hold" a high temperature, up to a maximum of 70 degrees. Therefore, it is almost impossible to see orange pipes in living quarters, they are not used there. But these products behave well at sub-zero temperatures, so they are laid at depth, in the freezing area, or on the street.

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